Longshot Derf's Secret Alt - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

Shaw

Florida

3.53/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A lovely deep brown in color with a short tan head.

Nice aroma of caramel and light molasses.

The taste reminds me of a dopplebock, with its big malt flavors of caramel and molasses and a grape-like flavor. This brew has a noticeable solvent alcohol twang, too.

The body is a bit lighter than I'd expect from a beer of this heft.

Overall a nice brew; I can see why it won. It's my No. 2 of this year's Longshot batch.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 04:08:03 | More by Shaw

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.86/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sam Adams Longshot : Derf's Secret Alt
Boston Beer Co.

This review is my 1924th, and is dedicated to my grandfather who was born in that year. A Longshot to survive his battles in WWII, he still enjoys a good beer now and then.

LOOK: Pours a cloudy orange color, with a good bit of froth that laces a little then recedes to a ring. This looks the part of an imperial strength Altbier, an unfiltered one at that.

SMELL: Notes of caramelized malts, toasty bread, orange marmalade and some warming alcohol.

TASTE: Fully malty, with a small citrus and warming alcohol. Nutty malts, roast, mild licorice and grains are all detectable. Had a subtle fruity yeast note and a slight vinous quality. Hops lend a citrusy, solidly bitter flavor. Alcohol is felt more than tasted, but lingers around

FEEL: Medium bodied, well carbonated, surprisingly light for the alcohol range. Drinks with some heat, and has a hop/alcohol bite to it which dries it out a bit.

OVERALL: A solid strong lager that drinks smoothly and provides a good kick. The hops are a good touch, but I would have gone with a more noble variety here. Still a fine brew, made broadly in the vein of a strong German Alt. I thought this was a well made version of an Altbier with an American notion of extreme abv that could not be denied.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 23:07:07 | More by Stinkypuss

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

(Served in a Sam Adams glass)
A- This beer pours a dense glowing garnet body with a light tan head of thick foam that last a good bit.

S- The slight sweet malt aroma has a soft dry hop finish.

T- The toffee note has a slight sweet green nougat hop note in the finish with a fruity hint and sweet malt note lingering. The sweet taste grows cloying as the beer opens.

M- The medium-full mouthfeel is creamy with a tight fizz and a soft alcohol heat warmth.

O- This beer is a bit thick like milk and the melanodin flavor is the strongest malt flavor with not a lot of grain character or hops for the alcohol level.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 15:35:05 | More by rhoadsrage

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

04-23-2013 06:20:40 | More by Kelp

notjaredlouche

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

04-22-2013 08:23:49 | More by notjaredlouche

randylangford

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

04-14-2013 01:23:08 | More by randylangford

Chevelle66

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +20.3%

03-31-2013 23:48:08 | More by Chevelle66

kjkinsey

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

03-24-2013 22:13:20 | More by kjkinsey

chefhatt

Pennsylvania

3.56/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I poured this into a tulip glass, it has a dark brown color body with a small tan head that quickly laid down to a thin lace. The smell has a very roasted carmal, raisin aroma to it. The taste has a bread, raisin upfront, and a little malt sweet in the middle and finishes with a little bitterness to it. The mouth feel is good and overall is a ok beer. Not one of my favorite styles but i will try it any way.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 19:29:29 | More by chefhatt

freewill35

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

02-26-2013 01:57:57 | More by freewill35

jsanford

Georgia

4/5  rDev +7%

02-19-2013 23:11:26 | More by jsanford

Jadjunk

Georgia

4.01/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

"Fred wanted to go big or go home with his homebrew and decided to brew a unique Sticke Alt. This full-bodied ale has a big, malty character balanced by subtle orange and grapefruit notes from the hops. With a light amber color, this brew has a sweet finish." Brewed in the style of an Altbier/Sticke. Available as part of the Samuel Adams Longshot Homebrew competition pack 2012- a one-time brew. Date on bottle is ticked at August 2012. Hopefully the age on this bottle helped settle the flavors out a bit.

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle to a pilsner glass. Served north of 53º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a copper brown cream toned head of a frothy consistency. Lacing is thin but consistent. Body color is a deep reddish-brown with mild carbonation and high clarity. Retention is slightly above average, thickening as it settles to a creamy layer. Decent appearance for the style, but just a notch short of my expectations for head quality. 3.75

(Smell) Aroma is sharp notes of bready roasted caramel malts, toffee notes, hints of licorice and molasses, mild spicy husked grains and a subtle but balancing herbal and fruity hop presence. Alcohol presence is quite strong and the overall aroma is very potent. The aroma is just what I'm looking for in terms of strength, gruff and potency and the diversity and balance of the flavors are also substantial for the style. Despite a general lack of grapefruit and orange notes (as per the label), I have very few issues with the way this beer smells and am anxious to see if the flavor matches aromatic first impressions. 4.25

(Taste) Caramel and sweet raisin bread malt front with a medium graininess is balanced with a sweet molasses and mild spicy and floral hop finish. The balance is a notch sweet, not like the aroma but not disappointing. Yeast profile is very bready but also slick and sticky- some notes of clove is an expected German yeast characteristic. Citrus rind and spicy grain bitterness is most prevalent in the finish, which in general is a touch sweet but clean with a nod to spicy licorice and a nip of soothing alcohol. Sweet candied flavors were most prevalent in the mouth, with raisins, dates, thick molasses and licorice leading the way, it's like a trip to a traditional candy store, yet not so overblown by sugary delight. Despite a slight lack in balance and some sharp flavors which would be potentially off-putting to some, it's personally an enjoyable flavor. 4

