Norse Legend Sahti - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

damndirtyape

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz poured into a Duvel Tulip. Batch #1.

Appearance: Clear dark coppery red when held up to the light. An initial thick rocky light tan foam died down to a 1/4-1/8" foam. Plenty of lacing in strands all over the glass. Nice looking beer.

Smell: Juniper (gin like) dominates the aroma here - I'm not getting a lot else.

Taste: Very unusual. Definite Juniper/spruce flavor mixed in with some deep caramel and buttery notes mixed in. The finish is a little bitter....can't quite put my finger on it as to what that bitter flavor is, but it's there to finish things off. It's like an unusual combination of lemon and pine at the end. Maybe they did hop his beer after all?

Mouthfeel: Slick, light carbonation on the tongue, the thickness is just south of creamy, but it is definitely smooth.

Overall / Drinkability: I've never had a Sahti before so it's hard to rate this one on style. If I read the Beer Advocate description is has some features of the beer (mouthfeel, juniper) but not others (turbidity in appearance). So let me instead state what I think of this as a beer. The Juniper works well as a hop substitute, although there are times where I think I'm drinking a beer spiked with Gin. Could be I'm not a big fan of Juniper. Nice looking beer, feels good going down....not really great in taste and smell. Interesting yes. A great beer? No. Drinkability - I could not finish off the bomber myself even over 2 hours (corked the bottle and kept it in the fridge while I finished the first glass) and so one big glass is more than enough. I think I would give the style a try again, but with food, and not this particular beer again. A good beer to try, but not good for a repeat.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 00:53:10 | More by damndirtyape

Jason

Massachusetts

3.18/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

22oz brown bottle, no freshness date ... just a batch #.

LOOK: Clear tawny hue, decent lacing

SMELL: Spicy, juniper, loads of caramel, estery, earthy, cake batter, creamy

TASTE: Chewy medium body, slick, malty, caramel, bready, spicy juniper, mild hopping, raisins, very sweet finish

Strong ale with juniper, that is all we have here ... no rawness or tart character. Refined and too sweet. I want to cook with this beer a hell of a lot more than I want to drink it.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 02:47:29 | More by Jason

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Auburn to coppery red, clear, rising bubbles, a light tan head about one finger, with some sticky lacing.

Lots of toffee, caramel, nuts, fruits (mainly dark), spices, a light woodiness.

Taste is more notable on the juniper/wood notes, plenty of caramel and toffee like malts, a little sweetness, some fruitiness, cherries noted, a little brown sugar and some alcohol.

Body is pretty light with ample carbonation, along with a residual sweetness and slick feel.

It's an interesting beer. I only have one other example of the style to compare to, so it's hard to say whether this is a great sahti or not. However, it's certainly tasty in my glass.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 19:06:04 | More by AlCaponeJunior

merc7186

New York

2.8/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bomber into snifter.

A: Reddish/Amber Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Mild Juniper Berry, Mild Sweet Malts

T: Mild Juniper Berry, Mild Malts

M: Average Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Watery

Overall, whoever classified this beer as a Sahti was DEAD NUTS WRONG!

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 18:49:39 | More by merc7186

BucannonXC5

California

3.6/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Type: 22-oz. bomber
Glass: Karl Strauss pint
From: Costco in San Marcos, Calif., on Dec. 6, 2012
Price: $20 for Small Batch Collection variety 4-pack
BOD: None, “Batch 2” on back of label

Auburn amber with two fingers of khaki tan head. Average-to-above average lacing on the sides. Retention started out good, but got pretty thin half way down the pint glass.

Smelled toffee, caramel, roasted nuts, dark fruit and black cherry. Could smell the alcohol for sure, but it was smooth.

Tasted not quite as good as the smell, but similar. Got the dark fruits first. The bottle says Juniper berries, but I don’t know what those are. I kind of got dates and dark cherry. Also some toffee, roasted bitter nuts, some rye and still that hint of liquor.

Medium body. Thin, oily texture. Average carbonation. Long smooth finish.

