26.2 - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

Damian

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Drank on-tap at McGreevy's, Boston, MA
Served in a pint glass

The beer poured a slightly hazed, medium amber color and was topped by a tight, dense head of bright white froth. A clingy ring of lace stuck around long after the head faded.

Spice notes came through strong in the nose. Crisp and fragrant. Coriander was most noticeable. Some clove and orange peel as well. Sweet, bready malts were also detectible.

The flavor profile was similar to the nose. A wheaty tartness came through on the front end. Coriander notes dominated. Good amount of citrus. The finish was crisp and clean with just a hint of saltiness.

Light, frothy and pillowy soft on the palate. The liquid contained a moderate, spritzy effervescence.

26.2 is a tasty and remarkably refreshing beer. It really hit the spot on this 85 degree Marathon Monday. Kudos to the folks at Sam Adams for creating a terrific interpretation of this unfortunately underrepresented style.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2012 20:42:16 | More by Damian

Alextricity

Michigan

4.2/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Seeing this as the only 26.2 by Sam Adams on this site makes me assume it's the Boston Marathon 26.2 IPA that I got at Doyle's in Boston.

As is the only way to have it served since it isn't bottled, I got it on tap. To me, this is the best beer to have in summer time. I only had it once, but I'd be drinking this any time in place of their Summer Ale. Both are good, but there's something really refreshing and citrusy about the 26.2. It has a pretty light mouthfeel, which is to be expected from a summer-like beer, and it also has a GREAT, subtle lemony citrus flavor.

An excellent Boston exclusive... I wish it was bottled. Sigh.

Serving type: on-tap

07-11-2012 22:13:43 | More by Alextricity

RyanGoodman

Bolivia

4.13/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had on tap at Doyle's down the street from the brewery.

Golden in color. Smelled of salt and crushed coriander. Taste is almost wheaty, very easy on the palate. Salt is nigh on undetectable in flavor, but it is there. This beer is super light on the tongue, mouthfeel makes this extremely enjoyable on a hot summer day. Absolutely no aftertaste, like I sipped on water, which is interesting to me.

This beer is the epitome of a session beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2012 03:10:13 | More by RyanGoodman

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Sam Adams tour: Poured a hazy light orangey color ale with a nice foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of coriander is well integrated with the malt base. Taste is refreshing with good notes of coriander and malt with light salty finish. Body is quite full with good carbonation. Well brewed and something I wouldn’t mind to have regular access during sumnmertime.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 20:29:06 | More by Phyl21ca

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.95/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap 4/25/2012 at British Beer Company, in Walpole, MA served in a curved Sam Adams pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep gold color, with a short dense white head that fades slowly and leaves a thin on the glass.

S: The aroma contains citrus, spices, wheat, light caramelized malts and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out sweet with flavors of honey, citrus, spices and caramel. Then some breadiness comes in from wheat and a thin malt character. The hops presence is mild but complementary and brings some balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and smooth, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

O: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, mild kick, good representation of style, this is a decent flavorful lighter beer to drink for a while.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2012 00:56:49 | More by TheManiacalOne

notchucknorris

California

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at The Parish

A: Pale golden color with a touch of haze. Thin off white head.

S: Sort of faint but I pick up some of the coriander and a faint touch of wheat. A bit of citrus as well.

T: Grain and wheat with a highly carbonated mouthfeel and a lingering hint of salt at the back of the throat on the finish.

Serving type: on-tap

04-12-2012 13:13:51 | More by notchucknorris

Jason

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz brown sample bottle.

LOOK: Lightly hazed pale amber, bubbly lace

SMELL: Floral, coriander, taffy, bready

TASTE: Juicy Fruit, dried grass, crackers, mild bitterness, coriander, salt, light bodied, earthy, peppercorn, dry finish

Very refreshing with more than enough flavor for a lighter brew. Subtly extreme.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 01:19:20 | More by Jason

stephenjmoore

Maryland

3.6/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Light amber body with a thick white head.

S- Getting a lager type smell, mostly caramel malt and some hops coming through.

T- Tastes like a lighter bodied Boston lager with more hop presence.

M- Smooth, light/medium bodied. Very drinkable.

O- Good beer, refreshing and drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2012 18:15:48 | More by stephenjmoore

billab914

Virginia

3.55/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Lir during the Boston Marathon. It was light golden in color and a little cloudy with a thin white head to it.

The aroma had a zesty citrus with the coriander being pretty noticeable. I get a little of the sweeter, bready, wheat to as well. Pretty light, crisp and refreshing.

The taste is where the salt shows up a little more. I get the citrusy coriander and the bready wheat, but the salt is what makes it interesting. It gives it kind of a dry but refreshing finish. It's noticeable but also more subtle then the traditional version of the style I've had.

The mouthfeel is thin and carbonation moderate. It felt very light and refreshing. Overall it was a pretty decent beer, but it seemed a little dumbed down from the more traditional Leipziger version I've had. It tasted a little like a slightly salty version of their summer brew. While it may not be as bold as a traditional version, they did a pretty good job at incorporating those flavors into something the average craft beer drinker would like.

Serving type: on-tap

04-19-2012 12:39:34 | More by billab914

Hopdaemon39

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap at Penguin Pizza in a Sam Adams lager glass- pours a pretty clear yellow color (the kind that reinforces the idea of beer as piss). Less than a half finger of head, no retention and no lacing.

Scent is very faint- mild coriander and orange peel, maybe a bit of wheat.

Taste is consistent with smell- wheat dominates, followed by a decent orange flavor, finishing off with a little coriander. Decent.

Mouthfeel is good- light bodied, moderately carbonated (sorta prickly). I'm sure it'd be refreshing after running : ). Never had a gose before but it's tastes like a typical American interpretation of a Belgian wit or hefeweisse bier.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2012 01:15:22 | More by Hopdaemon39

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Very limited availability on tap in the Boston area. I was shocked to see this hadn't been added to BA yet.

This is a new beer style for me. As Steve Greenlee at Boston.com writes, "It's a light German beer brewed with at least 50 percent wheat, plus coriander and salt. Few brewers make a gose, which is too bad, because it can be quite tasty, with fruity esters, a spicy character, and a tart finish."

I never would have expected the wheat content. The head was flat, there was no lace and the liquid was only mildly hazy. It also didn't have the traditional malted wheat flavors.

The beer's aroma was on the light side. It smelled like a very pale ale, even though the brew's color was dark gold. Little hop nose, nor on the tongue.

The taste was very sweet--not quite to a Bock level but certainly not wheaty. I found it reminiscent to the Blueberry beers often found in New England. The body was moderate while the carbonation was well above average. The aftertaste is brief and leans to the sour side.

Worth seeking out just to try a Gose.

Serving type: on-tap

04-08-2012 15:01:12 | More by smcolw