Samuel Adams Alpine Spring - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

JoKo

Connecticut

4.3/5  rDev +21.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Poured into a Kölsch glass. Beer is bright golden, highly carbonated with a 2 inch thick white head that lingers for a few minutes after the pour. Highly impressive.

Smell: Subtle on the nose, hops up front.

Taste: Very citrusy, tart, hops up front with a solid malt base, hints of spice, possibly coriander.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, smooth lager that doesn't linger on the palate for too long after each sip.

Drinkability: Highly drinkable, perfect spring/summer brew. I'd recommend this beer to anyone who is wants something different than a pale lager. Perfect type of "gateway" beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 05:22:34 | More by JoKo

scratch69

Missouri

4.28/5  rDev +20.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I poured a bottle into a Samuel Adams glass.

Appearance- Cloudy golden-orange with a finger and a half worth of white head. Fair amount of lacing.

Smell- Faint aroma of citrus and malt. Smells good, just not very strong.

Taste- Sweet malt with lemon and orange notes and a hint of honey.

Mouthfeel- Light bodied and a nice amount of carbonation. Very crisp.

Overall- Very drinkable and I will definitely be adding to my rotation. I hope there is some left this spring so I can enjoy it when I fire up the grill.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 00:50:17 | More by scratch69

suspect

New York

4.28/5  rDev +20.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Samuel Adams Perfect Pint glass.

A: Pours a beautiful crystal clear pale straw yellow color with slight orange tones. Normal pour that was slightly aggressive at the end lead itself to a big rocky puffy white cloud of head that stuck around for about 5 minutes after the pour. Lacing was consistent and thick.

S: Strong malt characteristics with some zippy hop profiles. There is some definite lager yeast notes and some acetyl alcohol present as well.

T: Follows the nose with the malt profiles sitting nicely center stage with citrus hop notes sliding in nicely for a shot of zest that balances wonderfully with the strong malt backbone.

M: Nice dry crisp finish with lingering aftertaste. Mouth coating leads me to reach for the glass quickly and often. Nice carbonation, really nice feel.

O: This is a really nice beer. A quick drinking, really smooth perfect reflection of the style and I'm once again pleased with a Samuel Adams brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 02:25:48 | More by suspect

champ103

Texas

4.28/5  rDev +20.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a perfectly cloudy/hazy yellow/orange color. A dense, two finger white head forms with excellent retention. Rings of sticky lace is left behind.
S: Fruity banana esters with zesty orange peal. Some sweet bubblegum aromas. Pale, biscuit, and bready malts. Slightly dusty and basement like. Lots of layers and I love it.
T: Banana, bubblegum flavors. Light citrus peal. I love the biscuit and bready like malts here. Very nice.
M/D: A medium body and carbonation. Very crisp, dry, and refreshing. So smooth at the same time. Really enjoyable to drink. Something I can enjoy all day.

This is an excellent lager, and a really unique style. Well done Sam Adams. Something I highly recommend.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 22:12:29 | More by champ103

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Comes out of the tap a hazy, opaque golden with a thick, fine-bubbled, pale golden head. Aroma is not strong but is still inviting, with fruity and malty notes. Fruity flavor has notes of malt, apple and yeast with hints of hops and wood. Firm-bodied texture is strongly fizzy and leaves a nice woody, tingly finish.

GO PATRIOTS!!!

Serving type: on-tap

02-03-2012 21:59:33 | More by Cyberkedi

AleWatcher

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Ontap at The Sandlot in Morris IL.

Very nice golden color, slightly hazy, bright white foamy head. Really impressive retention and lacing.

Smells of some good sweet malt, like pilsner and crystal perhaps? There is a a pleasant, well-balanced hop note here-- mainly lemony, grassy, and floral.

The flavor is exactly like the nose-- very nicely balanced with a smooth toasty sweet malt and a mild bitterness at the backend.

Feel is light an well-carbonated. If this were in cans, this would be a PERFECT summertime beer for out on the boat. Highly drinkable, tasty, and flavorful enough to be interesting.
Certainly one of my favorites from SA.

Well done.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2012 19:12:08 | More by AleWatcher

phichifiji00

California

4.25/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Golden straw, hazy, pours 2 inches of thick fluffy white head that fades slowly. Lots of lacing.

Smell: citrus, lemon, lime, lemon verbena, floral, slightly peppery, honey.

Taste: citrus, lemon, lime, floral, estery, peppery, biscuit, honey, subtle pine resin hoppiness, grapefruit.

Mouthfeel: light-medium bodied, good carbonation, crips, zesty.

overall: A terrific lager. A great spring/summer beer. Perfect for relaxing by the pool or mowing the lawn. Pertty complex, well balanced. Very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 06:29:30 | More by phichifiji00

mattkoon

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

alpine spring from samuel adams pours a nice lemony gold color. the smell is hoppy like an ipa, maybe not as intense, with a lemony citrus freshness. the taste is pretty similar to the smell, its hoppy with a good bit of lemon...really fresh tasting. the hoppiness isnt too bitter either, which makes it smooth. i could drink lots of these.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 12:31:20 | More by mattkoon

humuluslupulus8

Arizona

4.23/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Alpine Spring is a golden color similar to a lighter honey. It was slightly cloudy from being unfiltered, and the head was airy and barely off-white.