My first new rating for a Sam Adams in a long time. Big fan of the company and the presentation of the Small Batch Collection pack. Not a bad beer overall, I may have homered it a little bit.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 06:40:37 | More by BucannonXC5

falloutsnow

Illinois

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

From: Binny's, Bolingbrook, IL
Date: None, "Batch 1" on back of label
Glass: New Belgium globe glass

More "wet forest" aroma and scent-like than the only other sahti I've had, this beer pulls more from juniper than, perhaps, it's original brethren (the Finnish sahti I had was much more intensely caramel heavy and doppelbock-like than this). I enjoyed this for its unique flavors and for avoiding becoming boring or one-dimensional throughout the entire bomber. Not a beer I'd find myself going back to repeatedly, but one I'm glad SA brewed and I was able to try.

Pours a 3cm tall head, composed of small bubbles of a modestly dark tan color, appearing quite frothy and dense. Retention is excellent, as might be expected from the tight packing of bubbles. Head eventually falls to a thin cap atop the body of the beer. Lacing is rather average, a few small splotches and dots of residual foam across the sides of the glass. Body is a very dark amber brown color, transparent, with light revealing brighter red and orange hues. Carbonation is visible and substantial.

Aroma of a toffee-scented ale aged on juniper wood, yielding some "wet forest" scents; some ripe, watery blackberries; and vague spiciness (phenols?).

Taste involves substantial juniper twig/wood flavor over a toffee-like malt base with hints of pine-like juniper needles/berries and phenolic spiciness. Front of palate picks up strong juniper wood with caramel-colored malt base: sweet with solid juniper wood flavors. Mid-palate is of ale soaked on juniper wood, a toffee-like malt composition, and some spiciness from juniper wood, needles, or berries. Back of palate picks up continued toffee-like malts, and a bit of ethanol, particularly as this warms. Aftertaste of toffee malt sweetness and lingering juniper wood or "wet forest" scents.

Beer is medium bodied, with medium-intensity carbonation that results in a slightly prickly at first, but quickly foamy and smooth afterwards. Closes semi-dryly.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 06:34:39 | More by falloutsnow

BWED

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I've been slacking on jotting notes about beers, especially on here, but I felt inspired tonight, and plan on writing on here more often. I have been picking up a few of these Sam Adams "experimental" brews, and trying them out. I guess I actually get to review Norse Legend. When I saw this at the store, it was the first Sahti I had seen, or even heard of for that matter. I decided to culture myself and learn a little more about this style. Surfing the interwebs, including BA, I learned that this style is quite historic, and I am happy that Sam Adams has shined its old light into my eyes. Anyway...

Poured into a pint glass from a 22 oz. bottle.

A- Chestnut body with a two finger head, yellow-white, retaining as a frothy film throughout consumption, and abundant lacing left behind.

S- Roasted caramel, with a slight, alcoholic sting in the background. No apparent hoppiness in the smell.

T- Sweet, roasted, almost smoky malt, maybe a little brown sugar, with a bit of a piney, citrus bite. The juniper evergreen-ness hangs around.

M- Smooth, and much lighter than I expected. Medium body, very drinkable.

O- I'm glad I was introduced to this style of beer. After doing my research, I learned that Sam Adams did a few things differently in the brewing process than people who have made more traditional Sahti: using juniper berries instead of branches, and hopping the beer. I'm not saying this is a bad method, because I'm sure it is much more conventional for mass production, but I look forward to trying a more traditional Sahti, someday. I like Norse Legend. It is nothing spectacular, but it is a fine tasting beer. It has also reminded me that there is so much out there that I don't even know, and that my beer tasting journey has barely begun.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 04:24:18 | More by BWED

cjgator3

Florida

3.35/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle

A- Pours a dark reddish brown color with an off-white head with good retention and lacing.

S- The aroma is pretty faint, not a lot going on there. There is a little bit of sweetness from the malt along with some citrus from the juniper berries.

T- The taste like the aroma starts out pretty faint but there is a large wave of sweetness that comes through in the middle along with a citrusy fruitiness in the finish.

M- The mouthfeel is light bodied with a lot of carbonation.

