Samuel Adams Cranberry Lambic - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

ckollias

Maryland

2.58/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Enjoyed this 12oz bottle out of a large snifter glass.

A: Pours a murky orangish copper hue with a white 2-finger head that quickly disppitates leaving a nice trail down the glass and ending in a wispy lace.

S: Sort of a unpleasant aroma coming off this brew – hints of banana cloves, fruits, and phenols.

T: Slightly sweet but not as sweet as I would have expected from a lambic. There are some cranberry flavors and other fruits but not very overwhelming.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation

O: This lambic just didn’t do it for me. I feel like they played it too safe and it came out too bland. I wouldn't call this a lambic.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 18:40:52 | More by ckollias

harrymel

Washington

2.35/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

Best by mar, 2010

Compliments of the dentist

A: pink, ruddy a finger of white foam leaves spotty lace. Sheet left.
S: smells like grain and hints of cherry(?)
T: tastes like sweet cranberries and cherries.
M: thin and dry and flat
O: well, actually great for women.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 05:01:05 | More by harrymel

LazFTW

Connecticut

1.73/5  rDev -36.2%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

First things first, this IS NOT a lambic, not even close. Its really a wheat beer with some cranberry flavor. It lacks any of the things that make a lambic a lambic including the sourness and the unique odors/flavors. What you have instead is a strong malt flavor with a cranberry flavor that surprisingly has little tartness to it. Overall there's about two strong flavors to this beer, neither of which are great. It really lacks anything resembling complexity and I wouldn't even call it a good wheat beer.

Maybe their plan was to trick people into thinking it was a lambic with the tartness or sourness of cranberries? Even if not, Sam Adam's, bad job on this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 20:28:31 | More by LazFTW

Soonami

Pennsylvania

2.98/5  rDev +10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Not a bad cranberry wheat but definitely not a Lambic, no discernible wild character at all and based on the vague label description, it's not totally unexpected. The beer is okay with nice cranberry flavor, but it's overly wheaty for what I would expect. The MF was ok and overall I didn't hate the beer

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2011 07:49:19 | More by Soonami

mostpoetsdo

Rhode Island

3.28/5  rDev +21%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

A: Pours a dark and hazy red. The small head vanishes quickly.
(11/11) '09 Vintage: Upping this .5, the pinkish red look is interesting, and pink hued head is impressive.

S: Lots of cranberry with some wheat.
(11/11) '09 Vintage: Still yeasty, but more acidic smelling. Has an artificial smell to it.

T: Okay, this beer takes a lot of bashing at times, but it is tasty. Is the cranberry overwhelming? Maybe a touch, but it has a yeasty kind of taste as well. Then back to a cranberry aftertaste.
(11/11) '09 Vintage: The big difference is that the tartness has increased, by a lot, surprisingly (at least to me). This makes it more lambic-like, even if it's been debated it is not that style.

M: Really smooth and creamy, perhaps the best part of the beer.

D: This is where it struggles, it is good for a little while, but good thing there are only two in the Winter mix 12 pack.
(11/11) '09 Vintage: Not even sure if it's available at all, was in six packs the other year. Might buy a six of this for fun...maybe just a single.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2011 23:00:15 | More by mostpoetsdo

BeerResearcher

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev +28.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle. Freshness date notched on label. Served in a SA perfect pint glass.
Note: I first sampled this beer about 8 years ago and was repulsed at just how overly-tart and acidic it was. It was instant indigestion. It took 3 Tums to quell the acid reflux.
Now, I cautiously try it once more. I do believe it has changed. Not my taste buds...the beer.
It pours a cloudy rust color with a pink-hued beige head, along with a fair amount of sticky lacing.
A smell of citrus and cranberries waft up at first pour. A smell of Wheatees, is followed by a lightly pungent clovey yeasty aroma.
Tastes of cranberries (surprise!) and orange zest dominate early. The flavors evolve into citrus-dominated fruit cup with a lightly sweetened Farina. An astringent acidic/sourness is noticed in the aftertaste, though not as bad as I remember it.
The mouthfeel is a bit off-putting. There's a raspy, dryness to it which creates a desperate need for water to wash it down.
As bad as that may sound, it's not really bad. In fact, it's pretty good in an unusual way.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 17:48:53 | More by BeerResearcher

danedelman

Pennsylvania

1.83/5  rDev -32.5%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

This one SHOULD NOT say the word Lambic on it. I purchased thinking it was and was very disappointed when I opened the case to find it was a Cranberry wheat.

A-red tinted wheat beer, cloudy and true to form for a wheat.

S-does have that little bit of "funk" in the nose but a little too rotten of a smell. Get the bready notes of a wheat.

T-I get a nasty wheat flavor with a large does of cranberry tartness, not wild yeast tartness with IMO is horrible. As this one warms it gets nastier. I dumped down the drain and will give to my non-beer snob friends over thanksgiving and X-mas.

M-Like a mediocre wheat beer should.

Overall-I was fooled on the name and should have realized when it was $32 for a case of "Lambic"...

