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

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.18/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Precisely midway between honey gold and tangerine orange. Backlighting with sunshine reveals no haziness whatsoever, which is a shame. An acceptable looking slice of ivory colored foam sits atop the beer, although it isn't very generous when it comes to glass deposition.

Blackberries are easily appreciated in the nose, which is a definite plus. On the other hand, a witbier ought to smell like a witbier, even if only a little. There's a wee whiff of untoasted grain and a slight tang from the citrus peel, but no coriander that I can detect. Better than average seems about right.

Flavor follows aroma, in that Sam Adams Blackberry Witbier tastes like a fruit beer rather than a witbier. Sorry, but when a brewery puts the word 'witbier' on the label, there are certain expectations that must be met. Even as a fruit ale, this offering struggles to be good.

The base beer tastes grainy, as if the other flavors are covering up for something that's less than well-brewed (and that might take a major turn for the worse once warming has occured). The blackberry flavor is somewhat extract-like. That's unexpected, since actual Oregon-grown berries were used.

Sweet, bitter and tart are all present. However, they seem to be at odds with one another rather than complementary. Orange peel and coriander are now appreciated. It doesn't much matter because SABW still doesn't taste like a classic wit. Maybe because it isn't.

Medium-fullness for the style helps the mouthfeel pull itself to an above average perch. The slightly buzzy bubbles are just well-buried enough not to annoy. An impending gut ache tells me that there's quite a bit of fructose in this sucker.

Given a choice between Sam Adams Blackberry Witbier and Sam Adams White Ale, I'd go with the latter 10 times out of 10. Even though this offering sounds good on paper, it doesn't come together well at all. Make sure you try one before springing for six.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2009 11:47:10 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.03/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I grabbed this one off the shelf the other day purely because I had not tried it before. That being said, it could have been worse. Served cold and poured into a pint glass, this one was consumed on 04/11/2009.

The pour was light, about what I would have expected. Clear, light amber in color with a nice head of white coming up and over the top. Small lacing and nothing at all really remaining after about a minute. Light aroma with hint of fruit mixed in with lots of wheat and grain notes. Carried over into the flavor almost exactly. Light in every sense of the word. Light fruit notes, light grain and a touch of grass like flavor in the finish. It was loaded with carbonation and went down like water. Overall not bad, but I have had better for sure.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2009 01:13:05 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

3.33/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Another from old notes.

A: The beer pours a sort of yellowish color, interesting since it's supposed to be a blackberry witbier...

S: The blackberry aroma is there, but that is about all you can smell. I don't get much, if any, of the actual witbier, unfortunately. It also seems to have a sense of "fakeness" about it.

T: Blackberries are less noticeable on the flavor, but the witbier base isn't all that intense either. Some grain and malt flavor but not much of the usual orange peel and coriander flavor.

M: Medium in body with a moderate to high carbonation.

O: A let down from the old standby Sam Adams. Not one of the better offerings.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 18:49:59 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours slightly hazed and a light orange-tinted color. White head.

S: Plenty of the blackberry and some spices.

T: Lots of blackberry flavors, as well as the pale wheat malt underneath.

M: Medium-bodied.

D: Pretty decent drinkability, especially once summertime rolls around. I don't normally like fruit beers, but I've enjoyed both this and the Cranberry Wit from Sam Adams. They're doing something right, aka not overloading the fruit.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2009 01:47:08 | More by Thorpe429

UCLABrewN84

California

3.1/5  rDev -6.3%
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

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a clear, orange-amber body with a fizzy, large, off-white head.

Smell: Plump, handpicked blackberry nose ahead of notes smelling of toasty wheat malt and a few scant drops of clover honey.

Taste: Crisp malted wheat and a taste of bready barley with a light honeyish sweetness. Hints of citrus and coriander preclude the pervasive blackberry flavor. Touch of spicy hops and bitterness. Finishes semi-dry and gently effervescent with a tangy mix of wheat and berries.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Medium-plus carbonation.

Drinkability: A fine beer to usher in spring with. Surprisingly refreshing and pleasant, considering how BBC's other fruit beer (Grape Pale Ale, Cranberry Lambic, and Cherry Wheat) all were total flops for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2009 04:07:41 | More by ChainGangGuy

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.13/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle: Poured a hazy orangey color ale with white haze and a medium foamy head with OK retention and minimal lacing. Aroma of blackberry and wheat is sweeter then I had anticipated but still very much enjoyable. Taste is well enough balanced between sweet blackberries and medium wheat malt. Body is fuller then average with OK carbonation. Not bad overall thought I prefer my Wit without fruit.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2009 03:14:02 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.5/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I first tried this beer as part of a taste-off at the National Homebrewer's Conference in Cincinnati back in June '08. Participants were asked to choose between this one or the coffee Irish Stout. Although I prefered the stout, I guess the overwhelming support was for the Blackberry Witbier. It's not the first time I've been over ruled.

