Infinium - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

crazyfraser

1.83/5  rDev -43.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

I was very excited to find a bottle of this. I heard some good reviews so I was greatly looking forward to drinking it. It was $39.99 so I was thinking it must be good. It was a 2011 bottle, todays date is 7-13-12.

It was very pretty when pouring, Kinda cloudy golden.

The smell was appealing, a little fruity tartness.

The taste was terrible, A sour punch right off the bat. Then the after taste is too pungent, like after you smoke a terrible cigar.

mouthfeel is actually good if you can get past the taste. easily drinkable. not a strong alcohol taste at all.

overall a terrible beer, would never recommend for enjoyment. I could of bought a 12 pack of Hopslam dammit.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 00:18:57 | More by crazyfraser

sfprint

Germany

4.05/5  rDev +24.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I'm pretty surprised this one has received so many low reviews. I've found it to be pretty nice.

A: Beautifuly rich golden color with touch of crimson, quickly disappating champagne head, very champagne like. Moderate rising carbonation.
S: His this high alcohol intensity to it though it comes across not so strong and the alcohol is pretty sedated. like an apricot belgian strong ale.
T: There are champagne/sparkling wine elements to it, crossed with a belgian strong ale. But unlike the majority of beers in this alcohol range, it's not so so so intense and overpowering. it's light which I really appreciate. I'm also pretty surprised they could summon these flavors with just three ingredients.
M: Champagne like carbonation.
O: A very nice collaboration. The beer, for me, lives up to it's beautiful bottle.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 22:04:16 | More by sfprint

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.43/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2011 Vintage.

A: Pours a lightly hazy light golden yellow in color with heavy amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a three finger tall fizzy white head that slowly reduces to a thin layer covering the entire surface of the beer. No visible lacing is observed.

S: Smells a little bit like real champagne rather than a beer - notes of wine and grape and just the faintest hints of malt.

T: This beer is quite sweet with light fruit (apple, pear, and white grape) in addition to the malts. Light to moderate presence of alcohol in the taste as well.

M: Light to medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation.

O: Not my favorite beer in this style as it is a little too sweet and the alcohol is not as well hidden as I would prefer.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 22:43:09 | More by dbrauneis

FightingEntropy

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +23.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a bottle of Infinium at Happy Harry's Bottle Shop while on a visit to my nephew in Grand Forks. Odd place to pick up a bottle of Biere de Champagne, but I saw on the neck label that it is a collaboration brew between Sam Adams and Weihenstephaner, the oldest brewery in the world (if you haven't had their hefeweissbier, a draft is a must). Pairing these two great breweries seemed like a must try, regardless of the outcome.

A bubbly white head dissipates quickly to a very thin film on top of a whiskey colored ale. Light spice, heavily caramelized malt, dried raisins, figs and very apparent alcohol in the nose on top of a floral earthiness. Syrupy sweet and oily on the tongue along with a distinct bubbly carbonation that tingles. Dark fruit, raisin, and yeast flavors expand as it warms. Interesting and odd at the same time.

If you are expecting Deus from this champagne beer, you'll be disappointed. Watching the video on the Boston Beer website made it clear that the goal was to create a beer style that had never brewed before, even in the 1000 year history of Weihenstephaner. From my two samples, they accomplished their goal. Infinium is both perplexing, challenging and defies any beer definition I have in my head. If you're looking for a unique collaboration beer, drink a bottle--or two like me. However, while I've enjoyed this beer, I doubt I'd pick up another if it crossed my path.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 23:19:50 | More by FightingEntropy

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks Heatwave33!

2011 bottle.

Pour is light orange with huge head. Massively carbonated, but Id expect that.

Smell is different for sure. I get some citrus fruits. Loads and wheat and corn, and some white whine. Strong pineapple chunk smell.

The big thing I notice is how dry it is. It reminds of Tweason'ale with its dryness. Very dry up front, with some yeast coming out very, very quickly. I get the crisp wheat as well, along with airy corn. Sweet caramel notes come real late. The more I drink, the more I get the fruity esters from the yeast as well as some sweeter caramel early.

Theres so much going on; I think its just too damn busy for me. Itd be interesting to replace Champagne with this.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 19:25:24 | More by VncentLIFE

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml corked and caged bottle served in a snifter glass. cork removal packs a big pop, reminiscent of a champagne bottle.

pours a mostly clear golden tone with a big, foamy 2 finger head. retention is middling; respectable lacing.

interesting nose on this one. fruity - notably banana, apple, and citrus - with notes of spices and some sweet maltines. something else i can't quite nail down, almost an astringency. flavor opens with a distinct sweetness. the fruity characters and spice are evident, along with a muted presence of hops. vinous. alcohol is relatively well-hidden, noticeable mostly in the finish.

crisp, medium-bodied mouthfeel with high carbonation. a unique beer worth a try, and i would definitely be up to try it again, but i'm not convinced the $20 price tag is justified.

originally reviewed: 12-13-2010

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 05:00:49 | More by BostonHops

Pencible

Virginia

3.53/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2011 vintage.