The main aromas were citrusy hops accompanied by bright malts. The balance was definitely shifted toward the hops in this beer.

The taste has the citrusy, bright components of the aroma but was well balanced. The finish was clean and quick.

There was a nice amount of carbonation, but the beer still seemed somewhat denser than it should- maybe the unfiltered yeast was the cause.

Overall, this is a nice beer to drink. It would be best suited to spring or summer weather when it is warmer.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 06:19:11 | More by humuluslupulus8

MrHurmateeowish

New Hampshire

4.22/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle purchased as part of this year's spring mix-pack. Pours a hazy yellow body with a good inch of off-white head that persists. Fruity spicy hops dominate the aroma. Orange, pineapple, and spice hit the palate initially, with pine, spice, and citrus pulp notes. Light bodied with ample carbonation. Very drinkable. Pleasant, refreshing, and tasty. I like this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 01:24:34 | More by MrHurmateeowish

gotweid

Michigan

4.21/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bought a 12 pack on a whim. Best by July, 2013. Pours a bright, light but straw color & very cloudy. Bright white 2 finger head that slowly settles to a thin cover that lasts with thin lacing. Aroma of the hops along with some lemony(?) citrus & floral is rather nice. Taste keeps with the aroma of slight grassy hop character, some crisp citrus balanced with a little wheat. Clean mouthfeel. Really, really surprised by how good this was and how much I enjoyed it. I really like this. Will recommend this to others.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 00:58:38 | More by gotweid

bubseymour

Maryland

4.2/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance - One great looking beer. Perfect 3 finger head. Lemony yellow body slighty cloudy with lots of carbonation.

Smell - Smells alot like a Belgian Ale like Leffe or Affligem. Very sweet and lemony with some earthy notes.

Taste - I really like this beer. Definitely has the hop characteristics of the noble pils but has a slightly smoother finish without the crisp hop presence. Some sweet notes and also some grainy notes in the finish.

Mouthfeel - Buttery and full bodied. Feels great in the mouth for such a light beer. I don't know how Jim pulled it off but its really spectacular.

Overall- I was really shocked at how spectacular this beer is. It truely is a wonderful beer. Similar to the Noble Hops but has some slightly different characteristics that are very nice.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 01:26:13 | More by bubseymour

ctfixer

Georgia

4.2/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Beautiful, pours a hazy yellow with a finger of white head. Very nice looking brew.

S - Get a good crisp lemony or orange peel with slight floral notes on the nose. Very respectable.

T - Refreshing Helles flavor backed up with bright citrus flavors but enough malts to satisfy the balance.

M - Has a nice level of small bubble carbonation that enhances the refreshing spring flavors and finishes very clean with just a fine balance of malt.

O - Very impressive complex lager for a seemingly simple beer. Well done Boston Beer!

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 06:31:16 | More by ctfixer

BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a slightly hazy, bright golden color with two fingers of fluffy white head, very good retention.

Very springlike scent; citrus and floral hops were dominant, there were also some earthy yeast notes.

The taste was of floral hops, citrus, and notes of the earthy yeast.

Light body, smooth feel with a clean finish. moderat carbonation.

This is a very good spring lager and also excellent for a hot summer day. Very easy to drink with lots of flavor. I could drink this regularly.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2012 15:44:23 | More by BeerCon5

mactrail

California

4.18/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I was surprised and delighted with the first sip of this stuff. It reminds me of a really light Saison-- but wait, it's a Wit witout the spice! So I looked it up and was pleased to see the category. After trying several Zwickel styles in Germany I have been enamored of this odd kind of brew, and this is a perfectly good example.

Pours a cloudy golden pale amber in the tall glass. Some light sediment in the bottle. Tall,fine-grained head with that tantalizing German-style creamy mouthfeel. Warm and rather malty with some wheaty flavors. Less tart that many of the authentic versions. A hint of a really tasty mineral water.

From a single 12 oz bottle bought at Trader Joe's. I'm going for the Sam Adams Spring 12-pack for some more of this.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 06:19:17 | More by mactrail

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.15/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a chill hazed golden with 2+ fingers of ivory colored head. Clears up nicely. Pretty good lacing & head retention

S: Pears, faint breadyness & grassy notes

T: Follows the nose, wet grainy notes & a touch of pineapple up front. Wet grainyness, pears & touch white grape, some lemony hops & just a touch of grainyness, a bit of dryness. Finishes grainy, fruitty & bready & a touch of pineapple

MF: Medium bodied, subtle carbonation & a touch of grainyness,

As a Kellerbier I really like this. Had this on draft, but it was chilled way too much. I would happily drink this all Spring & Summer

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 04:51:40 | More by russpowell

cousineddy

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at Ruby Tuesdays earlier in the evening so hopefully my memory holds up.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy yellow/orange with two finger on nice fluffy white head.

