Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.15/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: Pours an amber color that lacks some of the haziness I expect from a witbier. The head is a creamy one finger offwhite shade. As it recedes, it leaves a uniform ring of lacing on the glass.

S: Blackberries. To me, this one comes across as being 80% fruit beer and 20% wit. I do notice a touch of the latter qualities (orange peel, coriander, wheat), but let's be honest, this is pretty much a fruit beer. Aromatically good for that style, though.

T: At first, this displays a lot of blackberry flavors. The aforementioned sweetness washes out past the midtaste, being replaced by generic witbier qualities such as orange peel and coriander. Some blackberry flavors return in the aftertaste, along with a touch of diacetyl. It's not grossly chemical or sweet, though it's not real interesting.

M: Superbly lush and creamy. I'm surprised how soft the feel is, even for a witbier. The finish has plenty of lingering sweetness, but there's just enough astringency to dry it out past the threshold of 'excess sweetness'. Carbonation is surprisingly pleasant.

O: It's no Allagash White, that's for sure. But this is a grade-A panty dropper that has some mass appeal. I wouldn't be averse to buying this again for company - and I would easily choose this over, say, Blue Moon.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 21:04:45 | More by ThisWangsChung

jmendels

Michigan

3.15/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

An interesting beer, to say the least. I wasn't overly impressed but not completely discouraged after tasting this. It has the wheat flavours, coupled with the blackberry through out. It's worth a shot, even if to see what it tastes like. Personally, I felt underwhelmed but I can see the appeal.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 02:38:14 | More by jmendels

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.24/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured from bottle into pint glass

Appearance – Pours from bottle as a lightly hazed orange-amber color with a two finger white head. The head fades relatively quickly and leaves only a slight level of lacing.

Smell – The aroma is quite sweet of berries. It is a mix of blackberry and raspberry with hint of a wheat background.

Taste – The taste starts out with a smooth mildly blackberry sweet flavor with some bready wheat mixed within. As the taste advances it starts taking on more sweetness of berries, both raspberry and blackberry. While it gets sweeter from the start to the middle, the sweetness fades slightly as it advances to the end. Oddly the blackberry flavor seems to get stronger as the sweetness fades with it leaving a semi-sweet but not overly sweet blackberry and light wheat flavor on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is quite light in its creaminess with a carbonation level that is on the medium to higher side. Both are suiting for the berry flavors of the brew, making it more refreshing and easier drinking.

Overall – An alright berry flavored brew. Not overly sweet, yet maintaining a decent berry flavoring.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 01:39:52 | More by Darkmagus82

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.55/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

very refreshing all season fruit beer. it pours just a tiny bit dusty, mostly blonde, with maybe the faintest purple hue and an average white head on top thats gone in a few minutes. the nose is a little strange, with the fruit sweetness not really coming through at all, and the yeast and wheat malt being more dominant. not until the flavor can you tell its a fruit beer, the blackberry is strong and forward, without being too sweet at all. its summery and fresh, while being wintery and preserved at the same time, i like this beer because its one of the few in the genre that i think retains its drinkability for all 12 months. the finish is a little dry, with the yeast imparting just a hint of citrusy acidity and pep. nice feel, light in body with strong carbonation. its refreshing and satisfying and i much prefer this to most other fruity infused wheat beers out there.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 16:43:05 | More by StonedTrippin

UCLABrewN84

California

3.1/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Best before 3/2013.

Pours a hazy honey orange with a foamy bone colored head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, berries, and a slight vomit aroma. Taste is much the same with a mild tartness and thankfully no vomit flavor. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty average beer that is drinkable but not something I would go for again.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 03:06:19 | More by UCLABrewN84

chinchill

South Carolina

2.73/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12 oz bottle a few months past best by date but kept under constant refrigeration. Pours a hazy amber hue with a small, weak head. Medium-light body. Slightly acidic rather than soft, particularly in the finish.
The aromas are mostly fruity and berry-like with a light malty backbone and a hint of spice. Flavors are similar -- fruity, spicy, berry flavors dominate while the malt adds some light bread background -- but the more generic berry aroma seems more specifically blackberry upon tasting. A bit too sweet for me, but about as expected on this count. Somewhat unappealing aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 02:01:58 | More by chinchill

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

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

P:  Orange copper body with a thin layer of white airy quick vanishing head.  Subtle haze on the body with no real apparent carbonation. 