O- Overall, not bad but this beer was lacking a little for me.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 04:23:17 | More by cjgator3

mactrail

California

3.2/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

This is kind of a nose-wrinkler, but taste pretty good. The juniper berries are well in evidence, but pleasant. Handsome coppery amber in the tall Stella glass. Plenty of foam and well carbonated on the tongue. Nose is fruity and spicy like some kind of Christmas relish.

Rather sweet and fruity. It's a little on the spicy side but could use a little more edge. A delicate balance and makes you appreciate the simple resiny bitterness of good old hops. A little herbal and medicinal, but not overly bitter. This may be a cleaned-up and sweeter version of the old brew. It's hard to drink much at once, but it's intriguing.

You can't fault the way Boston makes all the elements work, and packages this with nice foam and beery substance. From the 22 oz bottle bought at Liticker's in San Diego.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 05:19:16 | More by mactrail

LeRose

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Liked this one after a few disappointments from Sam’s. Strange but pleasant color (a little blusih/purple tint to it), not very carbonated. A bit on the sweet (molasses or dark brown sugary) and chewy side, thick mouth feel.Very malty in a Belgian kind of way. Definitely get the juniper berry taste - kind of a nice Tanqueray tang to it that helps cut the sweetness. Bought a couple more. Interesting and tasty. Nice for a change of pace, although I don't know how representative of the style it really is. I do like the juniper berry flavor.

From notes...

Update: Opened a bottle that was six months old from purchase date. This has mellowed quite a bit and the gin-like component is pretty subdued. Still present, but more an afterthought than it was. Sweet and malty flavors, caramel/toffee more forward. Sweet but not sticky-sweet. Still a decent beer to drink in my opinion, but I'd rather have it fresh with the juniper more prominent. More brown in color versus original notes.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 16:42:10 | More by LeRose

gpogo

California

2.95/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A- Clear deep brown body with a near white head that leaves a sparse light lacing.

A- Sweet large malt aroma. Not much juniper initially, but hints of it come in.

T- Intensely sweet malt flavor up front, brown sugar and molasses. Some bitterness comes in at the end and stays through the finish. Metallic flavors at the end as well. The more I taste this, the more the juniper taste comes to play, but never even close to overwhelming.

M- Medium to heavy body that likes to coat your mouth and stick around a bit. Moderate-low carbonation.

D- Not as awful as it could have been, not as great as it could have been either. I would have liked more juniper and less metallic taste. A bit on the boozy sweet side, so not exactly sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 06:10:37 | More by gpogo

buschbeer

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

1 pint 6oz bottle
Served in a perfect pint glass

A - It has a burnt orange body with amber highlights. Two inches of tan head feebly cling to the sides of the glass.

S - I smelled juniper as soon as I opened the bottle. Once I poured it in my glass I smelled a lot of malt. It reminded me of cereal.

T - I tasted all malt up front. I tasted some dark berries. The juniper came in the finish and lingered in the aftertaste.

M - Medium with little carbonation.

O - The malt and the juniper remind me of a Christmas beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 21:08:56 | More by buschbeer

dadonabike

Massachusetts

3.15/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Beautiful dark amber color, crystal clear. A solid finger of head that leaves pleasant lacing.

S: While its cold the malt and juniper balance quite nicely. Notes of toasted malt, caramel then juniper/gin, stay in there to long and you start to get some medicinal notes

T: Very sweet to start with hint of the woods. I expected this to be much more overpowering. Tons of malt up front then hints of juniper and sweeter spice notes like clove, allspice, and coriander. Almost has a smoky quality. Very Christmassy.

M: A rich mouth feel, enjoyable but it could get a bit cloying.

O: As above I expected this to be much more in your face, smacked with a tree type of thing. I’m glad it was not. My first sip impression was “not so bad” witch for something off the beaten trail can be an ok impression. (I wish my attempted at a gruit had rated that high) I find this an enjoyable beer. I would not have more than one in a night and I may never grab this again, but I am glad to have tried it and would recommend it to my friends. I would say treat it like a barley wine. A sipper around the fire, split with a friend, cold winter night kind of thing.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 03:38:32 | More by dadonabike

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3.4/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes.

