Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig Ale - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

jamisonspitzer

Maryland

3.85/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I poured it fairly aggressively into a pint glass resulting in about an inch of head and let it sit for a bit. After a few minutes the head settled into about a finger of foam and stayed. This is when my wife grabbed it, smelled it, tasted it, wrinkled her face in disgust and set it back on the counter--she's not a beer person.

A--A dark, nearly opaque cherry syrup color. After a few more minutes and some warming up, the head has subsided to a very thin froth that's leaving some fairly durable lacing on the glass.

S--Not much to speak of here. It's a caramel-y malt smell. The spices of the beer are not very apparent in the smell.

T--This is a pretty tasty beer. For me, the strongest flavor is really that of the roasted malts. As with the smell, I don't really get the spices and citrus individually, but the blending of it all has a nice effect. I'll drink this beer again for sure. The mouth feel is pretty nice. There's plenty of fullness without yielding any creaminess.

Overall I liked this beer. Hearty without being heavy and with a great flavor.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 23:23:46 | More by jamisonspitzer

tvv375ia

Iowa

3.58/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

for something different I poured this from 12oz bottle into chalice glass

A-deep mahogany with about 1 finger of head that faded to about an 1/8" cap

S-some carmel malt, bread and spices

T-a lot like the smell spices stay throughout with some carmel and bread in the middle

M-creamy body

O-not bad not sure if I like the spice profile but will try again

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 09:52:18 | More by tvv375ia

TempeBeerMan

Arizona

4.2/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a nonic pint.

A - A clear dark ruby with a triumphant four-finger meringue-like head of off-white color. This head went nowhere for quite some time, eventually forming a marshmellowy mass in the center of the glass. Spider web like lacing.

S - Healthy aroma of orange peel, gingerbread cookie, nutmeg, and shortbreads. Smells inviting.

T - A Christmas cookie in beer form. Follows the nose with a sweet shortbread malty foundation upfront, followed by winter spices (ginger, coriander, nutmeg, vanilla, clove, and a hint of orange). Spice blend is nearly perfect, with no one spice overpowering. Some earthy hops bring just a hint of balancing bitterness to the finish, but make no mistake, the sugar cookie is center stage here. VERY tasty.

M - Moderately carbonated with a medium body. Mouthfeel compliments the other elements, other than that not much to say here. Wet finish.

O - I really enjoy this beer. Probably my favorite "regular" (large batch) Sam Adams brew of all time, and I'm glad to see it hold up in my "critical" review. What a winter warmer should be. I could drink this all year long. Maybe it will eventually come out in six packs, but knowing SA, they know people like me keep buying their WInter Classics packs just to get this beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 03:15:16 | More by TempeBeerMan

smalenberg

Michigan

3.88/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Dark mahogany in color with copper notes.

S - Rich malty sweetness with no hop or alcohol in evidence.

T - Carmel character of the malt is the dominant flavor.

M - Strong carbonation gives way to smoothness as the beer hits the back of the tongue.

O - This beer is my primary reason for buying at least one holiday variety pack every season (but I still miss the cranberry lambic).

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 01:11:54 | More by smalenberg

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.1/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a shaker pint glass.

The beer is a nice deep mahogany/copper. A dark cream colored head recedes to a film and massive sheets of sticky lacing coat the glass.

The aroma is especially tarty and bright. Lots of citrus, cranberry, and spices.

The taste profile is extremely rich with bright spices. Cranberry tart, orange peel, cinnamon, and brown sugar come to fruition. Nice creamy malt body with a spicy finish.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, crisp, dry.

Overall, a spicy, delicious brew for the holidays. I like this one a lot.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 14:53:05 | More by JuicesFlowing

Chris_Cali_2o9

3.78/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sam Adams cup

A- Deep mahogany body, 1 1/2" fluffy off white head

S- Like i opened my spice cabinet, ginger, nutmeg, hazel, cumins, citrus, roasty malts

T- Intensely spicey ginger bread cookies, herbal, metal, citrus

M- Medium body, crisp carbonation

O- If this had a higher alcohol % it would be a perfect winter warmer. Still, with all the herbal spiciness and the ginger bread cookies, all i can think about is cold weather, christmas trees, and everything that goes with it.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 03:34:45 | More by Chris_Cali_2o9

RWLawman

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Dark brown with a very thick head that dissipates to less than a half inch, with a lot of lacing.