S:  An explosion of blackberries, subtle coriander, lemon juice, and hints of lavender. 

T/M:  Tart blackberry syrup, lavender, and very washed out spices. Cinnamon shows up in the throat after the carbonated semi dry finish. The wit flavors are hidden behind the assault of timidly bitter blackberries.  Acidity is really cut due to the syrupy fruit.  White watermelon rind, honey dew melon, rose petals show up as the beer warms.  Mouthfeel is silky and appropriately carbonated. 

O:  I love the idea but the wit was not broadcast as well as it should have been. Aggressive blackberry and under achieved wit flavors. Not a huge fan (as a witbier)but it's really easy drinking. I think my wife would love this. Something I wouldn't buy again for myself but maybe for the lovely lady at home.  Should have just marketed as a fruit beer. 

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 00:17:59 | More by Hopswagger

Beastdog75

New Jersey

3.05/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

I have to hand it to Sam Adams for being what is probably the most adventurous out of the big name brewers in America. Their Blackberry Witbier sounded like it would be a most interesting beer. After trying it, it passes as a decent fruit beer but it was nowhere near as interesting as I thought it could have been.

This brew pours an orange-amber color with a finger of foam that lasts for a little over 30 seconds. The aroma consists of a sweet, sugary smell with some hints of the aforementioned fruit, with some light grain aromas underneath it. The mouthfeel was pretty smooth and had a slight slickness to it. The carbonation was a bit lower than expected. In regards to the flavor, the blackberry taste is pleasant and not overpowering although it is still the focal point here. The light grainy flavors lie almost hidden under the blackberry taste, and there is some dry citric hoppiness in the finish. This somewhat bitter dryness lingers on into the aftertaste where a some "fleshy" fruit notes are present as well. There is no alcoholic warmth present in the finish.

This ends up being a decent, inoffensive fruit beer that is pleasantly refreshing. Although labeled as a witbier, I didn't detect any notes that would lead me to belive that this was brewed with wheat. As a fruit beer, it does the job.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 02:44:16 | More by Beastdog75

jmbranum

Oklahoma

3.53/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I like blackberries. And I like Witbier. I'm not sure I like this particular beer.

Aroma is heavy and fruit laden. Very attractive pour, light amber with just a tinge of pinkish violet.

Flavor is strange to me. Kinda muddled. Fairly dry. Blackberries are present but don't quite fit.

Medium mouthfeel with a good bit of carbonation.

Overall, this beer was a miss. It just didn't quite work. I think it would have worked better if it were a little bit sweeter (some of the other viewers say this beer is too sweet, which I just don't get. Maybe I got a weird bottle?)

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 21:25:42 | More by jmbranum

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

3.3/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A light straw yellow body with a thick white head. I want it to be a bit more cloudy, but its pretty clear.

The smell actually isnt bad. Like other SA fruit flavored beers, its got an artificial candy sweet blackberry smell. base sweet Wit underneath is more wheat than yeast, but theres still a hint of banana shining through.

Tastes like blackberry candy. Syrupy sweet blackberry hard tack. The yeast just doesnt come out. It finishes clean and sweet, but I want more of something. Blackberries arent normally this sweet, honestly. I think thats the fault. A nice dry yet sweet blackberry flavor with a nice yeasty Wit would be fantastic, but the yeast is just lacking any kind of punch. Its more of a bready yeast than an estery yeast as well.

I like how it finishes tho, nice and clean with the blackberry flavors lingering.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 00:06:02 | More by VncentLIFE

metter98

New York

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

A: The beer is hazy straw yellow in color and has a moderate amount of carbonation. It poured with a two finger high off white head that died down but never completely faded away, leaving a thin head covering the surface and lots of lacy rings of bubbles down the sides of the glass.
S: There are light aromas of blackberries in the nose; these become sweeter as the beer warms up.
T: Like the smell, the taste is a bit sweet and has lots of blackberry flavors and only some hints of the underlying wheat.
M: It feels light-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: Although this beer is easy to drink and might appeal to some type of people (such as those that like sweet fruity lambics), I thought that the blackberry taste seemed a little too pronounced and artificial.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 23:12:15 | More by metter98