Poured out a brown-tinted garnet color with fizzy head for about a minute, minimal lacing on the glass. Medium body and carbonation levels.

Intensely sugary sweet molasses, brown sugar, figs, ginger and only a modicum of juniper aroma with a nuance of buttermilk and leafy hop aroma on the side. Hmm, I was expecting a lot more juniper wood in the nose than this. The flavor, however, has some of that woody splintery bite that I have come to expect from Sahtis. Unfortunately, it's just too pastry-dough-sweet overall for the herbal and leafy hopping to match for my personal tastes.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 02:34:26 | More by WastingFreetime

charlzm

California

3.68/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured in to a Triple Petrus snifter. Beer is a deep, clear amber. A two-finger yellowish head forms and reduces soon to a thin skin. Minimal sheeting on glass.

Aroma is similar to dark fruitcake. Juniper very prominent as well. Tea-like notes.

On the tongue, beer is not very similar to style guidelines but still a fine, drinkable collection of flavors. Slightly tea-like with sweet dark malts (trace of caramel) at the front, astringent juniper imparts a resiny, piney berry flavor. Fairly significant bitterness on finish.

Mouthfeel is thick and creamy with plenty of carbonation bite and some dryness.

This is a surprisingly drinkable beer, all things considered. The ABV is not noticeable in the flavor, but by the time I got to the end of the bottle, I was feeling some warmth and a little fuzziness around the edges. Better to share a bomber of this, I think.

And to reiterate: not to style, but a nice stab at making it perhaps more approachable to a less exploratory populace?

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 05:18:55 | More by charlzm

KajII

North Carolina

3.15/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

[Suggested Glassware: Nonic Pint]

The pour was a clear dark reddish amber with a large (2-3 finger) cream colored rocky head that had decent retention, reducing to a puddled film with a large collar which did create some excellent streaky lacing.

The aroma was of a sweet caramel malt, spruce hops and an earthy yeast with notes of citrus (grapefruit and orange), toffee, juniper berries and a mild woody scent.

The taste was sweet and very malty with a hint of berry and a touch of toffee from the beginning, with the finish being a tad citrusy and having a mild bitter woody taste at the end. The flavor was a bit long in duration with an earthy citrus taste that was left to linger.

Mouthfeel was just below medium in body with a slightly syrupy texture and a soft mild carbonation.

Overall this turned out to be a rather interesting beer, not a great brew nor a bad one either; in fact I would call it unique to say the least. This was unlike any Sahti I have ever tasted and it possessed an aftertaste that I found to be a bit too long and not overly pleasant.

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 18:43:15 | More by KajII

KickbacksSteve

Florida

4.1/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Kickbacks in Jax. Poured into small snifter. Off-white head atop an amber body. Clear lacing, sticky. Aroma includes sweet caramel and brown sugar. Taste is malty sweet and caramel with maybe some toffee. No bitterness to speak of but none expected considering the style. Very easy to drink, no alcohol taste anywhere of note. Very tasty brew, interesting and tasty.

Serving type: on-tap

10-29-2012 07:00:43 | More by KickbacksSteve

TMoney2591

Illinois

2.7/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Served in a Gale Sayers shaker pint glass.

A gose, a gingerbread stout, a sahti...dammit, Sam Adams needs to brew us up a kvass soon... Anyway, this "sahti" (quotation marks explained below) pours a clear amber-copper topped by a finger of light khaki foam. The nose comprises a spruce-tip sandwich, all white bread, with only a leaf or two of lettuce separating the other ingredients. The taste brings in more of the same, though now the spruce is in resin form as well, the bread is slightly drier, the lettuce is straight iceberg, and what seems like a bunch of juniper berries finds its way in there for good (?) measure. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a lightly syrupy feel. Overall, this doesn't come off so much as a sahti to me, rather a spruce-flavored amber ale or something. Either way, it ain't that great...

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 16:20:51 | More by TMoney2591

Zorro

California

3.45/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Clear red colored beer with a good tan colored head.