A: This poured clear gold with lots of bubbly white head.
S: It smelled like wild honey and wheat and sweet white grapes, with a little burnt sugar and almond and raisin.
T: It tasted like sweet hay and fresh wheat and wild honey, with some raisin and white grapes and earthy nutty malt. It had an earthy and sweet and clean aftertaste.
M: It was oily and very carbonated. Bubbly body.
D: This was not much like champagne beyond the appearance, but it was still interesting to try. The scent and taste were more like a biere de garde, to me. The body was fitting but not refined. The alcohol was well hidden, so it was easy enough to drink. But there was nothing exciting about this brew, to make it worth the price. Not recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 19:12:35 | More by Pencible

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Well this certainly is a nice lookin' bottle we have here. The beer smells like candy and fruit, but some fruit I can't remember the name of from when I lived in Hawaii. Maybe it's lychee. The flavor is quite sweet, yet smooth enough, I suppose. A bit too much of a bitter ending that oddly meshes with the sugary tone. This is a nicely drinkable beer, but really, where's the complexity?? Where's the interesting character coming from "1,000 years of brewing expertise"? On taste alone the beer is alright. But add into the mix two major breweries contributing to its production and the price tag, and this one is falling quite short.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 03:48:18 | More by RblWthACoz

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +21.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2010 vintage from cellar. Had the morning after DLD as a way to celebrate and compliment an awesome, slab bacon, leek, poached egg on bread breakfast.

Medium copper, amber color with champagney head and awesome bubbling.

Mildly sweet cracker and bread crust and yeasty fruit aroma. Balancd well by the earthy, grassy noble hops and the spring of the carbonation.

Very well balanced flavor profile from start to finish. Toasty sweet malts mixed with a dry fruit champagne yeast and earthy, citric hops. Well balanced. Just a little warm on the abv. finish. Pretty good beer though. Glad I tried and shared it with my fiance and good buddy.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 18:33:51 | More by scruffwhor

HamFon

Florida

3.48/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

2010 vintage bottle from my cellar. When I had it fresh, it was unimpressive and certainly WAY overpriced. It was not a bad beer, but did not live up to the hype of the Boston Marketing Machine. Retasting to see if the cellaring helped at all.

A: big white champagne-like head settles quickly, clear deep gold color

S: bready, floral, not much complexity

T: again bready and floral with not much else

M: creamy

O: a reasonable quaffing beer, but definitely not the highly hyped champagne replacement for New Years Eve

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 16:39:51 | More by HamFon

wvsabbath

West Virginia

3.55/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Serving Type - 25.4 oz caged and corked bottle

Appearance - Light golden tan, yellow, monster 4+ inch fizzy, foamy head and tons of lacing.

Smell - Sour grapes, honey, some floral/herbal notes. Some wine like sour aromoas along with some added sugars.

Taste - Sweet fruits mixed along with sour fruits and white wine. Lots of grapes, cherry, and honey. Added sugars balance the overloaded sourness somewhat. Lemonish herbal tang and grassy, earthy, saison like feel finishes this brew out.

MOuthfeel - Sweet, sour, bitter, but fairly easy to enjoy. TOunge gets nailed with sour fruits, sweet sugary fruits and a little alcohol warmth. Palette gets sweet/sour kick, and lots of herbel honey flavors. Aftertaste is dry, sour and earthy.

Overall - Not bad, a nice changeup from ipa's and such. PRetty much a saison like hybird white wine. Its sour and bitter but the added sugars save it from being too sickning sour. Its missing something, maybe hops? It is overpriced, but its worth a drink for something different.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2012 03:27:24 | More by wvsabbath

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Audibly fizzy... Three plus fingers of big chunky actively receding slightly off white colored froth that displays solid retention at just shy of two fingers... Loaded with lightning quick chaotic swirling carbonation... The color is equal parts honey and gold... A bit of sticky lacing clings to the glass...

S - Sweet all the way around and then some... Overly ripened green grapes... Honey... Butterscotch... A bit musky... A hint of mandarin oranges.... Sweet wort... Just I mention the sweetness?

T - Golden raisins... Green grapes... Apples... Honey... Butterscotch hard candies... A very light wheat component... A hard to place and slightly off putting finish - possibly soapy... A bit cloying all the way around...

M - Medium bodied... Less carbonation than expected... Sticky... Sleek... A very very slight astringency...