Maxwell

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a hazy piss yellow with an ever so slight hint of blue that makes the beer seem like a grayed yellow, almost like a corn syrup. The head poured thin and cream white, but dissipates very quickly leaving a thin wall of lacing. The smell is a nice bouquet of light blackberry and light wheat with an interesting spice lying below. The wheat-stink is definitely the dominant smell though. The beer tastes thick with a lovely mix of the wheat malty-sweet and the more sour-sweet of the blackberries. Slight citrus seems to be hiding in the back of the flavor, and nicely rounds the beer giving it a ghost of a bitter hint. The aftertaste is a lovely light lingering of the berries in your mouth. Mouthfeel is a little strange with very fierce carbonation that leaves a burn on the tongue but other than that the mouth is very clean and slightly dry with a wetter feel on its roof. The beer is slightly creamy in feel with a good lighter beer feel hidden underneath the harsh carbonation. Overall this is a very decent more mass produced beer. It is actually one of my favorite berry-based beers, I think, as they got the berry taste wonderfully mixed with the witbier style and I don’t really care if they used real berries or berry syrup. This beer is worthy of a try.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 00:48:29 | More by Maxwell

netrioter

Texas

3.88/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

found this bottle lying in the back of my friends fridge that was probably back there for a year or longer...

drank from said bottle

tasted like a beer after you had a shot of Leroux Blackberrt Brandy and you chased it with a Sam Adams

in saying that...it was a good flavor and went down smooth....cant justify 9 dollars for a 6 pack of this but id try it again.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 23:01:54 | More by netrioter

pkalix

California

3.9/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

better taste than expected. nice wheat with fruity taste. doesnt seem to have the same old hop style as all the other sam adams brews and is slightly surprising. some bitterness in the aftertaste, but it was to be expected from this brand. i havent met a supremely astonishing taste character yet from this brewer....

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 01:17:01 | More by pkalix

rangerred

Tennessee

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

12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a hazy golden yellow with a two finger white head.

Blackberries are definitely present in the aroma along with a little bit of lemon and coriander. Not bad at all.

Sweet citrus is front and center on the taste and I can definitely pick out blackberries. It doesn't taste artificial which is a plus considering this is a problem with some fruit beers. A little coriander and a soft wheat mouthfeel make this a pleasing drink.

Overall, not bad but pretty average all around. I'm not sure if I would seek it out again but it is refreshing and a decent brew from Sam Adams.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 00:37:11 | More by rangerred

Alextricity

Michigan

3.55/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I went to a local party store initially to pick up another 6-pack of Samuel Adams Summer Ale, but I walked out with Blackberry Witbier.

First thing I noticed when I got home was that this beer is unfiltered. Being fairly new to beer, I initially thought it was contaminated (derp). I cracked a bottle open, took a smell, and then a quick swig. It has a pleasant blackberry aroma -- as you'd expect -- as well as a slight taste of them as well. I've seen some of the reviewers comment that it's overpowering and that the beer is much too sweet, but I don't get that at all. As a matter of fact, less than half a bottle in my belly, and I couldn't really even taste the blackberry anymore.

The mouth feel of this beer is incredible due to it being unfiltered. If you take a sip and leave it on your tongue at all, it starts to foam up.

While Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier smells great and has a really nice mouth feel, it's really just an average beer ... especially after a few sips when the blackberry seems to disappear. Personally, I could never drink more than one bottle in a session ... Good, but not spectacular.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 14:20:15 | More by Alextricity

Mora2000

Texas

2.83/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The beer pours a hazy golden-orange color with a white head. The aroma has a little bit of wheat, but what is really standing out is a very sweet blackberry component. The flavor is also full of extremely sweet, and somewhat cloying, blackberry fruit notes. There is some wheat, and maybe a hint of coriander, but the fruit is front and center. Thin mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 05:33:14 | More by Mora2000

acevenom

Louisiana

3.55/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass. Pours hazy golden with a two-finger length white head. Tiny bubbles can be seen streaming from the bottom of the glass. Lacing is left on the side of the glass during consumption. Sweet blackberries dominate the smell. I can also pick up some of the faint malt aroma as well. Blackberry hits the mouth at the beginning with the clean wheat malt taste coming through at the back. There is little hop flavor. There is some coriander as well. The flavors complement each other well. The body is light to medium with adequate carbonation. It is smooth and refreshing. The drinkability is high. Overall, this is a very good beer. If you're looking to experiment with fruit beer, picking this up as a single isn't a bad idea.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 21:24:34 | More by acevenom

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.05/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Pours a pale gold. Small white head. Nose is fruity with blackberry jam, faint grassy notes. Mouth is crisp with plenty of carbonation, but not too harsh. Lots of blackberry in the flavor, but not too sweet. Faint spice profile adds a slight spiciness that balances out the fruity sweetness well. Not bad. Refreshing beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 18:21:09 | More by Onenote81

Celtics76

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

After a bit of a hiatus (due to purchasing a home), it's good to be back with a review.

