Sam Adams Light - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

fps_dean

Massachusetts

3.21/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Reviewing this from memory.

I should preface this as I generally hate light beers, most of them are watered down and too salty (and most of their non-light counterparts are exactly the same).

I had got Sam Adams light in a sampler pack, which is the only way I'd ever get a light beer to begin with.

It's an amber color with a light head.

It smells of caramel malts and hops. Not an exceptionally strong smell, but more than I was expecting of a "light" beer. And it actually tastes even better. It goes down much like Samuel Adams Boston Lager, with 80% of the flavor, maybe a bit more bitter. It's actually quite passable, and easily the best light beer.

I give this a 3 overall, but I could easily argue it should get a 4 because it's a light beer that's quite passable. It's far from my favorite beer, and while I wouldn't pick up again (short of a sampler pack), it's actually very impressive for what it is. If I am ever counting calories in my future, I may miss many of my favorite beers out there, but I would be happy to know there is a light beer I actually like.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 22:54:30 | More by fps_dean

barczar

Kentucky

3.26/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Pours a brilliant golden brown with a foamy half inch cream head that dissipates quickly into tony bubbles on the surface.

Grain, toasted malt, and an adjunct character form the aroma. There's a hint of caramel and light floral hops.

More grain and adjunct show up in the flavor, with a fairly toasted, nutty malt note rounding out the finish. There's a little caramel sweetness mid palate.

Body is moderate to light, with carbonation a tad over moderate, and a significant grain harshness.

Overall, more flavor than most light beer. At least there's some malt character. But the grainy flavor and notes of adjuncts are offputting.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 22:47:43 | More by barczar

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.43/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle into pint glass

Appearance – The beer pours an amber color with a one finger white head. The head fades relatively fast to leave only a light amount of lacing.

Smell – The aroma is heaviest of caramel and roasted malt mixed with lighter floral and citrus notes.

Taste – The taste starts out of caramel malt mixed with a corn like taste. As the taste advances some hints of hop flavor come to the tongue. The hop is of a more herbal and citrus in nature and in the end with the caramel flavor leave a mainly sweet kind of herbal like taste on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The beer is on the thinner side with respects to body with a carbonation level that is on the slightly standard side. Both make for a rather refreshing taste and are appropriate for the style.

Overall – A tastier version of a light beer with more hop and malt characteristic for the “light” lager style. While nothing to pine over it is rather refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 02:32:37 | More by Darkmagus82

tekn0ph1sh

Florida

3/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Overall for a light beer it's not bad at all. I was turned on to it by a friend who told me that SA uses it to train their beer tasters and it is used in to train beer judges for competitions. It is a very neutral tasting beer and additions can be made to it to help judges or tasters identify off tastes or maltiness or hoppiness. Plus for me it was a gateway beer to widen my wife's taste for beer. She is an AB Budweiser girl all the way and she really likes this beer. She started drinking Grolsch this week. The recovery is going slow but soon she will drink real beer! So for those of you looking to introduce a hardened BMC drinker into the wonderful world of craft beer this is a good beer to start with. And hey it's definitely a drinkable session beer that's relatively low in calories and cheap and if you are down to your last beer you can grab one from your girl and not have to choke down a bud lite or (shudders) Natty Light from a can.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 15:05:03 | More by tekn0ph1sh

FlatRabbitRed

Arizona

3.08/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I would never have known what this taste like is it did not come in a varity pack. It just simply is not my thing, even thogh I do need a diet. I take the pain of eating less food so I can enjoy a few beers at night, and it works great for me.

I would like to say "I do not know why Samuel Adams would make these" and at the same time I understand them wanting to make everyone happy!

No flavor notes .... sorry

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 17:16:54 | More by FlatRabbitRed

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.21/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Well, not expecting much for a light beer, but I want to try everything so might as well.

Pours a nice fizzy to fluffy head that hits 1.5 fingers and hits the very top almost perfect pour into the SA PP glass, but fades semi quickly at first and slows to med with lots of bubbles streaming up from the etch, just a touch of lacing, over very clear amber orange color.

Nose starts with some light amber malts, a caramel almost but at the same time that almost sorghum like aroma that I get from some gluten free beers, strangely fruity although maybe lager aromas, just a bit crisp, and faint hint of grassy hops.