S - Sweet odors of malt, caramel, and toffee.

T - Really follows the smell. Very sweet taste with a heavy dose of caramel and malts, along with a noticeable presence of toffee. I absolutely love caramel and malt in a beer, so this is one tasty beverage.

M - Sticky and thick. Coats the mouth well. A little bit of an awkward aftertaste, I think as a result of the sticky quality, but delicious nonetheless.

O - I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with this beer. I would love to try it on tap if it is offered in that fashion. I'd also like to add that even more flavor comes through if you allow it to warm a bit.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 00:34:31 | More by RWLawman

Alextricity

Michigan

3.88/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Really dark brown unless held up to light ... in which case it looks ruby black. Tiny head, and patchy lacing at the start.

Smell: As it's in the bottle, it's difficult to get much out of it. Has a very faint malt aroma, and maybe a touch of the ginger that's described on the labgel.

Taste/feel: The most important and best part of Old Fezziwig. My first sip had a bit of sour/tartness that I assume comes from a combination of the orange and ginger, but then the finish was a huge amount of malts. As usual with beers, the first sip was the best. As I sipped along, I found myself enjoying the beer just as much. It's an easy drinking beer with an awesome label, and that helps it out a tad as well. Old Fezziwig almost drinks like a meal with its fantastic creamy, foamy feel.

All-in-all, this Winter Classics pack has turned out to be a winner... and this beer is just super "feel good."

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 22:16:12 | More by Alextricity

genitempo

Texas

3.05/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Pours a dark, deep amber with some caramel tones at it's periphery. Somewhat of a complex tint, depending on the angle at which you look at it. Unfortunately, the complexity ends here.

S - subtle toasted malts with subtle spices showing up. Nothing overbearing or overly present. The beer touts cinnamon, ginger, and orange peel. The peel prevails, but never dominates.

T - Poor orchestration for a WInter Warmer. Ironically, the taste gets muddled as the beer warms. The ginger and cinnamon merely show their face, and the orange peel attunes the tail-end, but in poor form.

MF - Nothing impressive. A bit more brawny than I would expect, given the taste.

O - Did I get a bad bottle? I mean this as a form of flattery. I've read good things about this beer, but it fell short for me. This beer impresses the eye, but upon further experience, loses it's balance and eventually stumbles.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 09:01:31 | More by genitempo

BigBarley

Texas

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a deep, ruby red with about a finger worth of light, tan head atop. Lively carbonnation, very dark unless held up to light.

S - Immediate caramel malty nose. A strange amalgam of spices and sweet flavors, with a very mild hop note backing. Delicious smelling.

T - Extremely malty flavor. Sweetness dominates, notes of caramel, yeasty flavors, mild biscuit notes. Very very mild hop character on the back. Strange spices come through, but none I can identify. Very little alcohol presense, but enough to notice. Very enjoyable taste.

M - Thick and bubbly. Not extreme stout thickness, but definitely not a thin beer. Almost syrupy, but still drinkable.

O - Great beer, Winter warmer for certain. Just enough alcohol presence to warm the tummy, and a wonderful, drinkable body. Delicious and satisfying.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 14:51:07 | More by BigBarley

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz Bottle from the Cicero NY Walmart for 2$

Appearance - Reddish brown colour with an above average size fizzy and frothy beige head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is some good lacing. The head lasted for 5-6 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, dark fruits, caramel, all spice, metallic

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts and some caramel. There is also some dark fruit (raisins) flavour and a touch of all spice. It ends with a lightly spiced malty aftertaste.

Overall - A well executed winter warmer - nothing groundbreaking but well balanced and very drinkable. A good choice for a sessionable winter/seasonal brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 00:09:31 | More by spinrsx

Danno48

West Virginia

3.88/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a tulip.
Deep reddish amber hues with a large-bubble tan head.
Just a little light passes through but my glass is a little wide.
Smells like cookies and caramel. Little bit of toffee snuck in there as well.
Rich flavors here. Roasted toffee and caramel, hint of cinnamon and other spices. Low hop bitterness.
Has a velvety texture and a medium-low carbonation level.