Smell: Not that much here, some citrus and some bready malts. A touch of florals and aromatics.

Taste: Some nice citrus notes along with a touch of honey and clove. Some nice mild hoppiness along with some maltiness is a nice touch.

Mouthfeel: Not to fizzy, right amount of carbonation. Nice and smooth, easy to drink.

Overall: I was very pleased with this beer, very refreshing, would be great on a hot summer day as well.

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2012 05:10:37 | More by cousineddy

Hoptometrist

Oregon

4.15/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served from the bottle into a pilsner glass

A- Poured a dark golden color with some haze but not as hazy as I expected for an unfiltered beer. Big soapy head that leaves lots of droppy lace.

S- Very fresh and aromatic with floral, lemon, earthy, and fruity lager notes

T- Very balanced taste with floral, lemon, earthy, fruity lager, and light yeasty notes. Very fresh tasting

M- Soft mouthfeel, creamy, medium carbonation, not quite dry

O- Very balanced and drinkable beer that is great for spring or summer. Really nice mouthfeel and refreshing. This is a beer I could drink all day.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 22:49:12 | More by Hoptometrist

barleyroad

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This brew has a bright gold with a cloudy appearance, Sits well in the glass with good lacing. The smell is a good blend of hops and citus very nice on the nose. Mouthfeel is dry and crisp and leaves the tongue very nicely. As far as taste this ranks well for a wheat brew. There is just a slight hint of the citrus in the brew, enough to help this brew go down. Overall we feel that Sam Adams has done it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 02:15:34 | More by barleyroad

timn

Kentucky

4.14/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a nice cloudy gold, with a small amount of sudsy head to it. The head sticks around nicely.

S: Very little aroma to speak of.

T: A nice bright, citrusy flavor, with a very slight hint of hops, and a little yeast. This tastes very smooth and drinkable, with no one flavor overpowering anything else. There is enough flavor here to be worth drinking and not taste cheap.

M: Nice mouthfeel. Thicker and smoother feel than I expected, in a good way.

O: Sam Adams has a nice brew here. It has a nice, balanced flavor, and a surprisingly good mouthfeel for a lighter beer. The name is Alpine Spring, but I could easily sit out on my deck in the summer and quaff this one. A good choice if you want something that has some nice flavor, but will also quench your thirst. The only thing I still can't get over is why every year Sam Adams retires its Winter Lager and puts out its "Spring" Brew in the middle of January.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 02:07:49 | More by timn

JackieTH

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap as part of the World Beer Tour. A 10-oz pour was golden straw with a white foam cap. Mild citrus nose, a bit of lemon. Taste was citrusy, orange-lemon honey, fruity hops, clean finishing almost but not quite juicy. Medium-light yet creamy body. Higher carbonation. Refreshing. Pretty good.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2012 04:55:46 | More by JackieTH

pschul4

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours a very slightly cloudy light amber with some white head and nice retention

S- Getting pale malts and some other scents that are hard to put my finger on...citrusy though forsure

T- Nice sweet citrus flavors with some pale malts that hit my palate just right

M- Smooth in a way that you wouldnt expect for a beer wiht this type of flavor profile

O- Really enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. Hats off to BBC for this one

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2012 01:46:10 | More by pschul4

dfillius

Michigan

4.13/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A:Moderate pour into a pint glass yields 1 finger of tight thick creamy white head with great retention - love it. Cloudy gold liquid looks a lot like a hefeweizen. Pretty!
S: Lemon and lime, yeasty bloom.
T: Earthy yeastiness with some tart hefeweizen like citrus. Too crisp for that though. Delicately bitter. Sweet honey comes through in the finish.
M: Creamy, bright, light
O: Refreshing, sessionable, full-flavored, soild. I'd buy again and order another.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 19:13:57 | More by dfillius

zoolzoo

Connecticut

4.1/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance is golden / straw colored, semi hazy, white head with some nice lacing.

It smells and tastes like this beer has almost the same hop and malt profile as Noble Pils. Grassy hops dominate the aroma and taste. I feel like the malt bill is a bit more developed here in contrast with NP. Thicker in body, still grainy but also a bit sweeter. Clean all around, excellent drinkability and flavor. A winner from SA.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 02:32:31 | More by zoolzoo

ricchezza

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pilsner glass from Sam Adams. Pours a fizzy, cloudy gold/school-bus yellow body with a bright white head which retains its lacing the duration beer is in the glass.

Smells and tastes sweet and yeasty with a zesty lemon-like citrus.

Sampled in January 2012 despite being labeled a Spring seasonal release. Regardless of weather conditions this is a delicious beer. I will certainly be buying more of these.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 16:15:25 | More by ricchezza