Taste starts with light lager flavors, crisp mostly, hint of the fruity quality. Then onto malts, a bit of amber toasty malts and hint caramel, but then into a bit of the cheap filler, not quite macro but def something like corn or sorghum to fill out the middle to get some alcohol with no flavor, and just a touch of unhappy yeast flavor. Faintest hint of grassy hops. Finish is sticky and not as dry or crisp as I thought it would be, just a bit of syrupy malts and bad filler flavors.

Mouth is lighter bodied, decent carb.

Overall, not what I expected at all. This isn't as good as I remember from trying it on draft which I thought was a decent version, just lighter than regular Sam. This is more macro lager and bleh like. Not as light as most macros, and much more flavor, but some unhappy flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 03:11:40 | More by jlindros

hardy008

Minnesota

3/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed from notes.

Amber color with a white head, with decent retention and lacing. Smells and tastes like toasted and biscuit malt, with light hop bitterness. Light bodied with average carbonation. Not bad for a Light Lager.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 00:22:02 | More by hardy008

kylehay2004

Florida

2.35/5  rDev -28.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Half finger head on a clear golden amber body with minimal lacing. Sweet corn, caramel, toasted malts. Flavors are clean and crisp with caramel malts but there is a earthy and toasted flavor that tastes more like a bad macro brewed beer. Light to medium body and moderate to high carbonation. Actually this is a pretty bad light beer. I would rather have a coors light than this one. The flavor is sour and not very palatable. Wouldn't have this again.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 02:00:20 | More by kylehay2004

Maxwell

Massachusetts

3.35/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a very clear and clean amber with a slight rose tint. The body is superbly clean and translucent, as it should be for the style, with lots of nice carbonation bubbles, and a light scrim head of eggshell white bubbles that sit at the top of the beer. Lacing is slick and thin, running right back to the beer and not waiting around for awhile on the glass. On the nose, the beer smells of sweet caramel malts with a light grassy touch stepping through from the Noble hops. Cereal grain scents can be detected in the sweet caramel, but the smell is very clean and light, as a light lager should be. It’s actually quite nice to smell in comparison with other light beers. On the tongue, the beer tastes sweet clean and light. The beer begins with the sweet caramel malts from the smell and a water-neutral taste that sits separate from the malt, but slowly the taste opens into to grainy cereal and biscuit notes with light grassy side notes. The finish has this weird minty medicinal flavor in it that seems to have been there throughout the sip, but is more prevalent in the aftertaste, although there are also light grain notes. On the mouth this beer is properly thin and watery, with a nice little trundle of carbonation greeting the tongue. The mouth is left supremely clean with only a slight hint of saliva to ask for more beer. The beer is actually quite quenching of thirst. Overall this is a good beer for what it is; in fact it may be the best beer in its style. It is highly drinkable and has some noticeable and interesting flavors with minimal complexity. I could drink a lot of these easily. My only complaint is the weird minty-medicinal taste that seems to be hiding behind everything else. Overall, this beer is a success for what the Boston Beer Company was trying to do with it. If you want a light lager, drink this.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 23:33:31 | More by Maxwell

Braz

Washington

2.93/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours an orangy gold color that is clear. White head disappears completely almost immediately. Has a bit of moldy somewhat buttery sweet smell. Beer does not look very lively. Taste is balanced, but bland. Dry body with light carbonation. Bit of a buttery aftertaste. Is drinkable and smooth but certainly not impressive. May have to try again, almost suspicious that I got a subpar batch. Bottle says it's fresh but I've come to expect more from Sam Adams even for a light beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 01:37:23 | More by Braz

eric222222

Illinois

3.18/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Ahh. Light Beer.
It's the greatest invention in the history of mankind, watered-down for people who don't fully appreciate the greatest invention in the history of mankind.

I understand the desire to lessen your caloric intake and to keep the alcoholic content down when drinking a lot, but light beer really isn't the adult-beverege equivalent to diet soda. A bottle of Sam Adams light will only save you about 50 calories per bottle, and in return, you get a third of the flavor. Boston Lager is my favorite beer. Take Boston lager and add 3 parts water for every one part of beer, and you get Sam Adams Light. I'd personally prefer to drink 2/3 of a bottle of Boston Lager to get my 110 calories than drink an entire bottle of this.

