Sam Adams: Noble Pils

Two Sam Adams reviews in a row, sorry about that. Not the best of timing for my review, but it is billed as a spring beer, and February is the month where we could all use a taste of spring.

Noble Pils is the newest concoction brewed up by our wonderful friends over at Sam Adams. They used five different kinds of hops to brew it, and although my pallet isn't the most refined thing in the world, I swear you can taste each one, with some honey thrown in for good measure.

I hate to sound blasphemous, but this beer reminded me of a much better version of a Budweiser. It had a similar color and head, but more to the aroma and of course taste. It's a relatively normal 5.2%abv, so it doesn't pack much of a punch, but it does go down quite easily. I haven't had it out of the bottle, only on tap so far, but it has yet to disappoint. The taste makes me wish it was a warm summer day sitting out on the patio, but the cold snowy February night quickly brings me back to reality. Overall, I'm going to give it a solid 3.5. It was quite good, but not quite up to a 4 in my book, although I would be curious to hear what my fellow Beer Crusaders had to say.

Try it, you won't be disappointed...

Samuel Adams Utopias, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA

Let’s be honest, if you throw some barley and hops into something, we’re most likely to give it a try, but the Samuel Adams Utopias is a different kind of beast. Dropping $150 to $200 on 24 ounces of beer seems a bit ludicrous, but at a world record 27% ABV you have to be getting your money’s worth, right? That being said, I picked up the Utopias at a local liquor store, despite the shuddering of my bank account and chose to suffer this challenge for the benefit of you, the readers. I would like to point out that finding a bottle of Utopias in these parts would be considered a modern day Labor of Hercules, no one was carrying it, and if someone did have it, well they were talking $200. After being shut out of pretty much every reputable liquor store I can think of, I was hit by a proverbial lightning bolt and called upon the liquor store near my office that is best known for selling singles of PBR to the area transients. My thought process being, if they can only afford singles, I doubt they are dropping the cash for the Utopias. On a dusty shelf high above the cash register, there laid my Utopias.

I immediately hit the beer forums looking for suggestions on serving and storage. Unlike typical beers, the Utopias can be resealed, and thus does not need to be drunk in one sitting. In fact when the forum thought this was my plan several frantic posts about alcohol poisoning were posted. I mean I’m dumb, but I’m not dumb. Thankfully one of the posters suggested I read the tag on the beer and order the free (+ shipping & handling) Utopias glass that Sam Adams had made especially for the beer. I patiently waited for my glass and once it arrived I looked forward to Saturday.

On Saturday I gingerly opened the brew kettle shaped bottle, popped off the underlying cap. A quick whiff of alcohol followed by sugary sweet maple syrup aromas caught my olfactory senses. I nervously poured out 2 ounces of perhaps the most expensive drink ever into my Utopias glass. The absence of carbonation was quite noticeable. The reddish brown liquid filled about a third way up the glass. I lifted the glass to my lips and hesitated. I was 98% scared, 2% excited or maybe the other way around. The beer had stopped me in my tracks and I questioned whether I had put the Utopias too high on the pedestal. My wife eyed me with an air of suspicion with a bit of a grin. She could read my mind and when she saw my expression as I raised the glass and took my first sip, she whooped “You Hate It!” I can only haphazard to guess my expression; I surmise it resembled the look on Roger Rabbit’s face whenever he drank alcohol. My eyes bulged, my nostrils flared, my ears whistled and my bow tie spun. But my wife was wrong. My palette was just not used to the senses I had just inflicted upon myself. The malt, the hops, and the alcohol layered one on top of the other as if it had been put together by one of the Old Masters. The initial taste was like candied dry fruits, prunes, plums and raisins. The alcohol made a fiery passage through the mouth and up into your nose. The bitterness of the hops mimicked the bitterness you’d typically find in a wine as opposed to a beer. The viscosity of the Utopias resembled something too silky to be liquid. And let it be known the beer is GOOD.

I spent nearly 40 minutes with my Utopias, taking small sips here and there, in my life I doubt a beer has ever lasted that long once it had reached my clutches; I am not one to nurse a beer. During this time I pondered the rating for the Utopias and it definitely had me twisting and turning. I typically don’t like reviewing beers unless I have had a full 12 ounces to sample, to catch everything in 2 ounces is tough. Also I had a hard time thinking about the Utopias as a beer, its more cognac than beer. Alas, I found myself calling this a 4.0. The Utopias I feel is something you have to be in the mood for, and it’s something I feel I will occasionally sip, but only at the right time.

Double Bock Dark Lager, Samuel Adams Brewery, Boston, MA

So a few months back, I found a sixer of Sam Adams Double Bock in my fridge. Seriously, this is the life of a beer reviewer, you come home and you find strange beer in your fridge. You don't question these things, you just accept it and move on. Now, I could tell you what bock means, let alone double bock, but I leave the beer science to the other guys. Here is what I know, Sam Adams dumps a half pound of malt in each one of these bad boys, powerful stuff. The Double Bock, is double chocolatey goodness, with the consistency of a high minute Dogfish offering. There is a little cherry background that gives the beer a sweetish aftertaste, don't worry, it's not too sweet. The 9.5% ABV means the amateurs should leave this beer alone. However, if you like dark, chocolatey beers, this is one to keep an eye out for. This baby is a 4.5 in my book.

Octoberfest, Samuel Adams Brewery, Boston, MA

The Octoberfest from Samuel Adams is one of my favorite fall beers. It has an excellent brownish-orange color, a full, malty aroma, and a smooth, rich taste. It is easy-drinking and definitely reminds me that autumn is on the way.

However, when compared to other Octoberfest offerings, some of the lesser qualities of this beer are revealed. First, it is a bit too sweet, almost to the point of being sugar-syrupy. Second, the malts lean towards a toasted flavor, helping to give the beer its brown-bottle color. But the toasted malt flavor is somewhat overpowering, drowning out the hop flavors almost completely. Lastly, the ABV of 5.4% is fine, but I wonder if a higher ABV would help to cut into the sweetness. You almost want to drink something hoppy to chase away the sweet-malt taste.

Despite the noted deficiencies, this beer is a classic American Octoberfest beer. It holds up well in comparison to Octoberfest beers from Germany, which is the highest compliment.

Rating = 4.0

Thanks Jim

Interesting article here about the recent hop shortage and how Sam Adams founder Jim Koch helped out the little guy by selling his surplus hops at cost to smaller brewers so they could stay in business. So next time you pull out one of your favorite local microbrews tip your bottle to Jim Koch for a job well done.

This article by the way was randomly sent to me, good job whoever sent it.

Sam Adams Hallertau Imperial Pilsner, Sam Adams, Boston, MA

This beer is self described as an "Intense Hop Experience." It says so right on the box. Maybe in the first sip there are some hops tingling, they however do not stay with you long. This beer starts strong, but finishes weak. I do appreciate Jim Koch for trying though. I do enjoy most of Sam Adams brews. I just wished he spent more time dumping hops in this beer, and less time sniffing hops. This beer packs a whopping 8.8% ABV, so while the hops are lacking the alcohol is strong. We're rolling another 2.5 ranking however.

By the way, Jim Koch is definitely on the list of Bostonians who always appears as if he is drunk when on TV. Rounding out the list, Bob Lobell and Bob Kraft.