Samuel Adams Thirteenth Hour Stout (Barrel Room Collection) - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

Scotchboy

Idaho

4.1/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Corked and caged 750ml split with the ladies...my portion poured into a Jackie O's tulip...

A: Dark brown pour with a tight two-finger light khaki head...foamy lacing typical of bottle-conditioned Belgians...red light shows through the brown body of the beer.

S: Belgian yeast and spices unfold on the nose, followed by darker fruits (big time raisins and plums) and oaky smoothness...light peppery sensation and distant vanilla, with suggestions of cocoa.

T: Even more diverse than the nose. Belgian yeast characters still dominate the palate, followed by plums and dark cherries...fairly hefty roasted malt backbone with a moderate mixture of dark chocolate and roasted coffee notes. Creamy vanilla, earthy oak, peppery herbal undertone. As it warms the chocolate shows up a bit more, as well as some vinous red wine notes and brandy warmth.

MF: Creamy bottle conditioning takes a hold of the mouthfeel...moderate body is nearly full, soft and velvety with an appropriate amount of dryness.

O: A nearly perfect example of the style (Belgian Stout/Strong Dark) and a very respectable Sam Adams offering.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 15:28:19 | More by Scotchboy

BigBarley

Texas

4.1/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a deep deep brown, almost pitch black, except for the highlights that are revealed in the light. Very deep brown. Almost impossible to see any light except through the edges. Head came to about a finger of a tan-brown froam that recedes over time to a thick ring of foam.

S - Dark, sweet coffee, very faint vanilla, with a nice, sharp, barrel-aged aroma of something like wood and spices, very thick smell, light black fruit presence, lots of raisin underneath, hint of cinammon, more vanilla, more wood. A great beer for smelling, very full of subtleties and variety.

T - Smoked malt, burnt plum notes, very mild hints of chocolate and vanilla battle it out, very charred wooden taste, spices come through on the swallow, left with a nice yeasty, dark flavor. Nothing like a stout or dark ale I've had before, lots of things happening here that I can't describe. Wild yeasty flavor, biscuit tastes, black, sweet burnt caramel. There's just so much going on here, it's a great experience sifting through all these flavors.

M - Pretty thick, but not unbelievably so. The carbonation is pretty active for the style, and creamy. All around thick but smooth.

O - An interesting beer to say the least. Samuel Adams hit-and-miss tendencies made me less than exuberant about putting down 12 dollars for a bottle, but I like to think I made a good choice. Very tasteful, very well-made, very rich. This beer is intense and warming. Great winter time early morning taster (but only if you've got the day to yourself, lots of alcohol here)

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 11:39:44 | More by BigBarley

stephens101

Oklahoma

4.1/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

A full tan head covers a pitch black brew. It settles quickly.

A thin medicinal wall is noticed aromatically up front, but is quickly broken by notes of milk chocolate, a bit of vanilla and grape juice.

Smooth on the tongue with palpable notes of cherry followed by more milk chocolate, various other dark fruits, vinegar and light hops. The oak is noticed as an afterthought.

Medium bodied with a tickle of alcohol heat at the end.

You would be hard pressed to find a more delectable and well-balanced "bigger beer" than this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 00:07:37 | More by stephens101

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4.13/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a solid dark brown color with a decent khaki head that shows moderate retention and lace. The aroma has a distinct lactic tartness to it that seems to overpower everything else in the nose. Faint hints of chalk and yellow mustard come out. The label says Belgian stout with notes of spice, coffee, chocolate, and oak I wish I could find some of those in the nose! Taste is a bit different than the aroma lead me to believe although it is a bit tart and funky. Deep caramel and brown sugary malt mixed with toffee and hints of chocolate start us out on quite a journey. Midway through we turn lactic with fruity tart and sour notes filling the palette. We finish with a bit of warming alcohol, hints of roasted grains that even show a bit of an ashy edge and a bit of caramel. Medium to thick body with a moderate level of carbonation and a thick sweet tart chalky mouthfeel. Uhm wow this is not the beer I thought I bought, but I'm getting that a lot lately from Boston beer. The nose is extremely lackluster, but the flavor is a huge explosion of ever changing flavors that wake up even the most sedate taste buds. I may have to pick up a few more of these for further evaluation.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 03:00:29 | More by johnnnniee

