Beer #2- Samuel Adams Seasonal "Summer Ale"

They say a good hat is hard to find. And that is true. My favorite hat was a Tennessee Titans hat I wore from their Superbowl trip (we won't venture there) to about 2007. I wore that thing everywhere and I wore it out. It withstood endless fishing trips, Mississippi Delta heat, destinations halfway across the world- and it eventually wore out. And then off to find that next hat, albeit reluctantly, but I still had to look.

And I feel that is how most people view beer. We all may remember our first beer experience, relegated to the disgusting sip of an uncle's lukewarm Natural Ice at a family reunion, quickly spat out onto the pavement vowing never to touch that froth ever again. And some have had better first experiences- but most tend to stick to the first beer they tried and never venture off. A sad prospect of fellow beer drinkers everywhere.

And that is what you could do with Sam Adams Seasonal Summer Ale.

It’s simple, straightforward and almost refreshing. Yes, it has everything a summer brew hopes for- the orange citrus notes, the cloudy goldenrod nectar floating around in the goblet, and the unapologetic easy drinking sweetness. And, of course, the Samuel Adams brand across the front.

The ease of the foam and that uber-carbonated tickle of your throat makes your palate welcome this simple conglomeration of nature’s finest harvest- BUT- it falls short. You could stick with this beer all summer long and be happy. But you would be missing out.

Just like with that new hat, no matter how long you wear it, how long you tell yourself it is “the hat”- it just never wears like the first.


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I give Samuel Adams “Summer Ale” a disappointed 81.


Look: Cloudy Goldenrod
Smell: Simple Navel Orange
Taste: Sweet and almost refreshing, Simple but not refined.


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Brett's ratings are out of 100.

As with all connoisseurs, personal taste affects all ratings. The best ratings tend to lean towards his two different biases; 1) Well-crafted heavy Stouts and 2) Lagers made with a simple perfection.

Please understand that just because Brett gives a beer a high rating doesn't mean you may think it is good. Only understand that if he gives it a high rating it is because most people who have a good taste in beer would do the same.