That said, Sam Adams light is far and away the best light beer on the mass market. It's got a watery mouthfeel, but it has more flavor than nearly every american adjunct full-bodied beer. My father in law drinks Budweiser, and I had him try a sip of Sam Adams Light. He said it was too strong for him. That's how flavorful this beer is. It's probably the best light beer you can buy, but it's essentially just good beer with extra water added. it's sold at the same price as the good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 23:49:35 | More by eric222222

Cavanaghty

Maine

3.53/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a Sam Adams Glass.

Appearance: Light brown color with a thin white head, no lacing.

Smell: Grassy skunky notes with some hops.

Mouthfeel/Taste: Smooth light to medium bodied. Taste of mild hops, some sweetness to it as well, very light taste.

Overall: This is a great light beer, if I have to drink light this would be my first choice.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 20:48:41 | More by Cavanaghty

rlee1390

Indiana

3.33/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A-Clear amber, some carbonation, one finger head.

S-Skunky, earthy notes, in a way smells like a legit light lager would...

T-Grass caramel, very malt forward. No hops/bitterness to speak of. The blend of flavors isn't all there as well.

M-Light to medium bodied, not much carbonation.

O-Not sure why someone would ever drink this beer. Light on calories, light on flavor. However I always wanted to try it and now I have.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 23:19:41 | More by rlee1390

dogfishandi

New York

3.23/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a pint. BB JAN 2013.

pours out a very clear light amber, deep golden color, about 1-2 finger fizzy white head off the pour that faded to nothing within a minute. lots of big carbonation bubbles rushing to the top. a deeper color than most light beers, but the total lack of head is a little disappointing.

bland aroma. mineral water, and a sweet slightly toasty grain. almost a hint of toffee.

mineral water, sweet toasted cereal grains, a slight lemon citrusy hop bite and then finishes crisp with hints of bitterness and grain flavor.

very light and watery, and perhaps a bit over carbonated, but crisp, refreshing, and very easy drinking.

better than most light lagers, but thats not saying much.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 22:03:58 | More by dogfishandi

Bierwolf

Missouri

3.13/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle poured into a pilsener glass. "Best by" date of 01/2013.

Appearance: Darker than most light beers, kind of a light amber color. A short fizzy head that reduced to a thin frothy layer leaving some slight lacing as it went down. There were some carbonation bubbles. Clear in appearance.

Smell: A kind of sweet slightly malty smell. Also a slight hop aroma as the beer warmed up a bit.

Taste: Semi sweet and very smooth. Well balanced. No one flavor overwhelming another.

Mouth Feel: Thin and dry with a nice carbonic bite.

Overall: This is a good light beer. It has some flavor, a nice appearance and goes down nice and smooth. It was refreshing and easy to drink and enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 16:41:57 | More by Bierwolf

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.18/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. Picked up in a six mix and figured I'd cross it off my review list.

Pours light copper with no foam. Darker than an everyday light beer. Mostly a beer smell, some maltiness. Taste that starts malty, but evolves into a watery close with no bite. Fairly flat. Better taste than a lite adjunct (for sure) but in its own right, wholly unremarkable.

Would I ever choose this again? No. But is it a drinkable light beer? Sure.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 13:11:59 | More by KTCamm

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz Bottle from CJ's Potsdam NY for 1.75$

Appearance - Clear amber/copper colour with a small size fizzy beige coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation and there is some decent lacing. The head lasted for around 5 minutes.

Smell - Malts, caramel/toffee, grass

Taste & Mouth - There is a below average amount of carbonation and I can taste light hops, malts, and caramel. There is also some grass and corn. It ends with a nice crisp aftertaste.

Overall - Probably the first 'light' beer I've ever had that didn't taste/look light. Really good stuff that I will buy again for sure.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 13:15:04 | More by spinrsx

sommersb

Tennessee

3.45/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Tasted On: 09-01-2012
Freshness: Best by 12-2012
Packaging: 12 oz. brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Sam Adams perfect pint
Purchased: Single from Kroger

Pours clear and amber - darker than I expected for a light beer. Off-white head is a solid 2 fingers, showing a fair amount of retention but little lace.

Aromas are bready malts plus grassy hop notes.

I get some malty sweetness and caramel flavors in the taste, with a light bitterness from the hops. Carbonation is pretty high and the body is thin. Finish is slightly dry.

Overall, a good take on a style that doesn't inspire much hope.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 22:25:01 | More by sommersb

Hawk345

1.78/5  rDev -46.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

What is the point. No flavour, lite, dull, its like spending the afternoon being made to visit the most boring relative you have.
Slight flavour resembles watered down beer.Even reminds you of the days you used to drink beer. Real beer. Maybe a Brewdog punk IPA, or anything that has any resemblance to something good.
Dont do it
Its bad

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 23:17:50 | More by Hawk345

pops28078

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Glass used Tulip

Pours amber on the reddish side

Head is one finger white pretty much disappears within 1 min. leaving a thin ring. Lacing is very light.

Aroma bread, malt, very light citrus; not an overpowering aroma yet a little sweet

Taste is crisp with tingling hops first followed by the malt; finishes without much bitterness; medium to light bodied mouthful; not complex; after taste hints of some citrus mainly lemon yet doesn't linger; I didn't taste much sweetness.

Overall this is a very drinkable light beer; it has more taste than most light beers; 4.0 ABV; I'd have it again when after a light beer. One down side is its price compared to other lights.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 15:51:39 | More by pops28078

Alextricity

Michigan

3.6/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I was at a friend's house and he no one was going to be drinking his S.A. Lights, so I drank the two that were left. Since I drank them out of the bottle, I didn't get to see how it looked, but I have seen pictures ... for a "light" beer, this 120 calorie Sam Adams has a fairly deep amber color, which isn't often seen in light beers.

The smell seemed iron-like to me, but this is more than likely due to the fact that I had it straight from the bottle. I can't really comment on it, so I just gave it a 3... Unfair? DEAL with it.

The taste and mouthfeel ... among the best light beers I've ever tasted. As others have said, it's quite a bit like Yuengling, maybe with a bit more carbonation. This also has more flavor than Yuengling, but Sam Adams is never cheap, while Yuengling is. Again, I'm reviewing this as it compares to other light beers, not beers as a whole.

If I saw this sitting around -- like I did today -- I'd drink it. I really enjoy it, especially considering I don't normally like light beers. But for the price, I wouldn't be able to justify paying upwards of $10 for a 6-pack of this beer. Still, pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 05:01:51 | More by Alextricity

rangerred

Tennessee

3.63/5  rDev +10%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into a Sam Adams pint glass.

Pours a clear medium copper with a one finger off-white head. Decent head retention but absolutely no lacing at all.

Aroma of light caramel malt along with noble hops. Maybe a little biscuit in there as well.

The flavor really taste like a watered down version of Boston Lager. Nice hop flavor up front with a little bit of caramel and biscuit but it all fades away rather quickly leaving a light bitterness. Mouthfeel is pretty good for the style.

For a light beer, this is definitely one of the better ones but honestly, it isn't very "light" as far as calories are concerned. This beer kind of falls into a hole for me because I could pick up Yuengling Light that has decent flavor and less calories if I really wanted to drink light beer. If I wanted Sam Adams I would just as soon have a Boston Lager.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 22:18:11 | More by rangerred

BeardedBoffin

Minnesota

3.58/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours into the shaker pint a dark amber color, trending toward yellowish. A healthy cap of foam sits above. The aroma is of starchy grain and grassy hops. The noble hops are showcased well here. The beer nimbly dances across the palate through its carbonation and light body. The malt flavor nicely emerges as the temperature increases. Not a very assertive beer, but a well made light beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 23:09:57 | More by BeardedBoffin

JohnFatAss

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

This is a very enjoyable beer. Nice amber color, malty taste, and easy to drink.

I am surprised it qualifies as a light beer, not that this is a heavy beer, it is just has so much more to offer than your usual light beers.

The only bad thing I can say about this beer is that it costs too much.

To me it is very similar to Yuengling.

Overall, I cannot see buying Sam Adams Light when Yuengling costs half as much.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 19:29:41 | More by JohnFatAss

harrymel

Washington

3.53/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Best by: Sep, 2012

Pours amber with a cap of white foam. Brilliant clarity. Smells of sweet malts and hints of tea - very, very similar to standard Boston Lager. Flavors of grain and light malts with a bit of corny character - but pleasant. Thin with hi carb and lightly dry finish. Nice beer and well worth a try for those watching their calories.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 03:10:28 | More by harrymel