mortarit

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I've haven't tried alot of SA stuff, Boston lager and their summer seasonal.
First, like the bottle design. Itreally caught my eyes at first glance.
Beware when trying to releashing the cork, I was stardel from the pressure it gave when the cork riocet around the room. That was a first for me.
Smell of raisins which is typical of the Belgian style dark ales.
Taste them too.
What I really like is the silky texture of the head, very fine layer.
Medium in strength but light in the body.
It true to it's Belgian class
I would like to explore more of these on price points.

Overall, a winner.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2012 18:28:38 | More by mortarit

RichD

Rhode Island

4.14/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from the cork and caged bottle into a snifter.

A: Poured a pale brown initially. As my snifter filled, the brown became more pronounced with a 1-2 finger tan head.

S: Chocolate covered raisins was the prominent scent that I picked up. Some oak came through afterwards, with some coffee and figs/plums also poking through.

T: The taste follows the nose pretty well. The figs/plums were more prominent in the taste than in the nose. The chocolate and raisins were pretty subdued with the oak and coffee coming through in the finish. There is a fruity taste that seems to taste like brettanomyces, but there was no indication that any brett is in here. Perhaps it's the cosmic mother funk, which would make sense. This brew is very deep. Perhaps the deepest Sam Adams brew I've had so far.

M: A medium to heavy body. There is a moderate to heavy level of carbonation. Overall nothing that blows my mind.

Overall: This is a solid brew. The depth of this makes it extremely tasty and interesting. I'm glad I picked this up to try. As I said earlier in this review, this may be the deepest brew from Sam Adams. I really like this one and I can see myself buying the rest of these Sam Adams barrell room collection beers. Great job, guys!

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 01:00:07 | More by RichD

TTAmod

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Split with my dad. 1 pt 9.4 oz bottle poured into Chimay chalice.

A: Very, very dark brown. It looks black except when held directly to the light. There's a 1 inch brown head that dissipates quickly. There's a nice brown lacing that stays throughout the drink.

S: Smells fruity. Cherries and plum are the dominating fruits. Also smell some mild alcohol.

T: Follows the nose to an extent. There are definitely cherry and plum notes, but there are also hints of roasted malt, oaky woodiness, and some rum at the end. VERY complex. The alcohol at the end is even a little hot...oh well.

M: Surprisingly medium-bodied. This brew is also pretty well carbonated.

O: It smells like a BSDA....tastes like a BSDA....feels like a BSDA....it's a BSDA. There is really nothing in this beer that would make me think of a stout, except for the wood notes and roasted malt. This is, though, the best Sam Adams brew I've tasted. It's really quite nice and on par with other BSDAs available.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 03:27:24 | More by TTAmod

Khazadum

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Lovely toasted almond head above a pitch black body. There is no off coloring at the edges or hues to deceive the inky nature of this. Creamy top with only the tiniest of bubbles cascading up the side. Tons of carbonation, but that is to be expected. Definitely how I wanted this beer to look.

S- A very light lactic acid sweetness right at the front. Its like a cherry kriek nature that surprises and confounds me. That Kosmic Mother Funk brings about a delightful aroma that I never would have thought to appreciate in a stout. Very light vanilla, and nothing else to enjoy.

T- First impressions are a dry peppery nature right off the bat. Like an aged tripel, following that up is a gentle lactic sourness. Middle hints are cherrys, and roasted grains. Beautiful coffee that comes with repeated sips. A fantastic almost perfect coffee nature. Better than folgers, better than starbucks... the ideal roast without any complementing harshness of bitter. The dry peppery nature up front provides the perfect contrast to this roasted nature. Finish is predominantly the lingering nature of coffee, dark cranberry, and baker's chocolate.

M- Crisp, biting at times, low body, watery. For a stout it really didn't hang onto its body for long when blended with Mother Funk. Did retain a minor layer of creaminess.