This beer is pretty great on its own but I love to eat some good white cheddar with it and it isn't bad with oatmeal cookies either.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 18:45:10 | More by Danno48

Jparker37

Wisconsin

3.93/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into an imperial pint. Best before April.

A - Brillant clarity in a deep amber beer. Small, light tan head folds down to a tiny cap. Small touch of lacing left clinging.

S - Very complex toasty malt profile foremost. I also get a nutty malt character, guessing a bit of munich malts. Little bit of red fruit deep in there.

T - Taste seems to follow the lead of the smell. Very toasty throughout with a flash of sweetness. Shows off a little bit of chocolate malts midway through. I can also find that dark red fruit in here as well. Little bit of bitterness just to balance at the end. No signs of hop flavor but craftily balanced. Finishes with a touch of cinnamon and a mild aftertaste.

M - Medium bodied, medium carbonation, semi-sweet.

O - I enjoyed this brew but I wouldn't describe it as warming me. Was nice and malt forward with wonderful complexity but lacked defining characteristics of a good winter warmer. I could have used a little bit more alcohol and body but maybe I'm just nitpicking. All around a good beer full of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 01:39:21 | More by Jparker37

scvance

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a dark amber color with a thin tan head that quickly disappears. Smells very sweet and malty. Slight earthy alcohol note. The taste follows suit, very sweet, and well balanced. Slight earthy and citrus notes. Low carbonation and medium body and a smooth creamy mouthfeel. This is an excellent beer, very good for the season. Will definitely have again.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 22:37:31 | More by scvance

acevenom

Louisiana

4.33/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Samuel Adams perfect pint glass. Pours deep clear copper with some ruby along the edge of the glass. There's a finger-length, soapy off-white head that retains well. I detect the aroma of orange, ginger, and cinnamon. I also smell some of the roasted malts. There's some caramel in the aroma as well. The taste is of caramel, chocolate, roasted malt, and spices. I get the ginger and cinnamon as well as some mild orange. There's some back end hop bitterness, but it's pretty mild. It's nice and malty and the spice and hops really helps balance this beer. The body is medium with moderate carbonation. The beer is smooth and easy to drink. This is an excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 02:27:36 | More by acevenom

gcamparone

Rhode Island

4.03/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Samuel Adams pint glass. Purchased at Wakefield Liquors in Wakefield, Rhode Island.

A- Pours a deep amber body with a thick light mocha head with some pretty heavy, sticky lacing. Inviting.

S- I'm getting some sweet malt, caramel, vanilla, toffee.

T- Follows the nose. Toffee and caramel upfront, finishes pretty malty and sweet. Not much hop presence.

M- Medium carbonation and body.

Samuel Adams did a good job on this one. Tasty and fulfilling. This one would go great with Thanksgiving dinner.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 19:18:27 | More by gcamparone

UCLABrewN84

California

3.68/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Best before 4/2013.

Pours a clear orange-brown with a foamy khaki head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of toasted malt, caramel, and spice aromas. Taste is much the same with a mild hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but the flavors aren't as good as the smells I am getting.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 01:28:46 | More by UCLABrewN84

Craigory

South Carolina

3.4/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a SA perfect pint glass.

A- Reddish-brown with just barely a finger of off-white head. The head fades pretty quickly to just a thin ring on top of the beer and sides of the glass (no real lacing), maintained by a steady stream of bubbles. This looks like a slightly darker SA Octoberfest.

S- A bit of caramel malt, just a hint of the spices. The cinnamon and ginger come out a little more as the beer warms up; I don't pick up any hint of the orange peel.

T- Follows the nose almost exactly. Mostly bready malt, just a bit of ginger and cinnamon. The spices are subtle, and I am again reminded of a slightly darker, earthier SA Octoberfest. I think the spices play more of a warming role here rather than taking center stage. This beer is balanced and tasty, which is par for the course with Samuel Adams, but there's nothing here to really blow my mind.

M- Medium bodied (maybe on the lighter side) with moderate carbonation. Each sip leaves the mouth ready for another.

O- Not the most exciting beer in SA's Winter Classic pack, but a great easy-drinking winter beer. Certainly a nice option for those who may not go in for the heavier, higher ABV brews the season offers.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 17:41:33 | More by Craigory

mscudder

Georgia

3.65/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Into a pint.

