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

Seekerpilgrim

Washington

3.68/5  rDev +4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pouring a dull yellow, notes of citrus and almond waft off the very thick head. On the tongue, very smooth, with an initial creamy sweetness courtesy of the honey malt and Tettnang Tettnanger hops, slowly shifting to an almost lemon crispness towards the end.

This is a very refreshing beer, perfect for fans of wheat beers since is has a bit of that style's coriander and banana sweetness, great on it's own but going well with light pork and salad dishes. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 00:06:21 | More by Seekerpilgrim

JamesMN

Minnesota

2.98/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

It must be noted that this is considered an ale in Texas. Okay, get it together Texas.

Best by July 2013.

Appearance: Super hazy orange/caramel color witha thin off-white head.

Aroma: Buttery malt and some lemon.

Taste: Unfortunately the buttery aroma is indeed part of the flavor. This makes Alpine Spring very heavy on the palate and covers up the bright citrus hop character. Hits a high not right in the middle and then goes downhill leaving you with a crisp finish and buttery aftertaste. I've had other Keller Biers and enjoyed them but this one is just odd.

Mouthfeel: Much thicker than anticipated, more than medium in body. Average carbonation and drinkability.

Final Thoughts: If you like the combination of butter and citrus then this is the beer for you. I'm actually surprised because Samuel Adams usually has pretty solid seasonals. Would I drink it again? Not without some persuasion.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 03:40:09 | More by JamesMN

Mit

Ontario (Canada)

3.24/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

a-pours a orangy opaque colour with a decent head....

s-citrus notes...crisp...very refreshing....

t-lighter taste...minor hops...that crisp flavor reminiscent of an apple or like when you bite into an orange without peeling it. Quite nice.

m-feels light for the abv...

overall I found this beer tastely but kinda unremarkable...I would def get it again as I did like it a lot. There was nothing excepting the crispness that I found stood out for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 20:15:22 | More by Mit

rorjets

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This might have tasted better to me than it really is because I had it on the first day of Spring, while looking out over a snow covered land! But it did invoke a fresh taste that was enjoyable, and made me dream of daffodils and dogwood blossoms that are soon to arrive!

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2013 14:11:13 | More by rorjets

mintjellie

Ontario (Canada)

3.76/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Golden and hazy. Small, but tightly formed white head. The head looks like soap lather. Good retention and lace. Simple, inviting aroma, yeasty bread dough and lemon zest. Gently sweet and malty up front with fresh baked bread note, joined shortly after by a lemony hop note. A grainy note persists in the finish alongside very gentle bitterness. Almost medium-bodied with low carbonation. Feels smooth and a little bit creamy on the palate. Good beer, but I prefer the bolder Noble Pils. With Noble Pils not being available this year in Ontario, I would consider buying this again.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 06:32:28 | More by mintjellie

godlessape

Georgia

3.74/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured this into a pint glass. I love the fuzzy, hazy golden body, with the the inviting creamy white head.
The aroma is very subtle, however very enticing with lemony spice and sweet malt.
The flavor is starts off with a mild hop zest and ends with a malty, lemony, yeasty give and take at the end. Nice balancing act here.
The mouthfeel is most impressive. Light in body with a precise amount of carbonation that makes this beer smooth beyond smooth.
Overall a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 00:43:52 | More by godlessape

chilidog

Ohio

3.71/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Alpine pours a hazy golden, thick bubbly white head, lace is nice and ring like. The head maintains well too. Carbonation is just rite, no fizz but a softness that aids drink ability.

Aroma of citric, yeasty malts.

Taste of belgium yeast, spice, citric in hop, malts are bread like, dough like.

Mouth is soft with spice notes, peppery.

Overall a nice flavorful spring ale that great on a warm day but can stand on a cooler, wet, sit in a warm house as you look outside kinda beer.
I've bought this a few times now, and will buy again.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 21:22:33 | More by chilidog

NiceTaps

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap in a SA glass.

A- Orange color, minimal head, some lacing and some evidence of being unfiltered.

S- Orange and lemon citrus, yeast, and some spiceiness. But not enough of any aroma to overcome a soapy funkiness.

T- Some orange citrus, some yeast, some spices. Grassy.

M- Very crisp, light and fizzy, it works here. Some hop bitterness on the end to go with the funky/sour finish.

O- My best experience with a SA brew so far.

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2013 21:09:34 | More by NiceTaps

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

eh, had higher hopes for this one. pours mostly clear even though its said to be unfiltered, really light yellow in color with a very nice white head. the nose is pretty hoppy, lemony and light, with a lighter grain makeup as well, maybe some wheat in here, and plenty of pale and crystal malt. the flavor is more balanced than the nose, and therefore the hops don't really get big until the finish, which is clean and fresh, brisk, like early spring itself. it also has a minerally character, elemental, not metallic, but off just a bit. its super easy drinking, light and interesting enough, with really bright carbonation and a less than medium body. it does get a little filling after a few though, which is sort of odd, but this is a decent choice for the spring box. if I reach into the box blind and grab one of these, im not disappointed, although I probably wont seek this out again.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 21:35:05 | More by StonedTrippin

raznug

Ohio

3.79/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Alpine pours a hazy pale golden color and is topped with ¾” of white head.
Smell: The aroma of this beer is all malt and yeast aromas that blend nicely in the nose.
Taste: The malt and yeast flavors of this beer play off of each other nicely to make this a brew that is easy drinking yet has a ton of flavors that I expect out of this style.
Mouthfeel: This is a medium to light bodied beer that flows easily around the palate.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 17:55:17 | More by raznug

d1ckvanswype

Florida

4.08/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a Coca Cola style pint glass (dishwasher day, ugh).