The beer begins with a creamy golden-straw hue. The froathy head formation definately finds the Witbier roots, but the color seems darker with the pilsner grains that the lighter canary-yellow hue that I expect. The head disipates to a film and leaves some lacing on the glass.

Aromas are very fruity, spicy, and berry-like. A pilsner malty backbone gives a hint of sweet breads and simple sugars. Light acidity tickles the nose. Though the fruity-berry notes give this beer something extra, I wouldn't have picked out the blackberries if the lable hadn't told me.

Flavors are true to the aromas. The fruity, spicy, berry flavors are upfront and dominate the beer. The pilsner malt presence gives a nice base to the flavors while complimenting with sugar-cookies, light breads, and confectionate sugars. The tastes are a bit over-simplified but not offensive in any way.

An initial creamy mouthfeel is soon overtaken by by the acidic citrus, fruity notes. These clean the palate and make the beer crisp and clean, but hurts the softer textures that are most appreciated by classic Witbiers.

The beer fares pretty well. It's not what I'll reach for in a Witbier, but I expect the beer to be a hit with the Blue Moon crowd.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2009 17:04:05 | More by BEERchitect

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier pours a hazy apricot colored body beneath a short head of white froth. When held to the light it's a glowing golden color and you can make out your fingers through the glass, but without detail. The head retention is limited and it drops readily to a thin collar. Lacing is wide but sparse, mainly made up of small spots with a few craggy lines here and there.

In the aroma it's clearly berrylike, but with a sugary edge. There's no tartness. There's a mild spiciness, which may be due to the blackberries as well as to the yeast and other spices.

The mouthfeel is medium; and it's very delicately zesty with a creamy edge, leaving it smooth with a mild bristle on the tongue.

The flavor is as the nose suggests with the fruit appearing up-front, followed by a combination of wheaty malt and underlying spice. It finishes with a swirl of fruit and spice that die down softly, and then lingers gently with a hint of grassy and floral hops.

At first the fruit is more apparent, but as it warms, the malt widens and becomes the stage on which the fruit and spice twirl. I was initially expecting a fruit beer, follwed by the idea that it would be a witbier with just a tiny hint of fruit. In fact, it falls right in between. It's not overdone, and you could have more than one, although I'm not sure how many occassions it would really fit in at. Still, it's pleasant and enjoyable. Nicely done!

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2009 00:57:21 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.18/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Sam Adams sensory pint glass.

I wanted the Latitude 48, so I had to get the whole Summer Styles box. Oh well, I guess I'll suck it up and drink the extraneous bottles. Tee hee. This one pours a slightly hazy straw with a minor bit of white head that dies away very quickly. The nose comprises a bushel's worth (at least) of berries, though whether or not they're blackberries is hard for me to say. Some bready bits congregate in the background, but don't say very much. The taste is composed of these elements as well, joined by a very light bitterness. Hm. The body is light, with a dry finish and a rather bubbly feel. Overall, not the best wit out there; the berries are strong yet vague, leaving me wanting something more, somewhere...

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2010 14:09:14 | More by TMoney2591

metter98

New York

3.4/5  rDev +2.7%
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

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.2/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Cloud and gold, effervescent carbonation, big white head.

Aroma, fresh and fruity, blackberries, for sure, with delicate spice...pretty nice.

Bubblegum....and blackberry. Light, drinkable, but forgettable. Soft, drinkable, but not very pleasant. What's missing here, why am I not liking it?
Maybe blackberry shouldn't be in a witbier? I don't mind blueberries in a hefe weizen, but this...? Dry in some spots, sweet in others, a touch tart, but the flavor neither stands out nor meshes well.

A one and I'm done. Good thing I've only got one.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2009 08:27:20 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

3.5/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a hazy gold color with a 1/2" white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is decent. It has a nice pale and wheat malt scent along with a fruity blackberry essence aroma. It's just like any other fruit beer, but with a bit of witbier spice thrown in. The taste is decent as well. It has a crisp, pale and wheat malt flavor that goes down easy and finishes dry with a sweet blackberry taste. It's tastes like blackberry extract; very fake. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is an average tasting fruit beer. There's nothing exceptional going on here.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2009 00:17:38 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

3.23/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Beer is clear and dark yellow , nearly amber. Forms a moderate white head of tiny bubbles and leaves some lacing on the glass. Carbonation is moderate to low. I expected some haze.

Aroma is bready with a hint of sweetness. Maybe the berries coming through.

Definitely taste the berries. Its the strongest flavor in the beer. Medium to low bodied. No carbonation in the mouth. Beer is a little dry. Mouthfeel is fine. There is an odd bitterness that I am not enjoying. Drinkability suffers.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2009 22:15:21 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

2.83/5  rDev -14.5%
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

zeff80

Missouri

3.18/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured out a somewhat cloudy, orange color with a foamy, off-white, two finger head. It left no lace.

S - It smelled of blackberry, artificial blackberry aroma.

T - It tasted of blackberry flavoring with hints of wheat. There wasn't much else. It was very sweet.

M - It was crisp and sharp with a somewhat dry finish. A light bodied beer.