D - Regal and sophisticated... Great packaging... The price was a bit difficult to swallow... The beer was a mixed bag... The uniqueness is much appreciated... The execution, is a bit rough around the edges... The end result is a beer I wouldn't recommend nor seek out again, especially given the price point...

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 20:04:18 | More by philbe311

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Poured a hazed darker orange color. Champagne head is fizzy and froths off a bit. Not a big lacer.

S-White wine vinous characteristics. White grapes and other fruits. Sweet and fruity with wine-forward notes but there is also a musky hint and a light herbal or grassy hop scent. Interesting.

T-Akin to the nose. Champagne grapes combined with a bit of musk and underlying bready sweetness. Booze is masked very well. Unusual flavor. Light grassy hops too. A nice hybrid flavor. I am a bit shocked to see how hard this beer-brid has been slammed on here.

M-Medium bodied with some nice fizz. Alcohol is drying but not too extreme.

O/D-Overall, I find this beer to be underrated. Its not the Second Coming or anything, but its a pretty cool glass of fizz. Too expensive for a $20 750 ml but its an interesting novelty worth trying (preferably sharing). Not as bad as its rating may lead you to believe.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 20:49:27 | More by VelvetExtract

madeofsteel

Michigan

3.45/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Presentation is wonderful. Caged, corked and foiled, and a tag that suggests a best of for July 2012.

A - Poured into a flute. Pours a lovely honey color. Fluffy looking head of about an inch, but with little retention and no lacing.

S - Crisp alcohol, mild yeast. Meh.

T - Very sweet, with a pear fruitiness. Kinda bready and a little bitter at the finish. Very reminiscent of white wine.

M - Dry, with very excited carbonation. Prickly.

O - At $18, it's a bit hard to justify getting this again. While not entirely off, it's out of my spectrum. I don't mind having this as a birthday beer, but it's difficult to approach.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 01:07:52 | More by madeofsteel

abrand

Illinois

3.23/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

750 mL bottle poured into flute glass

This pours a clear yellow color with loads of head that quickly fades. This takes some time to pour into the small flute glass. Lots of carbonation from the base of the glass. Nice looking pour. Smell is pretty subtle but yeasts, doughs, and malts make up the nose. Taste is very carbonated with euro yeast and some fruits. Grapes are definitely on the palate. Mouthfeel is thin but super carbonated. Overall this was alright. Decent in small portions but the full bottle is not for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 16:18:50 | More by abrand

roblowther

Texas

2.68/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Love Deus Brut de Flanders and Malheur Brut so this has some clown-sized shoes to fill. Love the packaging! Looks clear caramel with an active head that goes away quickly. Not reminding me of champagne so far. Smell is cherries and pears, very sweet. Taste is really sweet up front, then pepper, then a really odd pear aftertaste. Clean finish but wow an odd aftertaste. Its nice and tingly with a slickness but that's the best bit. Overall just not doing it for me. I'm finishing the bottle, but its making me burp weird pear candy smell into my nose. Yes, that's my official review.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 22:44:02 | More by roblowther

Tone

Missouri

4.3/5  rDev +32.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, copper color. 1/2 inch head of a white color. Good retention and decent lacing. Smells of yeast, sweet malt, slight pale malt, slight hop, hint of citrus, and a hint of spice. Fits the style of a Biere de Champagne / Biere Brut. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of strong yeast, alcohol, sweet malt, slight hops, slight pale malt, hint of citrus, and a hint of spice. Overall, great aroma, blend, body, and complexity.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 13:45:55 | More by Tone

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

2.13/5  rDev -34.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1

2011 Vintage.

A: 1 1/2" tan coloured fine head over cloudy copper coloured liquid.

S: Apples, orange, pears with cinnamon, cloves and other spices. Quite sweet and different smelling.

T: Orange, floral, and grassy hop flavours with a bitter grassy hop finish. As it warmed it got worse, and had a stomach bile tasting aftertaste.

M: Soapy with a slippery medium viscosity and a medium level of fine carbonation. Kind of a strange plasticky mouthfeel.

O: One of the strangest beers i have ever had. My first ever drain pour. I wanted to like it, but couldn't.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 23:44:11 | More by DaftCaskBC

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to angrybabboon for sharing the bottle.

Appearance: Slightly hazed copper with orange leanings. Head is bright-white and bubbly. Drops to a thin cap quickly. Small ring remains for the duration. Loads of carbonation.

Smell: Apples, slight wheat tang, and a grassy note. Some pale malts and sweetness. Faintly earthy with an lively side. Slightly floral and fruity. Very delicate aroma.

Taste: Grapes, apples, and flowers with a wheat backbone. Ever so faintly funky. White wine notes and a touch of something woody. Very clean finish, almost like a seltzer. Floral notes mingle with a subtle citrus note. Pale malts add a layer of sweetness. White wine spritzer. Light fruit and floral notes meld with the mild wheat tang.

