Samuel Adams Porch Rocker - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

wrightst

Maryland

3.06/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

This is a nice summer beer. Its appearance is very nice, like any medium toned or summer beer with a white head of no real distinction. Of course, you don't drink the looks.
The taste and smell is distinctly lemonade, which is predictable since they add it into the beer. Not a shandy by two whoops and a whirl, which works to its credit. This is as advertised - refreshing. I can easily imagine it as more so on a hot summer day.
If you are not a fan of fruit beer, this won't change you. It's too much lemon to be on the hefewiezen level of citrus or even pale or india pales. More even than a s beer with a lemon wedge. Still, as I mentioned, the lemon is not as in your face as a shandy. If you have a friend who likes those hard cider things and hard lemonade, this may bridge the gap towards beer for them.
Drink beer, be happy!
Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 00:54:36 | More by wrightst

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked a single bottle of this up in Totowa recently, not even realizing that this was a Fruit/Vegetable beer. While this was a bit heavier than a Summer Shandy, the feel of lemon was strong here with the tartness being scaled back a bit though. It wasn't a bad beer so much as it didn't seem that much different than a Helles Lager, but the added citrus didn't make this much "brighter" at all.

The pour was the best aspect to this beer, as the frothy head, golden hue, and soda-like carbonation all around the edge of my pint glass combined for a pleasing look. The aroma was that of a lemon/lime soda and so was the taste, with some sugar thrown in and just the lightest of malt too. The carbonation was present from start to finish and this had a bit of grain in the midst of the wet citrus and lemon zest as well. Not much to the aftertaste except for a syrupy mouthfeel that lingered for a bit but none of the fruit flavors lasted as long as I had hoped.

Summer beers? Look no further. I didn't even feel the alcohol in this and I could have downed a bunch in a sitting had I had that many around. Maybe some wheat would have livened this up a bit but for now, this is worth a go once just to see what else is possible in the vast array of Sam Adams products currently on the shelf. Not likely to disappoint as long as your expectations aren't terribly high.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 19:22:53 | More by JerzDevl2000

HalfFull

California

3.05/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a nearly clear deap straw into a pint glass from a 12 oz. bottle. Shows a touch of haze and offers a thin white cap which shows brief retention. Light carbonation emanates from the bottom of the pour.

Strong lemon aroma through and through. Light malt character and mild hop character through some foam with a more simple lemon oil/pledge after the beer settles. Flavor is decent and not quite overwhelming in the lemon department though it is certainly well represented and more notable on the finish. Decent body for a style within a stlye, easy drinking and perhaps even robust for a Lemon Shandy given the ABV. Overall a bit sweet to have a few of and might actually do well over ice. Would prefer a more robust carbonation otherwise. Cheers..

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 06:16:27 | More by HalfFull

MooSully

Kansas

3.49/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Lots of sugar and lemon in the nose.
Less sugar in the taste but some lemon in there.
Very similar to summer shandy and I could see myself slamming a sizer of this in the heat of summer.
The taste dies off real quickly, no real after taste.
It should be good for summer.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 06:42:25 | More by MooSully

buschbeer

Ohio

3.56/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

12 ounce bottle
Served in a perfect pint glass

A - This offering is golden in color with straw highlights. I got about an inch of white head the settles to a thin layer on top.

S - I get some overtly sweet lemon meringue and what smells like wheat, even though not is present.

T - The taste is sweet, reminds me of a lemon dum dum pop. It really tastes as advertised, lemon soda and helles beer.

M - Moderate with biting carbonation.

O - I thought this would be refreshing after mowing the lawn. It is decent. It is not hitting the spot as I'd hoped it would.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 19:16:38 | More by buschbeer

mjurney

Texas

3.38/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

Appearance:
Bright golden color, clear. Tons of fine bubbles rising up. Thick frothy head.

Aroma:
Fruity, lemony, pale malts.