D - This is an okay beer. It was very sweet and the blackberry flavor was a bit much. It mellowed and became more drinkable as it warmed up.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2009 02:22:47 | More by zeff80

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a cloudy yellow color, with a thin white head that fades very quickly and leaves very little lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is all blackberries with a little bit of Belgian yeast, light malts and a faint touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out with a fruity and tart blackberry flavor that is followed by a decent Belgian yeast breadiness. The malt character is thin as you would expect and the hops presence is very mild. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and smooth, light body, medium-to-high carbonation, finish is clean.

D: A little tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, mild kick, decent representation of style, it's more of a fruity beer than a Witbier, but it might be just a tad better than some of the other fruit infused wheat beers out there. Either way, it's not the type of beer I could drink regularly.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2009 16:26:22 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours out as cloudy yellowish color with a white foamy head that dissipates quickly. The armoa of the beer is sweet and full of fruit. The subtle smell of wheat is in there too. The taste is sweet as well with a pretty good blackberry flavor. The aftertaste is a mix of the fruit and the grainy wheat flavors. The mouhfeel is light and might be a decent choice for summer drinking.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2011 14:51:16 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

2.78/5  rDev -16%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

BBD of Aug 09, pours apricot with a pinky of cream colored head into my Hoegaarten glass. Hazes a bit, average head retention & lacing

S: Berries, lemons & tartness

T: Lemons, soapyness & hints of strawberries up front. Slight caramel notes, some blackberry, a bit of metallic hops & more soap. finishes semi-tart with lemon, the soapiness finally fades!

MF: Light bodied, fairly vigorous carbonation, the soapyness just drags this down...

Drank okay, just didn't work on any level IMO, due to the soapyness

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2009 03:56:35 | More by russpowell

Halcyondays

California

3.13/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle,

A: Pours a hazy, light orange with a thick white head, some lace.

S: Artificial blackberry and black cherry soda - the store brand from the 25 cent can machines when you were a kid.

T: Tastes a lot like berry soda, alcopop initially, light notes of wheat and honey in the end, bring it back to beer.

M: Crisp, clean for a fruit beer, no aftertaste, relatively refreshing, light-bodied.

D: Enough with the chemical flavorings Sam Adams, this is OK, but if it was fermented all with real fruit it would be a lot better, I've had fruit beers of amazing quality before.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2009 17:20:43 | More by Halcyondays

jwc215

New Jersey

3.1/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Freshest by July 2009 notched on label:

Pours hazed golden with a head that at a fleeting glance looks nice, but soon disappears, leaving some dots of lacing.

The smell is of blackberry, perfumy and something grapey/white-wine-ish.

Taste is of blackberry (more than a "hint", as suggested on label), with something of a buttery white wine backing. The fruitiness is the "artificial - Fruit Roll-Up" typical of American fruit beers. There is a wheat bread undertone. It goes towards a "witbier" with a subtle orange and late, light coriander spicing in the finish.

The feel is light, a bit buttery.

A different spin on the style. Sugary and grape-like. Towards the style, with a dose of blackberry. Not bad, but couldn't drink much of, at all.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2009 14:56:49 | More by jwc215

WVbeergeek

Ohio

2.83/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appears a clouded golden orange body with a large custard like creamy white head forming thick, decent retention noted. Lacing is coated evenly with each sip not bad. Aromatics offer a tart semi sour berrry note with citrus edges competing with eachother, along sided traditional Sam Adams house yeast breadiness. Flavor is again a bit sour with citrus and berry notes with a dry powdered yeast cake in the finish, spices are more prevalant in the flavor a bit of coriander and citrus peel. Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with a touch of cloying sweetness in the finish, did Sam Adams really need another fruity wheat beer? Overall a beer that doesn't do anything special for me I'll reach for the imperial series next.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2009 17:12:43 | More by WVbeergeek

smcolw

Massachusetts

2.63/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Decent initial, but it dies far too quickly. Some spotty lace. Hazy. Neutral gold color.

Cold raspberry aroma with a wheat bite. Lemon zest smell here as well.

Light flavored until the swallow, which is sour with the lightest amount of berry. One of the thinner beers I've ever had; it's also a little spritzy. Short aftertaste. All in all, a very ordinary beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2009 22:25:16 | More by smcolw

Wasatch

Utah

3.53/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a nice cloudy pale yellow color, nice carbonation, nice little fizzy white head, with some sticky lacing left behind. The nose is malty, yeasty, with some spice and blackberries. The taste is malty, sweet, yeasty, with a nice touch of spice and blackberries. Medium body. Drinkable, not a bad brew, hit's the spot on a hot day. Glad to see it here in Utah.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2009 21:46:26 | More by Wasatch

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.43/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a three finger white head that fades quickly leaving some lace. Cloudy amber color. Light-medium carbonation and light-medium bodied. Slight blackberry nose. Flavor is wheat with some sweetness from the blackberry. $2.00 for a 12oz bottle from Northend Superette Manchester, NH.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2009 22:17:00 | More by jdhilt