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 18:36:57 | More by danedelman

rlee1390

Indiana

3.25/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A-Cloudy light pinkish red, two finger head with a pinkish hue, extremely carbonated but does leave behind some lacing.

S-Lots of cranberries, not much else, some wheat sneaks in.

T-Some tartness, but not tart when compared to even non sour beer brewed with brett. Cranberries are present.

M-Overly carbonated, more like a fruit soda. Light in body.

O-The problem is that although it tasted ok, the carbonation did me in. It drank more like a Smirnoff Cranberry than a beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 01:40:18 | More by rlee1390

merc7186

New York

2.95/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I had this beer poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

It has been about 10+ years since Ive had this beer and decided to give it another try (plus my wife wanted to try it)

The beer poured decently with a orangish/reddish hue that passes through some light, has a decent off white head and leaves good lacing on the glass. The beer smells decent with a nice blend of sour fruit (cranberry and plum) and belgian sugars. The taste is medicore with a mild cranberry smoothness but not much else with it. The mouthfeel is decent as the beer is well carbonated, light bodied, and leaves you with a weak watery mouth. Overall, its exactly what it is advertised as, a Cranberry Lambic. I am not a fan of people who give it a bad rating because it wasnt an IPA or stout....it is what it says it is.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2011 18:25:44 | More by merc7186

BEERMILER12

Maine

3.2/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours the color of ruby red grapefruit juice, with very little head that fizzles to nothing within seconds

S: Tart cranberries, odd fruity yeast, definite wheat. Not too bad actually, especially for a fruit beer/lambic

T: Same as the nose, starts off with a tart/sweet cranberry that is followed by the wheat malt and fruitiness of the yeast. Reminds me a lot of Lindemans, even though they don't make a Cranberry lambic

M: Light-medium bodied with full carbonation. A little too watery, though

O: Judging by the reviews, I thought this was going to be a disaster. It really wasn't bad at all, in fact quite enjoyable. Sure, it's not a true lambic, but it's really a nice go at it by an American brewery

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2011 16:22:17 | More by BEERMILER12

CaptJackHarkness

New York

4.43/5  rDev +63.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a cloudy Red/Orange one inch or so of head diminishes rapidly, nice lacing on the glass.
It really smells like cranberries with perhaps a hint of lemon.Cranberry tartness without bitterness.I truly enjoyed this beer, despite it being six months out of date! Will be looking forward to a fresh batch at Christmas!

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 23:09:21 | More by CaptJackHarkness

WoodBrew

Illinois

2.7/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a nice reddish-orange. Smells of sweet cranberry, possibly a little overpowering, but not too bad. Judging by the appearance and smell, I thought this would be a decent beer. Then, I took a drink. Tastes like a mixture of beer and metallic cranberries. I barely managed to drink one...gave the others away....ha ha sorry suckers! This beer is the worst Samuel Adams offering in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 01:04:20 | More by WoodBrew

Badbobx

Indiana

3.4/5  rDev +25.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. There was about a quarter inch of foam on top of a hazy beer. The appearance was an interesting shade of reddish brown. The aroma was sour and malty not too pronounced. I enjoyed the flavor. I am a big cranberry fan and really enjoy the sours. The flavor lacked the sour punch of a Belgian. This may be due to the beer being 4 months past it's April date.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2011 02:41:52 | More by Badbobx

BelgiumBill

Virginia

2.8/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I'm not a fruit beer kinda guy, so I'll try to keep my preference out of the review.

This bottle had been sitting in my fridge for some time. It had a best by notch of April - it is now July. But that may have helped it? As I recall from when I had one back in the winter (which I didn't review) I disliked the tart sourness which I suppose is typical for the style.

Pouring this one left a 1 inch foamy off-white head. The color was of apple cider with a rose hue.

The fragrance gave off some sweet malts and dried fruits.

The taste was tart and fruity and lightly sour. Oddly enough, it wasn't nearly as sour as I remembered it to be. Maybe 3 months past expiration improved it??

If you like tart/sour you may enjoy, if not don't bother. Well maybe you should bother just to be familiar with the style - though I'm sure there are better examples of the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2011 20:59:28 | More by BelgiumBill

happygnome

Minnesota

2.25/5  rDev -17%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Reviewed from notes

A: pours a hazy pink color with about an eigth inch of head that disappears quickly leaving not even a trace of lace to be seen anywhere. Carbonation bubbles can be seen rising to the top of the beer initially, but that soon dies making the beer look dull.

S: Wheat malts, coriander, citrus and sour cranberry. It reminds me of a wit.

T: very similar to the aroma. Reminds me of a wit with cranberries

M: light bodied beer with even lighter carbonation

Overall, this is not a beer that I will be purchasing again

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 02:54:47 | More by happygnome

maximum12

Minnesota

3.13/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Honestly, I have no idea how this bottle wangled its way into my fridge - it just appeared one day, as if by magic. I suspect a practical joker. But who knows where it came from, with all the people coming through this house bearing bear like the Wise Men.

Party cloudy light red, poured into two small tasting glasses. Actually smells pretty good, nice cranbeery slap, nice & sharp. Optimism flows through my veins!