Taste:
Lemonade through out the taste, a little tart and sour. I taste some pale malts, cracker, grainy. Bitterness is mild. Finish is crisp, a little dry. Body is light-medium, crisp, semi-dry, refreshing.

Overall:
It's above average beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 02:28:43 | More by mjurney

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

I purchased this during a recent visit to Al's of Hampden in Enola and if you have not been, I highly encourage you to pay a visit.

From the bottle: "By mixing beer & tart sparkling lemonade, German cyclists (called Radlers) helped inspire a crisp, refreshing drink perfect for long, hot days. With that inspiration, we developed our own lemon blend for a fresh squeezed lemon taste & combined it with a golden Helles lager creating a sweet, tangy & thoroughly refreshing brew. Cheers! [undersigned] Jim Koch".

My pour created several fingers of french vanilla-colored head, but its inherent fizziness led to relatively low retention. Color was a deep golden-yellow with NE-quality clarity, like liquid sunshine in the glass. Nose was very lemony and it brought a slight pucker to my mouth in anticipation. The mouthfeel was light, not thin, but more towards unobtrusive and the taste was fully lemonade. Finish was semi-dry and completely refreshing. I know that SA is making the move to CANs and if they were to CAN this beer, it would be great at the beach.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 00:54:55 | More by woodychandler

MarkQ617

Massachusetts

2.95/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 2.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This taste like someone poured lemonade into a slightly above average helles. Poured from a bottle into a pilsner glass. The color is a bright gold that I'm not certain should exist from natural elements. The mouthfeel is mellow, as expected for they beer type, but doesn't add. It's a bit sweet and the fruit is a little overpowering for me I guess.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 23:35:23 | More by MarkQ617

JWU

Pennsylvania

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

12oz. bottle poured into a tumbler glass

A- bright clear gold with a slightly fizzy, slightly soapy white head.

S- some generic crackery malt and lemon zest.

T- Lemony tart up front, crackery malt hits a little to hard middle to end. No real complexity to speak of.

M- Heavier (medium) than I would like in a hot weather refreshment brew. Could use a bit more carbonation as well

O- Good, but slightly misses the mark of its intended purpose.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 23:33:37 | More by JWU

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

2.58/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle served in a Great Divide shaped pint
Best before October 2013

A - Clear pale golden color with a fizzy white head vanishes quickly.

S - Lemon lime soda, kiwi, lemon alka seltzer, honey, medicinal phenolics

T - Follows the nose, lemon/lime soda, artificial honey sweetness, odd floral noes, medicinal characters, herbal hops, lager yeast, chalky mineral notes. Tries to finish crisp but the malty sweetness dulls it out.

M - Low stingy carbonation, wet body with a semi effervescent finish.

Kinda reminds me of sprite without less carbonation. The odd sweetness dull out any attempt of a crisp feel. I wont be revisiting this.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 02:00:32 | More by StaveHooks

jwc215

New Jersey

3.4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Best by Sept. notched on label. Part of summer seasonal variety pack.

Pours golden yellow with a thin head that lasts for some time before fading. Spotted lacing sticks.

The smell is of lemonade with grain and crackers.

The taste is of lemon with nutty grain and dry bread. Slightly tart with sweetness that leads to a semi-dry finish.

Creamy and smooth. Could be crisper, but has a "refreshing" element to it.

It mentions a radler. I don't think it is, but it is a lemony lager. Not bad if you want a basic beer with lemon flavor.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 20:00:04 | More by jwc215

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sam Adams summer mix pack. Twelve ounce bottle poured into a pint glass.

Pours brilliant gold with fast fuzzy bubbles. Swirls out to just liquid. See through. Helles nose, some citrus notes. Crisp lemon tart taste that fades into a chalky lager. Really smooth. Half lemonade half beer all the way. But real good. Refreshing summer beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 14:09:32 | More by KTCamm

mfnmbvp

Illinois

3.08/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle, no bottled on date, but the notch on the label says best by August 2013. A radler inspired type beer from Samuel Adams, one I hadn't heard of until this year. My first beer out of the Samuel Adams summer sampler, and I'm looking forward to it.

Poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

A - Pours a clear sparkling lager gold color, with a faint hint of lemony murk to it, and streams of bubbles rushing to the top. Finger of foamy bone white head dies out quick. Very thin, tiny amount of webbed lacing.

S - Smell is of dusty malt, some genuine lemon juice, and some notes of a floral presence.

T - Some sweet tart lemon presence, but not very much. After the lemon washes away, all we get hit with some generic malt and corn adjunct tasting lager. Aftertaste tastes to me like peaches or apricots. Crisp and light bodied, just not enough tart lemon to satisfy me, especially after my encounter with Stiegl Radler Grapefruit, which was a far more genuine radler than this beer.

M - Feel is crisp, tart, and goes down clean.

Overall, an inoffensive summer sipper with a low 4.50% abv, I could definitely toss a couple of these back. Not a complex beer by any means, nor does it bring anything really new to the table, but it is decent enough for what it is.

Samuel Adams Porch Rocker ---3.5/5

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 01:22:11 | More by mfnmbvp

CaptJackHarkness

New York

3.33/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

From a twelve ounce bottle freshness dated to September 2013.

Smells just like lemon Pledge furniture polish! (Which is not a bad scent!)
Pours very pale yellow body with a thin and quickly dissipating white head.
Tastes too sweet and citrusy, overly tangy. Good idea but either reduce the lemon or add some hops, Jim! Cloying aftertaste!

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 00:16:48 | More by CaptJackHarkness

barczar

Kentucky

3.38/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Pours a brilliant light golden with copper accents and a foamy half inch white head that leaves minimal lacing.

Wheat, lemon zest, lemon juice, a bit of skunky hop, and grain form the aroma. Somewhat reminiscent of furniture polish.

Flavor is sweet and slightly malty throughout. Toasted malt provides respite from the initial lemon zest and sour lemon juice bite. There's a bit of grainy astringency at the finish.

Body is moderate, with carbonation a touch on the high side.

More malt flavor and sweetness than expected, but it delivers on the citrusy lemon promise. Grainy character is slightly offputting, and I would actually like the lemon character to linger more.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 03:11:32 | More by barczar

noel2977

Pennsylvania

2.49/5  rDev -25.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5

This is like drinking sugary cereal - a maltbomb of fruit loops. I feel my teeth aching from the sugar. There is a crispness to it - perhaps this needs to be consumed on a super hot summer day outside without any AC.
S - Lemon - but almost artificial, overwhelming any malt profile.
T - Lemony, with a thin profile of malt behind it. Finish doesnt really exist, except for a underwhelming cloying last of sugar

Ah - I dont like it. Not sure if this is supposed to compete with the lager-shandy crap produced today, but this isnt good. Avoid.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 02:44:16 | More by noel2977

Ruger

Kentucky

3.53/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 2.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

A- Poured with minimal head that goes away completely with no lacing at all. Color is a light brown and it is completely clear.

S - Very light malts, lemon, it almost smells exactly like sprite.

T - Strong lemon it overtakes everything finishes with a bit of grain towards the end. Its a very good refreshing taste for a hot summer day.

M - Light bodied good carbonation very smooth.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 00:59:17 | More by Ruger

Gmann

New York

2.99/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a slightly hazy straw color with a short wispy white head that settled into a light cap. Looks like fizzy yellow beer.

The aroma is of sweet lemons. Very similar to lemonade. It is a refreshing aroma but doesn't remotely smell like beer.

A slight bready malt base, perhaps a touch doughy. The rest of the flavor is lemonade. Again, its is refreshing but really borders on being a beer.

Moderate feel with fizzy carbonation. Drinks fantastic which a radler should do.