Really interesting beer. The complexities and surprises weren't gimmicky or short lived. Things kept coming back to cause the experience to fly by all too fast. A 750 mL bottle? No problems.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2011 00:43:22 | More by Khazadum

Kinsman

New Hampshire

4.15/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a decent shade of black but it's not the darkest of stouts. Creamy tan head does make a nice showing but it lacks a bit in volume.

First whiff and greeted by a surprisingly more wild character than expected with an acidic character thats backed up by some grape juice and raisin-like fruitiness. While the yeast does a lot of the talking, some room is left for the woody notes to come through and a bit of a cocoa roasty note.

Fruity, roasty, spicy, funky... all of that can be found in this beer, making for quite a tasty ride. Cocoa and coffee notes are present but they really don't stand out like you would expect from a stout... seems as if the Kosmic Mother Funk portion of the blend hides a lot of the stout but I'm fine with that. KMF gives you it's nice funky sour notes and a bit of the oak flavors as well.

Mouthfeel is pretty full bodied but bubbly and crisp... something that wasn't quite expected but isn't bad. Overall, I'm impressed with this addition to the Barrel Room Collection. It's nice to have an affordable and approachable wild dark ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 01:31:44 | More by Kinsman

sirtomtom

California

4.16/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25

I have to say, I really love these goofy looking barrel bottles. Anyway...

A: Very dark color. Up to light, lets out a faint red light. Poured a thin 1 finger head, which dissipated almost immediately.

S: Chocolate, caramel, fig, and a bit of booze

T: A bit of caramel and fig up front, melting into a warm booziness, finishing of with a mild effervescence, chocolate, oak and a light boozey finish. However there was no booze induced burn. Very smooth with a mild sweetness.

M: Expected a bit more. Rather thin, not watery, just thin.

O: A very nice beer. Smooth, a touch of sweetness, and chocolate make this beer very drinkable. Barrel aging could have been extended to help mellow out the booze. I would definitely buy this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 03:30:29 | More by sirtomtom

MAJPhilson

4.16/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Wasn't sure what kind of stout I was drinking. Complex flavors, with a very long after taste. Not one of my favorites, but I would drink it again. Little pricey for the quality though. I guess I expected more from SA, but still, not a bad stout.

A: was dark, but not as dark as most stouts. Light does come through, but still, dark enough to classify as a stout.

S: definite hints of chocolate, coffee and spice.

T: tried at two temps. First cold: as a colder brew, had a very bitter taste. But I let it warm up to room temp. Room Temp: brought out all sorts of flavors, rich coffee, deep spices and the aroma changed slightly.

M: oily is the best way I can describe this. It certainly has a very long aftertaste on the palate, but not at all unpleasant.

O: not bad at all. Not my favorite, but not bad. I paid $10.99 for this beer, which was way too much, but...you only live once. For that price, and from SA, I expected a little more.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 06:50:13 | More by MAJPhilson

Flounder57

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

25.4 oz bottle was poured into a large snifter.

Appearance: The beer a two finger mocha head that has reduced to a thin layer. It is a pitch black color with no clarity. Some signs of carbonation bubbles near the top ring of foam.

Smell: vanilla, booze, raisins, bananas, oak, other dark fruits, chocolate, roastiness, bready notes, spiciness, and tobacco too.

Taste: All of the above. Booze is up front, super dark fruits, burning spiciness that mellows, and

Mouthfeel: smooth, a bit dry, full bodied, burning spiciness, and medium carbonation.

Overall: A nice twist to the style. I have had the bottle for a year now and happy to see it has settled and aged well. I have another bottle and will age that one a bit longer.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 03:21:10 | More by Flounder57

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Samuel Adams Thirteenth Hour Stout
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV: 9.00 %

LOOK: Dark brown color, little to no sediment, creamy coating of head that leaves some lace down the glass.

SMELL: Aroma of toasted malts, coffee, fruit, must, old oak. Has some dark fruits going on, with raisin, plum and fig notes.

