From Buddies Bert and Andrew in Boston… It seems like only yesterday that we were putting the last of our Samuel Adams^® Winter Lager empties into the recycling bins, and welcoming in the slightly milder weather with the crisp and hoppySamuel Adams Noble Pils. But as the clocks spring ahead, we know that the seasons are about to change once again, and with it will gothis wonderful seasonal brew.  Like an internet version of Paul Revere’s midnight ride, we call upon our loyal Sam Fans to help spread the word far and wide, that in mere weeks, Noble Pils will be gone until next year. Share this message with your beer-loving friends, and one day history may look back upon you as the heroes that you are.  Uh, Bert and Andrew I think we just did!

Update 3/27/11 – You can find it on tap for a few days at the Irish Bred Pub.  When it’s gone, it’s gone.

Despite the rain, the Beer Tasting at Sid’s 8th Street Cafe was a success.  There were a dozen or so beers from Sam Adam’s tonight.  Great crowd that was dodging the rain and moving outside tables under the walkway shelter.  If you’ll remember, when Sid did a Wine Tasting a few weeks ago, the sky’s opened with more rain.  Where was he last year in the dry times.  Thank Gosh we’ve got him now.

I had really meant to post something about this special Sam Adams Winter Classics pack weeks ago.  So you may have a hard time finding it, but if you can, get it. Kroger had the 12 packs and Sam’s Club had the 24 bottle pack. Be sure to look for the Samuel Adams Winter Classics Variety 12-pack featuring 6 delicious brews perfect for the season including: Samuel Adams Boston Lager®, Samuel Adams® Winter Lager, Samuel Adams® Cream Stout, Samuel Adams® Old Fezziwig® Ale, Samuel Adams® Holiday Porter, Samuel Adams® Cranberry Lambic.  With the exception of Old Fezziwig and Cranberry Lambic you can probably find the others in 12 packs.

When you arrive sporting this 12-pack you’ll be the hit of the party. With 2 bottles of each delicious style you’ll be able to please even the most discriminating tastes in your group. If that’s not enough, the packaging features a convenient “To/From” tag that allows you to take credit for bringing the good stuff.  I’ll take a look at each in coming weeks.  I’ve got to keep Butterbean happy after all. (Source Andrew & Bert’s December Newsletter)

Sam Adams Seasonal Beer – White Ale (Light blue Label on the bottle) From the Same Adams website, here’s their definition: This beer’s roots are in Belgium, and the classic Wit biers produced by Belgium’s brewers. The style gets its name from the white, milky appearance of this unfiltered wheat ale. The brewers of Samuel Adams® beer, taking inspiration from the Belgians, have created a classic of their own. On the malt side, we use malted two row Pale barley, malted wheat, and Munich malt to give this beer a crisp, malty, cereal finish and smooth mouth feel. The hops used are Noble Tettnang Tettnanger hops.  At the end of the kettle boil, we add a proprietary spice blend to give Samuel Adams® White Ale a unique and complex flavor, without being overpowering or cloying.  The spice blend includes orange and lemon peel, dried plum, grains of paradise, coriander, anise, hibiscus, rose hips, tamarind, and vanilla.  It is this special blend of spices that gives Samuel Adams® White Ale its unique character, complexity and refreshing drinkability. The beer is coarse filtered, leaving a white haze from the malt proteins. Our proprietary top fermenting ale yeast ferments the beer, imparting its signature character – bright and slightly fruity.

The beer was first brewed in 1997 and is available late January thru April. It’s got a Golden Amber color, but it’s cloudy.  Put your hand behind the glass and see what you can’t see.  It’s got 175 Calories.

Not to anger to folks in Boston, another beer I like that this falls into the same range would be Blue Moon. 

Drinkability, humm, how to define this one.  If you’re going to sit and have a few beers and eat some wings, this going to be fine. Would you want to drink them all afternoon on the lake (if it were warm and we had water in the lake) probably not.  I’d switch over to another Sam treat after a few.