(Mouthfeel) Medium+ thickness with a slick, bready texture and a low, mild carbonation. Body is medium+ for the style and high overall. Some minor grainy texture doesn't hamper drinkability much, and alcohol, despite being above medium presence in the beer, isn't overpowering and compliments the heavy body well. Carbonation, while limited, is nearly perfect for the style, although I wouldn't mind a touch more spritely action to damper the sweetness, it isn't far off from ideal. 3.75

(Overall) As far as Altbiers and Sticke beers go, this is a solid take on the style. A touch sweet and husky, but the flavors are deep and there's a great amount of yeast character to balance and make this a filling, complex and enjoyable beer. The reviews seem divided, but some age on this bottle didn't hurt a thing. Many thanks to Fred Hessler for crafting this not-so-commonly-available German beer style. It's unfortunate that the citrusy fruits didn't make much of an appearance, but the malt character and yeast did a fine job. I wouldn't suggest that it's necessarily smooth; it's perhaps a touch more abrasive and stocky in alcohol and flavor, but if you like the bold and flavorful German ales, it's certainly worth a try! 4

Boston Beer Company's
Longshot Derf's Secret Alt
4.01/5.00

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 04:03:46 | More by Jadjunk

Pencible

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: This poured a clear dark mahogany with moderate thick tan head.
S: It smelled like honey wheat bread and nutty malt, with some creamy yeast.
T: It tasted like bitter copper hops and sweet honey wheat bread, with some creamy yeast and nutty malt. It had a surprisingly bitter aftertaste.
M: It was thick and creamy with some carbonation. Very full body.
D: This was a nice clean brew with an enjoyable scent and taste. It had huge body with a fairly smooth finish and well hidden alcohol, so it was pretty easy to drink. Good beer with a unique and strong interpretation of a classic style. Worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 04:56:19 | More by Pencible

Beejay

Virginia

3.1/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: A lacquered cherry wood color in body. Clear, with 2 fingers of tan head.

S: Sweet caramel, and molasses. Some raisins and burnt bread, along with some alcohol. Something in the background that I can't quite put my finger on. Something a little heavy, almost metallic, but. .. not.

T: Brown sugar, and molasses. Very sweet. There is a nice earthy hop flavor right at the front. But the finish is all sweet, almost cloyingly so. Brown sugar, and cooked caramel, with perhaps a touch of licorice.

M: Fairly heavy and thick feel, the carbonation is plentiful, and lightens the body a touch. Definitely leaves a residue after the sip.

O: Overall good, and the alcohol isn't as present int he taste as it is in the aroma. Still, nothing fantastic. Good, just not great, and the sweetness is almost overbearing.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 02:55:27 | More by Beejay

FlatRabbitRed

Arizona

5/5  rDev +33.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is the very best beer I have ever had, I bought four cases of this years longshot winners just to enjoy this delightfull little fluid!

Now you may be saying that is fine but what level of beer drinker am I anyway, well I have been drinking beer for fourty years, and I started trying to drink different styles thirty five years ago. I have had somewhere over a thousand different beers over my lifetime, and this one is my all time favorite!

Rich, bold, malty sweet, caramel coffee, tangy toasty delight!

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 16:05:06 | More by FlatRabbitRed

Sipchue

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

12-31-2012 00:49:22 | More by Sipchue

sendbeer

Georgia

2.75/5  rDev -26.5%

12-14-2012 05:43:32 | More by sendbeer

morebeergood

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

12-14-2012 04:22:45 | More by morebeergood

JayS2629

Alabama

4/5  rDev +7%

12-10-2012 03:49:03 | More by JayS2629

strongaf

Washington

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

11-26-2012 04:22:14 | More by strongaf

irishgreensoda

Washington

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

11-20-2012 21:45:05 | More by irishgreensoda

Kasich_McPhilby

4.75/5  rDev +27%

11-07-2012 17:29:02 | More by Kasich_McPhilby

Dodt

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

picked up the long shot case thought i would give the alt , the first review of the three. nice cola color with a tan head. smell is a blend of sugar and a muted citrus. taste wise the high octane alcohol is part of the charm the other flavors of toffee and coca. glad sam adams is open to letting the little guy have there brew hit the nations shelves , can't wait to try the other two in this case.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 00:17:35 | More by Dodt

dfillius

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass
A: Moderate pour yields 1/3 finger of tan head with good retention. Chill hazy brown with slight red.
S: Caramel, some citrus - orange julius.
T: Sweet with slightly hoppy finish. Delicious. A bit too hot/alcoholly for it to achieve greatness. Finish is bready.
M: Bright up front. Chewy center, pleasantly warm finish but a tad breathy on the ethanol.
O: Drinkable despite the strength. I'd order a second. I'm glad I drank it, but I won't bu again.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 01:59:05 | More by dfillius

robbyc1

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

10-19-2012 16:26:32 | More by robbyc1