TASTE: Rich dark fruits, candied malts, vanilla, oak and coffee are all dancing over the palate. Pretty damn tasty, with lots of sweet and savory flavors, a small tang, smooth vanilla, bourbon and coffee. As other tasters have noted, this is more akin to a belgian strong dark ale than a stout, but it is an enjoyable brew nonetheless.

FEEL: Full bodied, silky smooth, low-medium carbonation, and very nice altogether.

OVERALL: A successful brew from Samuel Adams. Lots of good flavors going on, and mostly do compliment each other. Barrel aging has added a nice touch to this beer, and it is drinking just fine right now. Would pair nicely with chocolates.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 19:06:00 | More by Stinkypuss

Argion

New York

4.22/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I saw this the other day and picked up a bottle. Big fan of the Belgium beers so I was dubious as to how good this one would be. I must say I was very surprised by how good it was. The flavor is intense but in a good way. No off flavors, everything complementing each other. Good head and appearance overall. Would drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2011 02:56:12 | More by Argion

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

dark pour, nearly totally black with nice hints of brown around the edges and a head of light tan that sat on top throughout the entire session really quite nicely. aroma of roasted malts and peat, campfire smoke and a rich chocolate note.nice mixed of flavors here with loads rich campfire smoke. lots of caramel and hints of dark notes as it warms. smooth and lightly sweet in the finish i was quite impressed

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 02:35:04 | More by mikesgroove

mikeg67

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Bottle. Pours dark brown with a Champaign like carbonation, short lived brown head. Medium, slightly crisp body. Taste and aroma is of plums cherry, Belgium yeast, coffee, chocolate, brown sugar, spices some vanilla and woody notes. Long semi-sweet finish. Delicious, complex brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 17:52:57 | More by mikeg67

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.22/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Although it pops like champagne when you open it (watch for flying corks!) it doesn’t fizz like nobody’s business. It pours a deep, warm, opaque sable with a rather typical tan head that doesn’t stick around too long. Smoky aroma has a strong fruity overtone, mainly apple and pear with a hint of banana, and earthy and miso touches. Flavor has a malty core with subtle nutty, earthy, molasses, fruity, roast coffee and chocolate notes. It tastes like a good Belgian style ale blended with a stout, and the different aspects of these two styles marry well. Smooth, edgy texture has above-average body and leaves a nutty, earthy, smoky finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 03:03:43 | More by Cyberkedi

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-black with a nice tan head

S-dark grains. Belgian sugars. Underlying tone of sweet caramel.

T-comes in with a decent taste of oak and dark Belgian grains. The after-taste is matching with some peppercorn added. Its a really decent and solid taste.

M-high carbonation with a dry finish.

O-didn't know what to expect with this one, but I'm definitely pleased. It definitely drinks like a good dark Belgian ale. It doesn't taste artificial like many American Belgian styles. This is awesome.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 22:24:11 | More by AdamBear

mrasskicktastic

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A - A big mocha head over a brown brew.

S - Tart, like under ripe blueberries, faint sulphur, a bit of chocolate, alcohol and dates. Pretty nice overall.

T - A bit of underripe fruit, chocolate, alcohol. Aftertaste is a very tart flavor with faint chocolate and coffee undertones. It is actually pretty simple, but also very nice.

M - Smooth, thin, refreshing.

D - Sam Adams does well on this one. It is an exciting beer with clean, exceptional flavors. Worth seeking out, worth drinking, maybe even worth drinking a second time (if I can recall what I paid for the fifth).

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 22:55:23 | More by mrasskicktastic

TownDunkel

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thirteenth Hour - had to give it a shot after trying their new world beer, which rocked my socks off

Appearance - Dark and soul-less just the way it should be. Almost looks like a stout or a porter as dark as it is

Smell - Hops, Bourbon, Chocolate, and other dark earthy notes

Taste - Bam, now thats the stuff. Sour cherry with coffee after taste. Not really like anything I have had before but not so different its just plain wrong

Mouthfeel - Good carbonation and nice flavor of cherrys that hangs around for quite a while

Overall - So far I am really impressed by these specialty beers, hopefully the last one will be the best for last