A: Poured with standard aggression which yields a fluffy white two fingers worth of head that slowly deflates, leaving some decent lacing. Cloudy orange-gold color, a nice looking beer.

S: Yeasty and spicy, with a wheat forward tone and a deliciously juicy citrus note from the Tettnang hops.

T: Starts smooth and sweet, which quickly turns into a pronounced wheat flavor and less of the juicy orange note than I would have liked, and a very, very gentle hop bitterness at the very end which mingles nicely with the spicy yeast character.

M: Surprisingly lush for a macro brew, pretty creamy but with a refreshing, slightly zippy carbonation which stops it from laying too heavy on the tongue. Quite nice, actually.

O: A very solid beer, easy to drink and very refreshing, a great beer for that midpoint between Winter and Spring.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 15:39:18 | More by d1ckvanswype

barnzy78

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle, cloudy golden beer topped with a foamy, white head, decent retention & lace. Citric aroma with lemon, biscuity malt, grassy hop. Tastes include sharp lemony citrus notes, biscuity grain, grass, finishes nice & clean with a peppery spiciness. Thinner body with moderate carbonation to help it a bit. Overall, better than I remember it being, and a good interpretation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 01:27:55 | More by barnzy78

RaucusBacchus

Utah

2.28/5  rDev -35.6%
look: 4 | smell: 1.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 1.5

Creamy head. Cloudy with a rich yellow hue.
Dull scent of wet paper or wood.
Light body. Very dry verging on astringent. Enjoyable and interesting mouth feel.
Flavor matches the aroma with a dull, neither sweet nor bitter, mid tongue blanket.
I suspect this beer was abused in a previous life though not skunked just not for me.
~m

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 01:26:13 | More by RaucusBacchus

chrisd73

Arizona

3.11/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Poured from bottle into a pint glass.

Slightly cloudy, pale orange color. Looks kind of fizzy. Head is thick with some large bubbles giving a chunky foam on top that quickly dissipates. Moderate lacing while working my way to the bottom.

Aroma is faint with some citrus. Not bad. but doesn't make me want to dive right in.

Tastes of citrus and a hint of alcohol that is then overtaken by sourness.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 03:42:53 | More by chrisd73

Groomsy

Kentucky

3.53/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle from Spring Thaw Variety Pack. Poured into a lager glass.

This beer pours a hazy, unfiltered orange/honey color and is topped by a one-finger head of foam which leaves rings of lacing down the glass. This beer certainly has the spring vibe in its appearance.

Alpine Spring's nose matches its name - I'm immediately hit with a citrusy scent, particularly of orange zest and, as the beer warms, lemon. Some floral and spicy hops hang in the balance and are underlined by some sweet, bready malt and yeast. A very nice nose on the beer, not unlike Noble Pils with some extra zest. For some reason, I'm also reminded of a wheat beer. Well-done, Sam Adams.

The taste is slightly hoppy on front, with the mentioned citrus flavors sticking out along with some floral sweetness. Some doughy yeast character swishes over the tongue mid-palate with grainy sweetness, and the finish leaves some lemony/grassy lingering bitterness. A refreshing and balanced beer, well-suited for the spring season.

Alpine Spring has a medium body with crisp carbonation and a certain softness to it, similar to a hefeweizen. This contributes to the refreshment factor, and the slight bitterness in the finish leaves one wanting another drink.

A very solid seasonal from Samuel Adams. Crisp and refreshing, and a (mostly) worthy replacement for Noble Pils. Worth checking out. I'll definitely be putting this with some burgers from the grill soon.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 01:47:17 | More by Groomsy

Minkybut

Virginia

3.1/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I poured this brewski into my tumbler at 45 degrees. The beer was cloudy unfiltered kinda orange looking with a kinda orange looking head. The head also did not last very long. The beer had a indescribable smell, sorry. The beer was carbonatedly tasting and had a hint of orange peel taste. Slightly bitter finish and decent lacing. Might be a good summertime beer. I will try again cause I'm really not sure if I liked it or not.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 16:42:10 | More by Minkybut

Vanthefireman

Massachusetts

4.65/5  rDev +31.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Easily one of my top 3 favorite beers. Beautiful beer from start to finish. Nice pour. Collects a little (and I mean little) sediment in the bottle if the course of a few days in the fridge, but didn't effect tasting. I can't think of much that could be done to improve this, aside from moving it out of the seasonal catagory, and over to year-round "Brewmaster's collection."