A - Deep maroon hue with a fluffy tan head. Good retention and poor lacing.

S - Caramel malts, cinnamon and ginger. Nothing robust here.

T - Light bread, soft chocolate, caramel sweetness and some spices on the rear end. A smooth progression that I really enjoyed. Perhaps a bit cool for the style. I would like to see a bit more alcohol warmth, yet that is hard to do with a non-imperial.

M - A light-medium body with average carbonation. Gives the brew a soft surface to work off.

O - This is an interesting "Winter Warmer." The chocolate and caramel sweetness is something I have yet to encounter in the style. While it does account for some nice notes, I cannot help but feel as if it strays from what the style strives for: a bigger, maltier, warmer beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 06:21:31 | More by mscudder

TheSixthRing

California

3.48/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a dark ruby brown with an off-white. 2 finger head. Decent retention. The lace is consistent with nice stick.

Smell - Predominant caramel aroma, with faint spice character.

Taste - Caramel and moderately roasted malt flavor, toasted biscuits, and all backed by a healthy dose of spice flavoring; cinnamon mostly. Faint bitterness lingers in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - Medium in body, with near fizzy carbonation.

Overall - Decent brew; not big on the amount of spice used in this beer (and a few other Sam Adams fall and winter seasonals for that matter), but it's decent enough.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 21:51:38 | More by TheSixthRing

UnderPressure

South Carolina

3.3/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear medium brown with a nice tan head. Decent retention. Nice lacing.

Sweet roasted malt dominates the flavor. Somewhat grainy. Slightly metallic in the aftertaste.

Medium bodied mouthfeel with a dry finish. Carbonation doesn't get in the way.

A nice English style ale. Straightforward. Nothing outrageous.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 16:18:12 | More by UnderPressure

BostonHops

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle served in a pint glass.

pours a deep amber / borderline chestnut tone while yielding a big, billowing head - 3" and creamy - with strong retention and some lacing evident. very good looking beer. nose is likewise nice, offering strong notes of caramel / toffee, toasted malts, and some light spice.

flavor follows the nose with those caramel / toasty / roasty characters coupled with some spice and subtle fruit notes. medium bodied mouthfeel / medium carbonation.

no wow factor here, but overall a pleasant, tasty winter warmer. i'd go as far as to say this is one of my favorite brews put out by SA.

(originally reviewed: 12-27-2011)

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 23:28:04 | More by BostonHops

t420o

California

3.63/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

SA Old fezzwig

A- pour produces a 2 finger very light brown head resting on a chestnut colored body with ruby hues as well. Decent retention. Above average lacing 4

S- brown sugar, mollasses, caramel, cinnamon, chocolate, orange is definitely there as well. 3.5 

T- like the smell brown sugar, chocolate, mollases, cinnamon, orange, slight almost peaty flavor as well. Good. 3.5

M- good carbonation. Kind of light mouthfeel for the flavors it delivers 3.5  

O- good 4

B/B+

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 06:29:36 | More by t420o

mactrail

California

3.48/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Nice appearance with the reddish brown clear color and nicely foamed up in the Leffe chalice. Light fragrance with some hints of cinnamon and ginger. The usual Sam Adams pleasing fine carbonation and clean flavors.

Some caramel flavors, but not too sweet. Just a tang of hops and slight bitter aftertaste, or it could be some old spices. Maybe a touch of nutmeg. Mouthfeel is fairly full, with a milky feel, coating the mouth. It's all rather discreet and more subtle than a lot of the winter beers. Less spiced-up than Anchor's, for example.

From the 12 oz bottle. A nice reminder of Christmas in April. I have enjoyed this over the years, but it doesn't seem so great on this tasting. Quite drinkable in any case.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 06:20:37 | More by mactrail

DavidST

Texas

3.78/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass, best by April 2012 on the back, drinking it just in time. This pours a dark brownish color with a densely bubbled tan foam head. The smells are of spices, christmas, nutmeg, caramel, toffee. The feel is medium, decent carbonation. The taste is pretty good lots of christmas spices, nutmeg, peppermint, caramel.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 03:23:19 | More by DavidST