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 04:22:42 | More by TownDunkel

neenerzig

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Split a bomber of this with my good friend Passow, as I picked one of these up on my recent trip to Boston with my wife. I don't believe any of SA's Barrell Room Collection are sold outside of the Boston area and I have certainly never seen them here in Cleveland. Poured into one of my tulip glasses, this beer pours a dark brown color with a tan head that is about an inch thick when poured that eventually settles to a nice thick ring lining the inside of the glass and a bit of spotty surface foam here and there. Not much lace. Aromas of caramel malt, coffee, chocolate, dark fruit such as plum along with hints of banana and blueberry, rounded out with some subtle spice notes. The taste pretty much follows suit, nice caramel, coffee, and chocolate malt sweentess upfront, followed by the aforementioned dark fruit or plum, blueberry, and a touch of banana, rounded out with a bit of spice. A quite minimal discernible hop presence to be sure. Has a crisp, smooth, creamy, chewy, full bodied mouth feel with light to moderate carbonation. It becomes more drinkable especially as the beer warms up a bit. A very good offering here. I hope to drink it again.

Eric

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 04:53:17 | More by neenerzig

horshack7

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: It's rather dark with a thin beige head on top.

Aroma: Dark fruits, molasses, toffee, touches of chocolate and coffee notes as well. Minor hints of plum, licorice root, caramlized plantains.

Taste: A toffee like mouthfeel. Malt forward, solid amounts of dark coffee, coaco, plums, black licorice and some toffee and light nots of clove and banana.

Notes: Hearty and drinkable. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 23:30:03 | More by horshack7

Arborescence

Finland

4.28/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Served in room temperature; bought the bottle directly from the brewery. The bottle with a champagne style cork opens up with a loud bang.

Appearance: Very dark, with a slight ruby tint. Pours a bubbly head that recedes immediately. Carbonation evident.

Aroma: The carbonation prickles the nose a little. Alcohol is clear. Malty chocolate, raspberries -- chocolate cake with raspberry sauce! Intriguing.

Taste: Chocolate and malt are the first things you taste, but alcohol soon follows. Warming and heavy, like a Christmas fruit cake.

Mouthfeel: Oily, medium to heavy body. Almost greasy. Fairly heavy carbonation.

Overall: The beer is a dessert in itself. I think it would manage with a little less alcohol and carbonation, but I can see that Sam Adams wanted to go all out. It's a special oak aged beer, but I don't detect much oak in it, nor coffee (which they mention in their own tasting notes). A tasty and rich beer, I'd recommend sharing the big bottle (I don't one if it's available in anything else except the 1pt 9.4 fl oz bottle) with someone though!

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 23:38:49 | More by Arborescence

Quackershnoc

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: really dark, deep purple color, barely any light getting through this guy; khaki colored head that thins out but still sticks around awhile
Aroma: banana and other fruit notes; coffee; chocolate; malt; a hint of spice
Taste: wow, this is big and complex; it starts with some malty sweetness; moves into some banana but the other fruit notes are huge, almost a wine kind of taste, grapes/raisins and other dark fruits; it gets a bit spicy in there too, very nice; finishes dry, maybe a little alcohol warmth, with fruit aftertaste; this is really good
Mouthfeel: it's creamy...maybe velvety?; it is not very carbonated, but I think that works out really well
Overall Impression: this is a very good beer; it's smooth, big, and drinkable; I have never even heard of anything like this...a spicy stout is just crazy, but in a good way; there are layers of flavor throughout and they get a bit more pronounced as it warms up; may favorite part is the balance of the malty and spicy flavors...it's a spicy stout! that's just nuts!

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 05:03:37 | More by Quackershnoc

Lemke10

Wisconsin

4.34/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

This pours a dark brown color with a light brown, foamy head that leaves behind some decent lacing. Aroma is yeast, malts, some cocoa, and sweetness. There is a lesser robust taste than expected with a decent amount of spices mixed with sweet malts. The texture is very Belgian indeed. Probably the most interesting of the Barrel Room Collection brews.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 17:00:38 | More by Lemke10