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 23:06:43 | More by Vanthefireman

ranger7

Texas

3.98/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

From a six-pack, poured from bottle into a pint glass.
Have had this paired with beef nachos, sausage pizza, and (of all things) filet mignon. It performed well with all.

A - Pours an awesome hazy gold liquid with a sticky, thick, pure white head. Very impressive.

S - Kind of like a weak wheat beer; some citrus, but not much. Not a turn-off, but not a turn-on either.

T - Nice and crisp. Pretty balanced, but the hops tip the scales a bit, some floral hints hit my taste buds.

M - Good carbonation; not too much, just right. Almost no aftertaste and what little remains is pleasant.

Summary - This was surprisingly tasty. I liked the wheat-like lightness of it combined with a little hop bite at the beginning. Definitely one of my favorites from Sam Adams. Will look forward to this seasonal.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 04:25:25 | More by ranger7

WissBrauSean

Pennsylvania

3.71/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Once again, this beer was on a sampler flight at a dimly lit and smokey bar. Notes from the napkin:

It poured a hazy light straw color with a nice white lasting head with the most peculiar lacing pattern of the Flying Spaghetti Monster on the glass! Incredible looking lacing.

It had an aroma of sweet light malts and apricot of all things.

It tasted like a nice sweet lager with hints of apricot and a tiny amount of hop at the finish.

It had medium body, with a creamy sweet finish and concludes with a little hint of peppery hops.

Overall, I thought it was an excellent beer pretty well balanced but leaning towards the sweet side.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2013 00:40:48 | More by WissBrauSean

Antikythera

New York

3.45/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

a: head dissipates quickly to a little bit of thin lace. Beautiful foggy golden beer. Unfiltered beers make me want to drink them just because they're so pretty.

s: ... not really there. Weird. Not unpleasant, but very weak.

t: tart, crispy, mild.

m: pleasantly substantial, for a beer this light.

o: nice, but ultimately a bit forgettable. Nothing is really standing out.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 23:57:09 | More by Antikythera

drpimento

Wisconsin

3.91/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Not a bad brew. Poured at a good temperature with a smallish off-white head that quickly settled to a whispy island and ring and a bit of lace. Color is a hazy amber. Aroma is the best part: fresh beery, malt, hop, yeast. Flavor's like nose and brings out some fruit - grapefruit and apricot, sweet that controlled by mainly carbonic tang and a bit of bitter. Despite that tang, carbonation seems a bit tame with good body. Finish is like flavor and fairly long. Easy drinking brew. Good for the spring time.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2013 05:38:42 | More by drpimento

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

mnrider

Connecticut

3.53/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

12. oz brown bottle. Enjoy Before date notched on label.

A: Pours a hazy light orange with a fluffy white head. Thin retention with
some minimal lacing.

S: Orange, floral hops, unfiltered aroma with yeast. Bitter.

T/M: I easily tell this beer is unfiltered as the yeast the yeast dominates.
Orange, malt and some light bitterness from floral hops. Light bodied and
crisp with a pleasant yeasty/hop aftertaste.

O: An overall good example of a rare style, Refreshing and easy to drink.
Could benefit from some more orange or citric flavors. Otherwise it is a
good beer for the warmer months.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 18:25:48 | More by mnrider

superspak

Michigan

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

12 ounce bottle into perfect pint glass, best before July 2013. Pours hazy golden straw color with a nice 2 finger fluffy off white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with plenty of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big lemon, apple, pear, grape, bread, wheat, honey, floral, grass, light pepper, and herbal earthiness. Damn nice aromas with good balance, strength, and complexity of fruity esters, malt, and hop notes. Taste of lemon, pear, apple, biscuit, honey, wheat, floral, grass, light pepper, and herbal earthiness. Lingering notes of light fruits, biscuit, honey, floral, grass, light pepper, and herbal earthiness on the finish. Damn nice flavor balance and complexity of hop. malt, and fruity esters; with a nice amount of robustness; and zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a creamy and fairly crisp mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an excellent kellerbier lager! Very nice amount of well balanced flavors with good complexity; and extremely smooth to drink. A highly enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 05:13:42 | More by superspak

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

3.56/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a cylindrical cocktail glass at an extened stay hotel room.

Appears a nice bright golden yellow with some nice grassy haze. There is a nice 1 inch dense white head with soem good retention.

Aroma of sweet bready wheat. Nice refrehsing nad fresh notes of grain and bread with some slight corrainder and some mild citrus notes. The aroma is similar to teh Noble Pils with the Tettnang hops. Nice and grassy with slight citrus notes.

Flavor follows the nose pretty well. Nice bready and wheaty sweetness. There is some good smooth wheat notes to it and the brew is balacned by some nice grassy hop notes. Slightly citrusy and fresh but definitley more of a compliment to the sweeter grain side of the brew.

Pretty good seasonal brew. Similar to theri ol Summer Ale except has a bit more of a hop kick. Pretty good and refreshing beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 03:38:19 | More by JoEBoBpr