It’s not every day that Boston Beer Company releases a new beer-but it’s pretty close. Far and away, I’ve had more different beers from Boston Beer (mostly under the Samuel Adams label, but also Longshot and, many moons ago, Oregon Originals) than from any other brewery. Hey, beer geeks want to try different beer, so we can’t blame a brewery for giving us different beers.
Anyway, here’s one of the latest: Samuel Adams Bavarian Lager. This beer is included in the 2019 Samuel Adams Gameday Beers Variety 12-pack, but it’s also sold in six-packs. I couldn’t find it in Georgia, but I did get a six-pack at a Wal Mart in Murphy, North Carolina just in time for the Super Bowl.
Boston Beer says:
A single hop brew with Noble Tettnang hops from the foothills of the Alps.
This unfiltered amber lager is the perfect brew for spring-flavorful enough for cooler weather, but with a balance of lively citrus notes and crisp maltiness that herald the warmer months to come.
Now, I bought this beer in January, which is hardly spring if you don’t mind me saying. To be fair though, my bottles are notched as best before May, and April does qualify as spring. So there is that.
Ingredients from the website:
Malt Varieties: Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Ida Pils malt, honey malt, and wheat malt.
Hop Varieties: Tettnang Tettnanger Noble hops
Samuel Adams Bavarian Lager has an alcohol content of 5.5% by volume with 18 IBUs. I paid $9.99 for my six-pack.
Samuel Adams Bavarian Lager pours to a hazy yellow orange color with a thick fluffy head and a big earthy hop and citrus nose. Taking a sip, the beer has a smooth clean maltiness accented with lemony citrus and, in the finish, an earthy herbal grassy bitter finish.
Tasty! I liked the hearty body that is satisfying but not overbearing for a lager. Though they call it an amber lager, the fact that it is unfiltered makes me want to call it a Kellerbier. So I will. In fact, the beer is very much like the old Samuel Adams Alpine Spring, with the same hops, at least some of the malts, and alcohol content. It’s not all that different from last year’s Samuel Adams Kellerbier.
Even so, I would buy it again.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft