Sam Adams Light - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

Lauthaha

Michigan

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

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a beer mug.

Appearance: Beer pours a mostly clear amber/copper color with light carbonation. Head appears rich and frothy, but fades away in a few minutes to a marginally impressive foam on the surface.

Smell: A light wheat-like essence accompanied by slight sweetness in the malt. A little citrus in there, maybe.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Definitely very light on the palate, medium to high carbonation. The beer really gets going if you swish it around. Almost like a soft-bodied wheat beer. Very malty, which is probably the best quality. Aftertaste is very tinny or aluminum-tinted.

Overall: It came in a sampler pack...2 bottles of 6 varieties. Glad I got this one out of the way, it just leaves me longing for the OG Samuel Adams Lager (or better yet, Samuel Adams Ale).

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2011 02:51:04 | More by Lauthaha

kshankar

District of Columbia

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

This is a pretty solid beer, not just by light beer standards, but overall.

Appearance is amber with a frothy, foamy head. Recedes to a thin film that stays all the way down.

Aroma is malty, grainy..which follows in the general taste. Good body and mouthfeel for a light beer..not as bland and one dimensional as one might expect, but it's still easy to tell it's a light beer.

I'd have it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2011 06:31:03 | More by kshankar

MrDonQuixote

Colorado

2.93/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a wine glass:

A- Very dark for a light beer. Amber color with a white head

S- Extremely malty smell, with that typical Boston hops smell that all Sam Adams beers seem to have

T- One of the better tasting light beers, but that being said, the flavor is still very muted. Very malty with a taste similar to white bread.

M- Pretty watery with a bit too much carbonation

O- Pretty good for a light beer, although give me a Boston Lager over this any day of the week

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2011 04:11:33 | More by MrDonQuixote

lstokes

Illinois

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

Pours light amber with a decent white head. Smells too grainy. Grassy, malty, faint caramel, pleasant taste. Clean, slightly drying finish. Surprisingly hefty, creamy mouthfeel for a light beer, and in the end, a perfectly respectable light beer. If you're gonna go light, I guess you should go for a Sam Adams.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 23:55:07 | More by lstokes

bobhits

Kentucky

2.03/5  rDev -38.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

The beer makes note that there isn't any lingering bitterness, I'm already upset.

Pours a nice amber color, a good bit darker than any diet beer, and even a bit more than most lighter summer beers. Head and lacing are after thoughts.

Caramel, toast, and a hint of bitterness make for an inviting nose even the description, but a bit bland by any other standards.

This is like really watered down amber in the malt profile, but the hops given off just enough bitterness though I can't even being to describe them as they don't impart much flavor. I assume this is rather fresh because once the bitterness fades even a hair this beer is going from rather drinkable to being just water.

This beer delivers what it claims to. Not a singing endorsement and for a company that says "this is no light beer" and who admits that calories aren't light, well I'm not going to rush out to buy more.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 03:00:49 | More by bobhits

anglagard1

Wisconsin

3.45/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I'm reviewing this partially with the idea in mind that this is a light beer. I say partially, because it is at the high end calorie-wise of this catagory.

This is a nice looking light beer. The aroma is light but pleasant, like honeydew melons and apples. Taste follows, but doesn't have a lot to add. Mouthfeel drops off from the Boston Lager. I remember this as being the most flavorful light beer I had ever tasted, but it has been a long time since light beer has passed these lips. I find myself taking huge gulps of it just to taste anything at all. I give it extra points for being a light beer, which probably means I'm giving it a better review than the full flavored Sam Adams. But as it has the same calories as a Guinness Draft, I'll stick with the Guinness.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 01:55:29 | More by anglagard1

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Samuel Adams Light Lager isnt bad....not preferred...but not bad. The color is a nice amber with thin white head that isnt leaving alot of lace. The smell is caramel malt with sublte spice and grain undertones. The taste is primarily malt with some hop at the end that helps the beer clear the pallet instead of lingering. The mouthfeel is fine, nice and smooth....very drinkable. Definitely can session this one without issue.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2011 23:23:30 | More by WoodBrew

SickGnar

Pennsylvania

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

A: Tawny copper, just on the light side. But quite dark for a “light” beer. Smallish eggshell head. Clear with a few lazy bubbles. Not much for retention, but a few splotches of lace.

S: Sweet lager nose with some soft muted esters. Munich malt with hints of bread crust and a pronounced malty sweetness. Barest ghost hints of noble hops. About like the regular, just toned down – less hoppy & spicy, and less richness to the malts.

T: Even sweeter than the nose implied. Far less hoppy & bitter, and far sweeter, than the flagship Boston Lager. Slight bit of cooked corn DMS even though it says all malt. Barest hints of bread crust and toasty malts. Muted herbal, grassy, and floral sweet noble hops. Faint hint of lemony citrus.

M: A bit under medium body with CO2 a touch over-balanced. A bit much carbonation actually, but it is crisp and quenching. Still, it is more substantial than the usual “lite” offering. Semi-sweet with just an edge of drying finish.

D: Pretty darn good for a “light” beer – far better than most. Good look, fair nose, a bit much sweetness, and rather too much carbonation. Significantly better than the average – “regular” non-light – macro swill. About the same calories though with less abv. Rated to “light” style, this is nice.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 19:26:56 | More by SickGnar

BucannonXC5

California

3.48/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Color was honey or light copper with about ¼-inch of head. Light lacing on the top. Some film on the sides that stayed throughout the beer.

Similar to Sam Adams Boston Lager, but not as strong of aromas. Main smells were lemon zest, malts, hops and a tad bit of bread/grains.

Initial taste was bready and grainy. More bland than anything. Second/aftertaste was mild hops, but still a bit bland. Definitely not your typical light beer (Bud Light, Coors Light, etc.).

Average to mild carbonation. Still a bit bland and it got a little boring. I went back and forth here between a 3.0 and a 3.5, but went with my initial reaction - 3.0.

You know if Sam Adams is going to do a light beer, it was going to be good and this didn’t disappoint. I would call it a WNBA’s Sam Adams Boston Lager.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 06:11:36 | More by BucannonXC5

kojevergas

California

2.08/5  rDev -37%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

33cl brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into an imperial pint glass in high altitude Denver, CO. Reviewed live.

A: Five finger head of nice cream, good thickness, and good retention - though it's only four percent. Clear yellow-copper colour.

Sm: Lemon-lime citrus ester hops and slightly off barley. Not really appealing. Aroma is mild in strength.

T: Very light lemon esters, light weak barley as a foundation, and a nasty faux-cream climax. Best described as abysmal. It isn't even ruined by its simplicity, just by its flavour. Badly built and rather imbalanced.

Mf: Smooth and wet - overly so on both counts. Not at all complementary of the style or the flavours of the body.

Dr: You could easily down it if only you could get past the wretched "flavours". A huge disappointment from Sam Adams.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 04:10:19 | More by kojevergas

UCLABrewN84

California

3.65/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear honey orange color with a 1 inch fizzy off-white head that fades to an oily film. Small legs of lace drip back into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of toasted grains, malt, and some honey notes. Taste is of toasted grains, bready malt, slight honey, and some mild citrus zest. Very little bitterness on the palate after each sip. A good level of carbonation makes for a crisp and fizzy mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good light beer - probably the best light beer I have ever had really.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2011 02:10:53 | More by UCLABrewN84

MadCat

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Fortunately for Sam Adams, light does not mean light on flavor.

Appearance: A nice light amber color, a few shades lighter than the Boston Lager. Pours with a decent white head that dissipates quickly, leaving some lacing.

Smell: Light malts, toasted grain, and some refreshing hops

Taste: Again, lighter on the malt than Boston Lager, has some toasted grains, as well as a hop presence, though the hops are lighter than Boston Lager as well.

Mouthfeel: Light body, full carbonation, smooth mouthfeel

Overall: Impressive for a light beer. Refreshing, very summer appropriate, and a good way to try and get the standard light beer drinker into craft. I wouldn't turn one down, though I wouldn't seek it out either. Only got this due to it being included in the Summer Sampler 12 pack.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2011 22:21:37 | More by MadCat

MattyG85

Minnesota

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

Poured from 12 oz. bottle into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass.

Appearance: Golden amber orange with lots of rising bubbles. Big three finger off white head with very good retention and lacing.

Smell: Aroma of bready malts with caramel and biscuit. Very light hint of hops and lemon. Smells more like a full malty lager than a typical light beer.

Taste: Lots of bready malts with caramel and cereal like grains. Hint of lemon and a faint hint of hop bitterness. Very malty and fairly tasty for a light beer.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with a moderate carbonation. Fairly full for a light beer. Crisp and smooth.

Overall: A pretty good take on a light lager that is fuller than some regular lagers.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2011 02:19:34 | More by MattyG85

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

2.58/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Currently the #1 light lager.

The beer appears orange and clear, with a steady stream of effervescence. The head is minimal, leaving faint traces of lacing on the pint glass when you rock it gently from side to side like a little cute baby.

The aroma is faint, but if you practically stick your nose into the beer, and imagine that you're smelling beer, you can barely detect distant traces of malt that is too sweet.

Taste = no thanks. Too sweet, tastes cheap, odd, off, etc. Is it light beer you seek? Try a great German or Czech pils, or perhaps an English session beer. Although I respect Sam Adams, this beer is a macro lager engineered for the masses. I won't be having this again.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 21:13:46 | More by Huhzubendah

tdm168

North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev +13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

Pours a clear amber with little head. The smell has a pretty decent malty aroma for a light lager. Taste is malty with a very nice hop bitterness; pretty good balance and hop characteristic for a light lager. Mouthfeel is light and crisp; well carbonated.

Overall, it's a great light lager. It's better flavor-wise than any other on the market.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 22:35:00 | More by tdm168

schoolboy

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I'm sure that I've had one of these before today, but without recording it here, the style just isn't memorable to have any recollection of it.

That said, this is quite good for the style. I would be hard pressed to show a more drinkable light beer for a lover of more robust beers. It looks a bit maltier in color than most wimpy beers, and it has a more complex taste than most. I bought a summer sampler with a $5 meat rebate, so they were cheap, and my guests didn't drink much. More for me, and I am not unhappy that I have to drink the three Lights - they are good.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 22:07:43 | More by schoolboy

Duff27

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Best by Sept. 2011

A- One inch fizzy white head. Medium pale beer. Some lacing(!) and decent enough head retention.

S- Touch of lemon zest.

T- Slight malt sweetness, subdued bitterness that is so present in others of the style.

M- Medium to medium/low mouthfeel. Average carbonation. Dry finish.

D/O- An above average (read: better tasting) "light" beer but i believe there to be better examples of the style, although not many. Very sessionable...lower ABV than most of the "big boys". Who knows...could be a gateway beer for some. Graded to style.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2011 02:16:42 | More by Duff27

AmericanGothic

Iowa

3.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sam Adams pint.

A: Pours a clear, golden orange with one finger of off-white head. Some retention and lace.

S: Freshly mowed grass, a bit pungent. Odd, but not bad.

T: Dry, dark fruit up front yields to a light caramel malt, semi-sweet finish. Not bad, certainly above average.

M: Light, well-carbonated, soda-like.

O: Definitely better than average for the style, doesn't have the adjunct character of most of the others. Refreshing and pleasant, definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2011 03:33:51 | More by AmericanGothic

WJVII

Wisconsin

3.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This was part of a summer sampler. Plenty more Sam Adams I would have liked in there but when buying for a grill out with guest variety pack works best. One left so here we go.