Bottle poured into a Sam Adams pint glass. Hazy gold in appearance with a reasonable level of carbonation. Well, I expected more of a subtle blackberry flavor but that's not what I got. Many "beer nerds" won't like that, but I don't have a problem with it. I like beer, I like blackberries.

I would not, however, consider this a witbier. A pure fruit beer in my opinion like Sam Adam's Cherry Wheat.

Refreshing, flavorful and perfect after a long day of unloading boxes. I'm glad I tried it, will re-visit from time to time - 4s across the board.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 23:10:27 | More by Celtics76

tronester

Oklahoma

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

Pours a slightly hazy golden orange in color, with a thin off-white head. Smells of a hint of blackberries. Taste begins with a hint of ghost blackberry sweetness, then following is an interesting pecan flavor, and then some bready, toasty flavor. A hint of tart blackberry in the finish. Mouthfeel is sort of light. Overall a decent beer, though a bit more fruit flavoring than I typically like in a beer. I really wouldnt want more than one 12oz serving in a session.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 23:21:07 | More by tronester

TheSixthRing

California

3.83/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a somewhat hazy, golden straw color with a finger width white head, decent retention, and leaves behind a spotty lacing.

Smell - True to the name. Smells of wheat and blackberry. Also, a faint bit of milkiness as well.

Taste - Starts with a milky wheat flavor, then the blackberry kicks in and breaks it up midtaste before the wheat comes back and leads into the aftertaste. The flavor is simple, but effective.

Mouthfeel - Light. A tad watery. Decent carbonation leads to a fair, tangy bite, but I'd like to see more.

Overall - An interesting take on a witbier. I'd like to see a bit more aggressiveness with the flavors, but that's not necessarily true to the style. Regardless, I love the wheat and blackberry pairing.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 02:40:30 | More by TheSixthRing

kangarooAdam59

Maine

3.16/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Into a nonic pint glass (also had in a regular pint glass, nothing changed):

A: light orange colored body into a nonic and had a small white one finger head. Very little lacing was left and no rings were left either, some light carbonation was seen rising.

S: blackberries and wheat. Some malts were in the background.

T: pretty much the same, nothing new from the smell.

M: medium and the carbonation was moderately felt on the mouth.

O: this isn't a bad beer. I've had it before but wanted to put out a fair review while I've had it recently. I'd have this again, preferably on tap.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 11:14:20 | More by kangarooAdam59

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

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

Minimal head on a light orange body. Hazy throughout. 3.0

Wheat malts and blackberries. The pairing has that aspartame-sweetened carbonated fruit water smell. Can't pick up a particular hop aroma. Some snarls of minty-ness and herbs. 3.5

A very tangy wheat element, which is a tad attenuated. The fruit flavor is better than the aroma. Fresher and not as pushy. This is a one-note song. Mild hop bitterness in the finish, but mostly wheat malts, Belgian yeast musk, and blackberries. 3.5

The carb is a little weak, and the beer a little sticky. Has okay body, but sugary. Surprisingly, not a cinch to throw back. 3.0

Few American-made witbiers impress me, this is no different. Not sure if blackberry is a fruit I'd add to one. But, it has a pleasant aftertaste and grows on you as it warms. 3.5

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 05:17:46 | More by thecheapies

EagleTalon

Arkansas

3.55/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours to a creamy white head and generous lace. Color is deep gold with very little haze (I did not roll the bottle). Aroma is a combination of creamy malt and berries. Flavor is fruity and sweet mix of wheat, coriander and blackberries. Mouthfeel is light and CO2 is strong. Overall, I think this is a tasty refreshing beer that appeals to those who like fruity drinks.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 23:59:21 | More by EagleTalon