A lemony beer soda, which it is supposed to be. Its tough to rate just due to the style. This is not a real style on this site. The lemony flavor is very enjoyable but it really doesn't have enough beer characteristics. I guess a good change of pace beer during the summer.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 01:19:34 | More by Gmann

NardiByNature

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

An unsung hero of Cinco de Mayo. Straight from the bottle with this. surprisingly refreshing. it's not nearly as sweet as a " beer with natural flavors added" sounds. way better than leinenkugels summer shandy. tart. crisp. a crowd pleaser. great for what it is.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 17:35:36 | More by NardiByNature

acevenom

Louisiana

3.83/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a Samuel Adams perfect pint glass. The beer pours clear golden with a finger length white head and an enormous amount of tiny bubbles. The aroma is of fresh lemon and some malt. It's pretty straightforward. The taste follows the nose, which is lemonade meets beer. There's the crisp lemon flavor that mingles well with the light malt profile. The body is light with strong carbonation. The finish is clean and crisp. The beer is very refreshing. For what this is, it's a good refreshing summer beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 22:35:36 | More by acevenom

kristenspaintings

California

3.55/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Porch rocker is a refreshing, light tasting beer that is great for warm weather and lighter-flavored foods. It delivers what it says on the bottle: "fresh squeezed lemon taste" and "sweet and tangy" helles lager.

The flavor profile isn't as deep as some others but there's enough flavor to make it something you'd seek out if you're looking for a zesty, moderately carbonated citrus beer to complement something on your summer menu. The malt flavor is present, but not overbearing.

The appearance is good, but not much head or aroma to speak of. I bought this in a sampler pack but it's definitely worth buying on its own.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 19:25:13 | More by kristenspaintings

ZAP

Minnesota

3.91/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Big on the lemonade flavor. I could see some people liking this in the summer but it is more along the lines of a Shandy I would think....think lemon drops covered in sugar...nothing real tart or anything...but not overly sweet or cloying. I'm not much into beers like this but rating it on his merits for what it is it is solid.

Scores reflect for what it is designed to be. Personally I would not buy this.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 04:26:22 | More by ZAP

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.09/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Pours a polished dark straw golden.. almost no head and no lacing.

The nose is lemon zest and a hint of pale maltiness.

Flavor is pretty much the same.. the lemon is sorta powerful up front and dies quickly leaving just the essence lingering on the palate.

Body is light with a bigger carbonation.

Interesting enough take on a "Shandy" without actually adding lemon juice and sugar.

3.25/3/3/3/3.25/3.25

***
Bashing notes despite my above decent review:
-tastes like essence of Lemon Windex.
-Is SA doing this one as a test to take on Leiny's Shandy success?
-If you are not fishing with the girls, this is a man-card surrender immediately.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 04:10:11 | More by JohnGalt1

Burkbom23

Connecticut

2.05/5  rDev -38.6%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 2.25

Bright yellow color, very clear. Slight white head that fades to nothing. No lacing to speak of. Lemon aroma is the main smell you get off this bear. Maybe some slight grain. Pretty clean. Straight up lemon. Too much for my taste. Light medium body. Was hoping for more considering this was my first patio beer of the spring. Most likely will not have this one again.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 00:55:02 | More by Burkbom23

bmwats

Louisiana

3.38/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a hand glass.

A: Golden hue. Lots of effervescence rises throughout the entire experience. Pours about a 2 finger, cascading, foamy, white head. Crumbles, slowly and unevenly leaving some sticky residue behind as it does. Plenty of lacing remains as you consume. Foamy head remains throughout.

S: Light bready malt and lemon... what else would you expect.

T: White bread, and light sweet lemon citrus... not a mouth puckering bitter lemon.

M: Light and crisp. Very slight lemon aftertaste.

D: Pound session style.

Atmosphere is pretty strong. Giant, foamy head and solid head. Nose is very light malt and lemon. Flavor follows suit with a very light flavor with a bit of lemon...not so much as to overwhelm though. Overall, this is decent quaff.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 00:23:17 | More by bmwats