Cinder Bock - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

RickS95

Indiana

3.65/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Comes out of the bomber almost thickish. Dark ruby leather brown. Opaque. The head is gorgeous...very thick, uniform bubbles, bright white, I think you could hold up a quarter with how stout it looks. Good retention, slight lace as it gradually dwindles to a thin ring.

Alcohol, caramel and smoke. The alcohol leads but is quickly met by the balancing act of caramel mats and smoke.

While not as refined as a German, I like the smokey quality on the tongue. Tastes like there's some dark ripe fruits in the background. But it's mostly a wet bark, smoky flavor that's imparted.

There's a looseness to it and the aftertaste is a bit strange. None of the flavors are what I'd call sharp and that lends itself to the loose feeling I get. Obviously smokey, slightly sweet, acidic. Tart aftertaste. Slight heat from the alcohol intensifies the smokey feeling.

Not a bad beer from what I'd consider an overrated brewer. Loose around the edges, but not a bad beer. High ABV that's reasonably well hidden. You can smell and taste the ABV, but it kind of sneaks up on you. Overall, between average and good.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 03:29:24 | More by RickS95

Dave7500kl

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +11.1%

05-15-2013 00:38:11 | More by Dave7500kl

tommyguz

Pennsylvania

2/5  rDev -44.4%

05-09-2013 02:25:08 | More by tommyguz

yesyouam

New York

4.1/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Samuel Adams Cinder Bock is a very clear, dense, copper beer with a soft, fluffy, yellowed foam that has great staying power. It's mostly smoke in the aroma, but a tart malt is detected as well. It smells a touch sweet. It's very full bodied and smooth with a creamy, chewy finish. The flavor is much like the the aroma: smoke and tart malt. There's a slightly sweet, herbal flavor that's somewhere between cola and a cough drop. Smoke is the dominant flavor here. When combined with the malt, it comes off as umami. There's a sort of salmiakki aftertaste. This is reasonably bold and complex. It's a sipping beer with a lot of character. There are subtleties to it, but the overall flavor is quite bold.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 01:41:14 | More by yesyouam

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

3.64/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

22oz bottle served in a Allagash cervoise glass

Batch - 1

A - Dark brown tea colored body with 2 fingers of yellowish tan head. Bubbles are fine and stick to the glass quite well. Excellent retention for such a high abv.

S - Toasted bread, faint smokiness in the background, some fruity yeast wrapped in a hefty malt bill, toasted caramel, smokey molasses, candied bacon

T - Sweet upfront followed by salty caramel, molasses, brown bread, sticky dried dark fruits, smoke is very faint is only an accent to the strong malt base. Finishes sticky, nutty, and sweet.

M - Full bodied, creamy carbonation, sweet rich finish.

Sweeter than expected. Wish the smoke showed up a bit more. It needed another balancing component to combat the malts. Drinks very easy for such a high ABV. I would have never have guessed his to be ABV 9.4.
Not sure how old this is but I think batch - 1's smoke has faded.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 22:05:23 | More by StaveHooks

rhoadsrage

Illinois

2.7/5  rDev -25%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

(Served in a dimple mug)
Batch #1
A- This beer pours a dense light caramel hued body with a raging carbonation of big bubbles supporting a rocky head of light tan.

S- The mellow cloth band aid aroma has some brown sweet malt notes to follow.

T- The big band aid and salty bacon flavored smoke taste stains the tongue with some slight sweetness in the finish taking on some salty sweet brown malt notes as it opens.

M- The medium mouthfeel has a gentle carbonation and no real alcohol

O- If I have to taste band aids this is the least offensive of the kinds but it grows stronger and stronger with each sip. I think there is a tasty beer in this bottle with nice hints of malt sweetness but it is well hidden in the loud salty bacon, band aid flavors. It was a bit to rough to finish.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 18:32:24 | More by rhoadsrage

FliryVorru

Alabama

3/5  rDev -16.7%

04-29-2013 17:47:03 | More by FliryVorru

gwiedman1

New York

4.25/5  rDev +18.1%

04-28-2013 20:55:33 | More by gwiedman1

rx-beer

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

04-27-2013 18:05:04 | More by rx-beer

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%

04-23-2013 06:08:58 | More by Kelp

mendvicdog

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%

04-23-2013 03:14:59 | More by mendvicdog

Gww1864

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -16.7%

04-20-2013 04:02:44 | More by Gww1864

seand

California

3.83/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A: Pours a clear mahogany color with a fair amount of tan head. A spotty thin layer retains, which is enough to leave reasonable walls of lacing.

S: Smoky resin sweetness; it's deeply sweet, hinting at the ABV, but is nowhere near boozy.

T: Not much smoke. Sweet, and full flavored, with nice complexity. There's enough smoke and hop flavors to keep the sweetness from going out of control.

M: Full body, medium carbonation.

Overall, pretty good. It's also dangerously drinkable for nearly 10%.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 02:05:36 | More by seand

MickeyD

Kansas

3.9/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

poured from a 22oz bottle into clean pint glass.

Appearance: dark red glow, one finger width head, good carbonation

Smell: dark caramel, smoked peat

taste: strong peat with roasted caramel and even slight floral hop with bite.

Mouthfeel: nice malt aroma with peat

Overall: I really liked this beer. I actually happen to like peat smoked beer and it is very hard to find and this beer has a good balance of smoked peat and a caramelized malt that I love. I would buy again if I can find it.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 00:38:10 | More by MickeyD

arnulfooxblood

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +18.1%

04-06-2013 22:53:23 | More by arnulfooxblood

spedprof

West Virginia

4/5  rDev +11.1%

04-06-2013 01:51:32 | More by spedprof

juicebox

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

03-30-2013 01:10:29 | More by juicebox

SuomiHobbit

Connecticut

2.75/5  rDev -23.6%

03-26-2013 02:08:23 | More by SuomiHobbit

admonster00

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

03-26-2013 01:43:57 | More by admonster00

beertardis

Rhode Island

3/5  rDev -16.7%

03-18-2013 12:10:32 | More by beertardis

EricClayton

West Virginia

2.25/5  rDev -37.5%

03-15-2013 00:58:11 | More by EricClayton

Herky21

Iowa

2.75/5  rDev -23.6%

03-13-2013 01:59:09 | More by Herky21

cw577enfield

Virginia

3/5  rDev -16.7%

03-10-2013 17:32:38 | More by cw577enfield

kingmaker

Louisiana

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

03-08-2013 05:54:23 | More by kingmaker

nzerbe

New York

3/5  rDev -16.7%

03-05-2013 02:04:34 | More by nzerbe