Mouthfeel: Light and bubbly. Drinks like seltzer or champagne. Crisp and clean.

Overall: This is the beer equivalent of the white wine spritzer. Very delicate with a decent amount of nuance. It's hard to justify the price per bottle given these characteristics.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 03:18:51 | More by Goblinmunkey7

Sdesenberg

Michigan

2.6/5  rDev -20%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bought the 750 ml champagne bottle for almost 20 bucks at a little corner liqueur store. To summarize, looks promising, smells ok, tastes bad. They had a sixer of hopslam for 17 bills. For three fewer dollars I could have had almost three times as much high gravity, super premium beer and I would have really enjoyed it. This stuff is very disappointing, and I won't have it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 01:38:46 | More by Sdesenberg

ouser31

California

2.68/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

wasnt my favorite... for being advertised as a special beer or once in a lifetime special... it wasnt.. kind of dissapointed with it.. maybe i missed something or it just wasnt my style... im sure there are many more that will come and go... maybe ill try it again sometime and ill like it more

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 22:30:58 | More by ouser31

Immortale25

Florida

3.9/5  rDev +20%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter. Foil says 2011.

A- Pours a dark copper color with a full inch of head that bears some retention before subsiding to a 1/8 inch head and hazy surface foam. Decent lacing.

S- Smells hoppy...is that intentional? Has that earthy, malt-balanced hop aroma that's reminiscent of west coast IPAs. Semi-astringent.

T- Surprisingly, doesn't taste hoppy. There's a smooth conjunction of flavors that, all put together, does remind one of champagne and its simple, neutral flavor. The strange aroma still throws that off but, just focusing on flavor, it hits the mark. Hops that aren't overly bitter, malts that aren't too sweet and it makes for easy drinking because I just remembered this is 10.3%. It may not have a white wine flavor to it, but that's a plus in my book. The malt character comes through stronger as the beer warms.

M- Medium-high carbonation and plenty of bubbles, as expected. Quite a full body for a beer that feels somewhat like champagne.

O- Pretty good. Not something that I'd drink all the time, but I guess that's the point. Not quite worth the $19 I spent on it, but I feel they accomplished what they were going for.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 01:02:19 | More by Immortale25

IronDjinn

Alberta (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

From a 750 ml brown teardrop shaped magnum bottle, thick red and yellow foil around the cap and neck, while underneath it is caged and corked. Pours out a dense, hazed honey gold hue with a tall creamy off-white hue.

The aroma immediately reveals moist wet white grapes and lighter preserved fruits, along with pear, papaya, and a mild yet sharp yeast twang.

Sweet white raisin and fleshy apple character up front in the flavour, pear skins and dry spicy yeast appear in the middle, finishing rather dry and clean with apples skins and faint herbal hops.

Medium-bodied mouthfeel, texture starts out creamy silky smooth, however light effervescent carbonation contrasts that towards the finish. Contrasting elements yet balanced mouthfeel, a nice touch.

Rather curious flavour profile, and not one very common, however it works for me, enough at least. If I were to do things again I'd chip in on a bottle with a friend or two, I had enough to quench my curiosity about a glassful in. On that note a good bottle to pick up for a dinner party or pair with food.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 10:08:11 | More by IronDjinn

VoiceOfTheSoul

Pennsylvania

2/5  rDev -38.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

A Golden copper one finger off white head. Doesn't stick around but leaves a frothy top.

S Slightly grassy, a little musty, by of biscuit and a light citrus note. Weird bit of metal smell. Syrup.

T Obvious booze in the middle an the end with a sharpness up front. Definitely sweet and caramelly over a bready backbone. Apple and lemons. Lingering sweetness.

M Sharp all over with almost cloying sweetness especially in the finish. Tingling feeling left for a minute or two.

O Rather big beer, too sweet and boozy. There are underlying notes that seem to save it at moments, but generally not enough. I was quite disappointed by this beer. Not what I expected.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 06:52:42 | More by VoiceOfTheSoul

Pauly2X

Wisconsin

3.4/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Fantastically huge fizzy head very much like champange. Clear golden yellow with very effervescent carbonation visible.

S- There's a spicy yeast character up front reminiscent of clove, followed by a mild but noticeable hop aroma.

T- The malt backbone is light and grainy, very soft. It is almost shouted out by the spicy yeast character very reminiscent of many tripels. After which some noble hop flavor comes in just under the radar to add another layer, just before the dry finish.

M- Very fizzy but with some decent body as well.

O- Enjoyable for it's uniqueness, but not good enough to really seek out as something uttery great. Worth trying at least once. We cracked a bottle of this in the limo after I got married, so regardless of actual taste it will always be a special beer for me for the memories it recalls.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2012 13:53:41 | More by Pauly2X