Poured into a pint glass this brew has a lighter straw color with a good 1 finger white head. The brew settles and looks very thin with moderate carbonation. The aroma is yeasty with malts most notable. The taste is full of bready malt and some slight sweetness from caramel malts. This is a thin beer with high carbonation for the viscosity. All in all for a 'light' beer it stands up.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2011 00:45:51 | More by WJVII

mdfb79

New York

3.48/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

From 07/09/11 notes. Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass.

a - Pours a transparent golden amber color with one finger of white head and moderate to high carbonation evident. Light spotty lacing left on the glass.

s - Smells of bready malts, burnt malts, and fruity malts. Very light caramel as well. Pretty nice overall.

t - Taste follows the nose; lots of malts. Tastes of caramel malts, bready malts, grain, and light fruity malts. More caramel than the nose, which I enjoyed.

m - Medium body and moderate to high carbonation. A bit too carbonated, but otherwise easy to drink.

o - Overall a pretty good light beers. Not as good as some of their other offerings but better than most light beers. Would give it another shot, though I wouldn't seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 19:12:37 | More by mdfb79

Chico1985

Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From the summer mix pack.

Pours translucent copper orange, foamy off-white head retains decently as a full cap and leaves some lacing.

It's got the beer-y scent. Cereal, oats, bread, not bad but a little weak.

Slightly adjunct-y tasting toasty/bready malt is most noticeable with really light notes of fruit and earthy hops. Sweetens up after some warmth with some caramel malt. Nice for a light lager but flavors are quite muted.

High carbonation for sure but a good body for the style, not much in the way of off-tastes.

Definitely opens alot with warmth, it's still a mostly bland light beer when it comes down to it, but easily better than the majority of light lagers.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 00:24:05 | More by Chico1985

tito42

Missouri

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

Poured from bottle to an imperial pint. Best by NOV 2011 notched on label.

A: Golden amber, crystal clear, with little carbonation. White head dissipates quickly.

S: Roasted malt and caramel. Major points for a light lager not smelling like corn.

T: Malty with caramel notes, plum, and a metallic, grainy finish with a touch of hops. Head and shoulders above Bud Light.

M: Medium-light bodied, a bit too carbonated on the tongue. More body than your typical light lager for sure.

O: Head of the class for the light lager category, no doubt. I think I'd still prefer the better adjunct lagers (Schlitz, PBR) than this light, however. The flavor profile simply makes you wish you'd had a regular Sam Adams brew. There are times for a lighter beer, and PBR will still be my go-to for those occasions.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 03:33:03 | More by tito42

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

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

Part of the summer mix pack.
Pours a clear deep golden color with a stingy white head that dissolves almost instantly leaving a small ring on top. Smells of bready malt, honey, and toffee with hints of floral and earthy hops. Taste is slightly sweet with that grainy malt flavor. A Little bit of floral earthy hop flavors. Light bodies with a moderate level of carbonation and a sweet watery mouthfeel. This is definitely not my favorite style, but if I had to drink it this would be the one I would choose. There's enough flavor and maltiness in here to make this an interesting lawnmower beer and its certainly better than the competitors in the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2011 23:17:32 | More by johnnnniee

nukem5

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Nice pour rich amber color with a thick head of tan resting on top.

S: Sweet caramel malts with a light grainy note in there as well.

T: Definitely a sweet malty character with some lighter finishing hops in there. Some graininess there also.

M: Very surprising for a "light" beer a very well crafted lager probably the best light beer I have had in a while right up there with "non-light beers.

O: Would definitely buy this one again.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2011 00:24:28 | More by nukem5

DannyDan

Michigan

3/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours out a clear red amber that with a thick white head that maintains very good lacing and retention. The nose has some sweet malts to it, but very little hops. The taste starts out with a sweet caramel taste followed by some grains and a very weak watered down floral and citrus hops to finish off the taste. A lot of the taste reminds me of Boston Lager, but the flavor is so watered down that it ruins the taste of it. The mouthfeel is light and very watery which makes it easy to drink, but overall this is probably the best light beer I ever tasted. I would recommend this to anyone that likes a light beer, even though I personally don't care much for this style.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2011 03:36:05 | More by DannyDan