Longshot Friar Hop Ale - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

Shaw

Florida

4.22/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I love trying the Longshot beers each year. This year's batch caught me by surprise: I wasn't paying attention.

Pours a nice amber/orange in color with a good head that reduces to a thin layer in my glass while leaving nice lace.

It has a very nice Belgian aroma of grain and dried fruit. Of course, the main aroma components are coming from the yeast. I don't smell any alcohol, which is impressive for a beer of this strength.

The taste is -- no surprise -- like a hoppy Belgian ale. It's got the classic Belgian yeast flavors, notes of biscuit and bread and some dried fruit flavors. But there are also some good citrus hop notes and a nice bitterness to balance the sweetness. No note of higher alcohol.

Good smooth body that has plenty of substance.

Overall this is a very fine beer and another winner from Longshot that Samuel Adams should make again. Seek this one out. It's my favorite from this year's batch.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2011 01:24:44 | More by Shaw

taez555

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer poured a clear orange body with a nice frothy mildy dull white head.

Nose is really interesting because it's a mix of traditional Belgian spice, yeast and malt notes, but then has this spicy citric hop smell shining through. There's definitely some sweet smells like honey coming up as well.

Taste is thick and full bodied. At first sip it seems as if it's going to be a traditional Belgian triple, but then this rush of orange and coriander spice coming flowing in. Lots of citric hops too along with the orange peel flavor. It's very much a potpourri of spices. Very cool. Very nice chewy malt. There's a solid backbone, and it has a good balanced bitterness, but the spices really dominate this beer. The hops, although very much in your face, are extremely well balanced against the spice load. Ends with a nice lingering bitterness.

It really runs a fine line between triple, farmhouse ale and some of those big hoppy Belgians like DeRanke. Really an excellent beer. Great job Richard!

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2011 21:56:30 | More by taez555

musicforairports

New York

3.03/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Amber in color, very clear, a lot less carbonation and head than I was expecting.

Smells like candied sugar, with a bit of hops and spice.

Taste is syrupy sweet, with the sweetness broken up by decent amounts of clove-like spices and fresh American hop flavors. Finishes hoppy. The flavors don't really mesh too well, and the rather dank hop flavors and the spicy sweetness kind of melt into one.

Mouthfeel is lighter than expected for the sweetness level present.

It's a neat concept, but I'd rather a beer built on spices or one built on strong American hops. Not both.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2011 03:20:05 | More by musicforairports

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.05/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a three finger cream head that fades slowly leaving a good lace. Nice crystal clear amber color. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Sweet spicy and hop nose, flavor is spice, honey and hops, slightly dry finish. Higher ABV is hidden. $9.75 for a 6-pak from Bert's Better Beers Hooksett, NH. Best by Sep 2011.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2011 22:17:44 | More by jdhilt

silentjay

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

crystal clear amberish copper color with a small almost pure white fluffy head that quickly recedes yet leaves some decent lacing.

a bit spicy on the nose, with a definite candi sugar sweetness backing that up, and some herbal and citrus hops.

starts a bit spicy, goes very sweet, finishes herbal with some lemon pepper (citrusy yet spicy) on the finish. hot from beginning to end, with a syrupy sweetness that is a bit too heavy handed.

hot and syrupy with little carbonation on a medium bodied brew. fills the mouth with an oiliness that doesn't suit the flavor profile very well.

a bit too hot and sticky sweet belies the underlying spice. hops are not out in front, as I expected from the bottle description. nothing I'd clamor for again, though not terrible.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2011 06:27:36 | More by silentjay