They're a pain in the ass to cap, and that leads to one or two duds per batch, but the last two times we used them we each had to pour out 12+ bad bottles. That's unacceptable.
I since switched to drinking beers using the more common bottle used by Sam Adams, Saranac, Dogfish, and pretty much every other craft brewer. At BJs yesterday, I was looking for a case of Sam Lager, but they only had the mixed Winter case.
Four each of Lager, Winter, Old Fezziwig, Holiday Porter, Cream Stout, and Cranberry Lambic. I didn't really want that, but there was nothing else that interested me, so I figure that would be an interesting beer-blogging experiment, if nothing else, especially on the heels of Toast's little experiment last week. Of course, that was a little unfair, pitting a rookie up against the Master, but still the key point was this: This is a perfect example of what can go wrong when American craft brewers recklessly expand their catalog...
Absofuckinglutely. Every time I see that ad where they ask people how many beers Sam Adams makes, and the answer is 27 or something, I just cringe. At least 20 of those are a waste of time.
So, in short order:
1) Sam Adams Lager - B. The perfect "standard beer." You know that if you walk into the divy-est of dives, with tap after tap of Coors, Coors Light, Michelob, MGD, Bud, Bud Light, you'll at least be able to get Sam in a bottle, if not on tap. And you can enjoy your evening.
2) Old Fezziwig - B-. Darker Sam Adams. A little maltier. OK.
3) Holiday Porter - D. Really? That was a porter?
4) Winter Lager - D. Watery, and a touch of cinnamon. Winter my ass.
5) Cranberry Lambic - F. Putrid fruit juice, with a hint of beer. Never, I repeat never, buy a "lambic" or otherwise fruit-adjuncted beer from an American mass-market brewer. No sense of taste, class, or moderation. Beer for chicks who don't like beer.
6) Cream Stout - B-. Not bad. Creamy and Stouty, as labeled. Just mediocre in its category, that's all.
UPDATE: Fridge, in his drunken-Giant-fan revelry, went and gave the Holiday Porter a 4.
Let me revisit this, in full-blown beer-blogging style:
Sam Adams Holiday Porter, 12 OZ, 5.8% ABVThe Pour: Standard pour, thick head, but very lightly colored for a porter.
The Color: Completely opaque. I held it up to the brightest light I have here in the cave, and see that the base color is reddish.
The Nose: A little burnt toast over malt. A touch of coffee?
The Taste: Again, the burnt toast, with a slightly creamy mouthfeel. A good amount of hop bite, seems out of balance with the style.
The Verdict: C. The second impression worked out a little better, but still, nothing to write home about. Beer. If you handed me one of these, I wouldn't complain. Not what I would want when thinking of a "holiday porter" though.
OK, maybe I was too flip the first time, but I'm still not seeing it.
That's OK, different strokes. But I'm glad I revisited it. And I'll make sure it's the first beer I drink tomorrow before the MNF game, just to see what else I can get out of it.