Smell is sweet and malty with strong molasses scent. Slight spruce aroma but it takes some effort to sniff it. Bread with figs is the other strong scent.

Starts out sort of sweet with a strong malty flavor and a woody after taste. Spruce taste is much stronger than the scent no missing it. Malt and spruce or spruce and malt, that is what this tastes like. Slight stinging in the mouth, strong bitterness for the style tastes like they threw in some spruce bark or something.

Mouthfeel is full.

Overall an interesting malty beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 02:34:19 | More by Zorro

prototypic

Ohio

3.1/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Norse Legend is a very deep copper color. It’s crystal clear. Backlighting gives it a very bright scarlet appearance. Impressive color. A soft tan head covers the top and rises to a surprising two and a half fingers in height. Retention is very good as it took a while to completely dissipate. Lacing was sticky and quite thick. Looks good!

The nose is definitely a bit weak and needs strength in a big way. It kicks with off with a malty scent. Smells a bit sweet – like caramel or toffee. There’s perhaps a bit of light cocoa-ish chocolate, as well. There is a bit of light berry scent. It’s interesting, but isn’t exactly good. It does smell a bit earthy and grainy throughout. I’m not getting any alcohol. It doesn’t smell overtly bad, but it doesn’t smell good either. It’s average. A little work would easily improve it.

The flavor is rather consistent with the nose. The malt base tastes like a mix of caramel and chocolate varieties. It’s a little sweet. Cocoa is definitely noted and tastes equally as strong. Some light berry notes weave in and out, but never taste like the centerpiece. They’re not good or bad, just kind of there. They have sort of a tangy quality which isn’t all that appealing. It is grainy and earthy. Alcohol is definitely in the background, but doesn’t overwhelm the flavor. Finishes malty and a little tangy. It’s okay. Not great by any stretch.

Norse Legend has a medium body. Carbonation seems to be active, but never feels harsh. It’s not quite soft or creamy, but it’s not bad. It goes down alright, but the flavor holds it back a little. I wouldn’t say it’s very drinkable.

Honestly, I can’t imagine any reputable Norseman characterizing this beer as ‘legendary.’ It’s just okay in about every respect. Frankly, the flavor needs something to liven it up a bit. If you’re looking to simply try a Sahti, it’s worth grabbing a bottle. There are far better representations of the style though.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 02:02:51 | More by prototypic

EkimGram

New York

3.45/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Appearance: 22oz bottle poured into a standard pint. Colour is a rich auburn-brown. Tiny head fades quickly to a thin ring. No visible carbonation.

Smell: Sweet, bready malts are dominant with a nice woody juniper hint to support it. Grainy, sweet, and a little odd.

Taste: Very interesting. The juniper takes on a gin-like abrasiveness that is almost matching the sweet malts in presence. Aftertaste is strong and lingers on the breath as a bready-boozy flavour.

Mouthfeel: Nice full body that isn't heavy or too thick. Silky, very mild carbonation.

Overall: This brew - my first of this style - is rather peculiar. The taste is almost off-putting at first but as it warms up and I get "used to" it, it becomes rather enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 02:35:04 | More by EkimGram

jondeelee

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Norse Legend opens with a thick, malty nose resplendent with doughy wheat bread, yeasty baguette, floury French bread, and toast crust, all drizzled with molasses and honey and sprinkled with brown sugar. Orange and apricot fruit esters add nuance, as do touches of grapefruit and pine from the hops. There are also hints of caramel, vanilla, cookie, and cherry. But the yeasty, doughy malts by far win out, lending the beer a dark bread and molasses overtone. As a whole, the nose is very enticing, featuring a good range of darker aromas, tinged slightly by tantalizing fruit esters and pine. The aromas are slightly on the lighter side, and tend to fade relatively quickly, and so could have used a bit more body and staying power, but are otherwise quite nice.