Sam Adams Cranberry Lambic isn't the Amtrack wreck I feared, but it isn't Cantillon, either. The cranberry is tantamount, saddled up on an underlying sharpness that's drought-dry. There's enough wheat here to qualify as a hefe of some sort. Touch of sourness in the end, but can't shake that hefe image in my mouth. The mild medicinal quality that lingers like a Freddy Krueger really detracts from what might have been a pretty good beer.

Not bad, not great, a shave above average. Elimination of the aftertaste would make this a great gateway beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2011 01:46:31 | More by maximum12

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

2.83/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

First time I ha this beer I found it to be cometely undrinkable. I had a few sips and dumped it out. I was given another bottle as a gift some time later and gave it another try. This time It was much better. The red color was always attractive to me but the idea of cranberry isn't for me. I've never been a fan of them so naturally this brew wouldn't please me. For this who enjoy cranberry do try this, you'll probably enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2011 02:45:35 | More by Knapp85

richkrull

Wisconsin

2.53/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Poured a cloudy reddish orange color with quite a bit of quickly dissipating mostly white head. Smells malty and grainy. Taste is not too impressive. Definitely taste the wheat though with a bit of a dry aftertaste from the cranberry coming through. Very bubbly feel. Not too drinkable in my mind. Probably would get sick of this after a couple.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2011 23:36:44 | More by richkrull

KajII

North Carolina

3.08/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

[Best served in a Flute Glass]

Poured a murky light red in color with a small fizzy head that was mostly diminishing with fair lacing. The aroma was that of bready malts and cranberries and well as a light scent of spice. It tasted sweet and acidic with a heavy cranberry wine like flavor. Mouthfeel was a little watery in texture with a light to medium body. Overall a nice flavored brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2011 16:54:37 | More by KajII

BeerLover99

New Jersey

2.4/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

A: pink amber bubbly body, zero head and zero lacing.

S: big cranberry, citrus

T: sweet cranberry and citrus up front, long sour finish

M: med/light body, big carbonation, sticky

D: Can barely finish one, not a huge fan of the style, but Lambics I have had from Belgium are definitely my favs.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2011 22:34:28 | More by BeerLover99

WVRadar

West Virginia

4.35/5  rDev +60.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Cloudy Amber/Orange with hints of red. 1 inch head diminishes rapidly, excellent lacing.

S: Didn't really smell like cranberries, seemed to be more like citrus to me.

T: Pleasant tart taste without bitterness.

M: Creamy, with noticeable carbonation.

D: I really liked this beer, and couldn't wait for another.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2011 15:51:12 | More by WVRadar

JohnnyChicago

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +51.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Champagne flute. Bottle is a couple of years old.

A: Ruby with a huge fluffy white head. There's some sediment floating around in it.

S: Smell is very complex: cranberry and figs, breadiness and a bit of funk.

T: Taste follows the smell nicely! The breadiness is big here, making it complex and tasty.

D: Alcohol is completely hidden and flavour is interesting. I could easily have a few of these.

Overall: This is one of the best Boston Beer offerings. Its not a lambic, but it shines out in its difficult category. Its a polarizing brew, you either love it or hate it. I love it.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2011 16:59:48 | More by JohnnyChicago

aasher

Indiana

3.18/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I was surprised to see this one on the Bottom 100 too. It pours a very cloudy and murky cranberry red in color with an off white head that has a light pink tint to it. The aromas are pretty subdued. It smells of light sour cranberries with some light wheat/yeast accents. The flavors though are really bland. I'd say this is like the cranberry version of Blue Moon. It disappoints. It drinks fine, has decent body and is smooth enough. If I had to drink this again I wouldn't mind too much but I'd never buy it again. I had to try it because it's a Sam Adams "lambic" and I wanted to see what it was about.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2011 16:50:32 | More by aasher

DrewKid4

New Hampshire

3.08/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This is my first lambic review so I may not touch on the important things about this style.

A: Pours a very thick/cloudy red-amber with a small white head that fizzles out. Some noticeable carbonation and decent lacing.

S: Smells like all things sour and citrus. I mean sour

T: Slight cranberry, but this taste isn't the only one. More complex than expected. Sour fruits.

M: Bite early from cranberry, but smooths out with typical Belgian wheat style. Super sour but this goes with the lambic style.

D: Rather complex from Sam Adams and more accurate to the proclaimed style than Sam Adams usually does. Not one I'd drink more than one of....a week.

Edit: Now that I've read the posts from more pro beer advocates, I guess my talk of it being close to the styles are inaccurate but I will keep the scores the same.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2011 05:39:25 | More by DrewKid4

TheKingofWichita

North Carolina

1.63/5  rDev -39.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Sampled at Sexual Chocolate 2011
Pours a hazy reddish purple color with a thick white head and a little lacing. Smells of some malts and very slight cranberries. Tastes of vague cranberries, malts, and some wheat. Drinkability is poor. Its quite nasty.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2011 18:20:32 | More by TheKingofWichita