On the tongue, the beer opens with a surprisingly peppery, spicy note, the juniper berries adding layers of pine, juniper, and pepper that immediately add layers of flavor not quite hinted at on the nose. The effect is noticeable and definitely not subtle, but at the same time not at all overpowering, about the level of a light juniper tea in terms of strength, blending nicely with the other flavors. Below the juniper spice are dark breads and molasses, as well as some touches of cherry, orange, and apricot sugars, and piney hops. The beer does get a little more woodsy and full of juniper, sap, and pine needle late in the mouthful as the sugars die off, and the aftertaste is a continuation of these latter flavors, with what seems to me like a slightly-too-strong mouthful-of-juniper-berries addition. Mouthfeel is medium-light to medium, and carbonation is medium.

Overall, this is good fare, and a nice addition to the Sam Adams Limited Release series. I did wish for a bit more body and potency in the beer, the 7% ABV and the concomitant lower sugar levels making for less strength and more wateriness than I would have preferred. Still, the flavors here are unique and nicely developed, offering excellent interplay and nuance. Worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 19:03:42 | More by jondeelee

Deingeist

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

16oz draft at Thirsty Moose in Portsmouth NH.

A: Dark red/brown, a very clear beer, but because of its tawny wine darkness it's not really see-through. Cream colored head dissipated quickly. Lacing with a swirl but otherwise not much.

S: This beer didn't smell like a whole lot. It smelled sweeter than the average beer, and it wasn't an unpleasant smell, just not a huge aroma. If I had let it warm up some, the smell probably would have unfolded.

T: It didn't taste quite as strong as I was expecting/hoping, but it had a nice flavor. It had a somewhat maple-like malt profile, more sweet than bitter, some pine and citrus flavor, somewhat fruity but not floral. The flavor increased some as the beer warmed, but it never became so sweet or piney that it became difficult to drink. As this beer is a sahti, it is not a hoppy beer as the juniper is meant to take the place of hops as a flavoring and preserving agent. Overall pretty well balanced.

M: This beer suffers from what I call the Sam Adams mouthfeel problem: Somehow a bit syrupy and watery at the same time. It's just nothing special. It's not at all bad, but it didn't wow me. Some carbonation, enough to make it taste interesting and not flat, but not a ton, and a bit more light-syrupy than full bodied/unfiltered.

Overall: I think this beer is one of Sam Adams better beers because it is interesting and I enjoy drinking beers that aren't really "traditional beers" in the German sense of the word and it was great to finally get to try it on draft. I remember about five years ago they had it on rotation but I was never able to try it. There are so many other beers out there that I have to try and my regular drinking beers (IPAs mostly) so I'm not sure I'll be drinking it again, but maybe if it goes away I'll miss it and want to try it again next time around.

Serving type: on-tap

09-29-2012 14:51:10 | More by Deingeist

rodney45

New York

4/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Deeply crimson inlaid amber, with a cream colored thick head that dissipated quickly but laced the glass with a web of norse style runes.

S: Deep chocolate malt profile, with crystal malt overtones. Slight hint of munich malt and plum.

T: First taste is malt all the way, crystal, munich, and chocolate. Secondary flavors are a lemon, walnut and pecan, which is pretty sour oddly enough. Third notes are non overwhelming english style hops, with a dry finish that has an ever so slight hint of gin ( grassy/juniper-esk flavors)

M: Overly thick and creamy, definitive of the style. Moderate carbonation, and no alcohol ethers present.

O: My first Sahti, and i feel that this may not have done an adequate job of defining the style. It seems a lot more like a belgian double, or a quad, than anything else. Enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 11:46:03 | More by rodney45

scratch69

Missouri

2.85/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I poured a bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance- Dark amber color with half a fingers worth of off-white head. Fair amount of runny lace.

Smell- Muted aroma of malt and just a hint of a wet dog smell.

Taste- Caramel malt and tea flavors at first, but quickly fades into a mild boozy flavor.

Mouthfeel- Medium bodied, smooth and sticky feeling. Light amount of carbonation.

Overall- I am totally unimpressed with this one. The only thing this beer has going for it is the mouthfeel. This is the first beer from Samuel Adams that I wish I wouldn't have bought.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 22:53:04 | More by scratch69