Samuel Adams White Ale - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

stella77artois

New York

4.39/5  rDev +25.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Love this beer. Could just be my personal tastes changing a bit over time, but I remember it being slightly better when it was a spring seasonal. Again, not sure if it's actually changed, or it's just me.

Whenever I've gotten the beer on tap, it always has a nice head, and there seems to be a lot going on in the beer. Hints of orange, a good amount of typical Sam Adams flavor, and even a hint of ginger.

Feel good on the tongue, not too dry. Very refreshing, yet tasty at the same time. Still excellent in a bottle, but better on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2013 15:32:07 | More by stella77artois

FlatRabbitRed

Arizona

4/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The lighter end of the chain for Samuel Adams, if you like wheat beers this is a good one. Good choice for a mixed selection in the varity packs. Like a standard american beer plus, they are classifing this as a witbier ....could it also be a lawnmower beer?

Citrus, floral, wheat light bodies thirst quincher beer

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 17:24:59 | More by FlatRabbitRed

kangarooAdam59

Wyoming

2.73/5  rDev -22%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

At Appleby's, but the waitress thought it was their "winter ale:"

In a pint glass:

A: foggy, slightly golden colored body with a thin white head that only lasted about a couple seconds

S: some hops, lemon, orange, tangerine combined in an earthy sort of way

T: bittersweet through citrus and hops

M: medium, slightly sessionable, citrusy aftertaste, sticky finish

O: good for a witbier, uh . . . only decent to me, unsure if I'd come back to ....?

Serving type: on-tap

01-22-2012 01:27:11 | More by kangarooAdam59

Pintofbrown

Iowa

3.65/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this Wit in a nonic pint.

Appearance- The cap bone white and pretty bubbly. The lid is puffy and cratery. It looks nice! Retention could be better as it is already down to half a finger.

The body is a foggy golden-copper with decent carbonation columns.

Smell- There is some Noble hops scent that is all over the place in this one. It is a little earthy and slightly lemony.

Taste- The beer has some subtle citrus hints, but not really anything that would mistake it for a Belgian Wit. Most offerings have had that pear, banana or peppery flavor that gives it the wit characteristic.

After the citrus backbone some musty Noble hops make an apperance.

Mouth feel- This is a good medium body that is fairly creamy, slightly watery.

Overall- The beer does not have much in the way of smells that distinguish themselves. The taste is really not bad, but I would not call it a wit so much. It seems too watered down in complex flavors for that.

I think this beer is okay to drink, and would be really refreshing in the summer with it's soft citrus profile and slight musty hop profile.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 01:38:28 | More by Pintofbrown

ChrisCage

Alberta (Canada)

3.35/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours an ever so slightly hazed golden color, and appears to have plenty of carbonation. The head isn't that impressive at first, being maybe about half a finger thick, but it retains very well, virtually staying the same for 5 minutes before eventually settling into a foamy film over the brew. As for lacing, it is there but in a subtle fashion.

S- Fruity and spicy best describes this beer. There are hints of orange and grapefruit zest, along with other citrus such as lemon-lime. The spices consist of cloves, sweet ginger, and cinnamon. Underlying all of this, is a very mild floral aroma. Hops are muted but present on the finish.

T- Overall, I find the flavor to be subdued. It is mainly characterized by sweet malts and soft vanilla, balanced with zesty citrus notes. I didn't really notice much in terms of spice, but I do find this to be refreshingly tasty....just not quite what I was expecting for a Wit.

M- This is quite light in body and is carbonated a little heavier than I would have liked....it is very zippy on the palate. As mentioned earlier, it is quite refreshing and the flavors, while moderate, aren't offensive at all....nicely balanced!

O- Out of any Sam Adams brews I've tried to date, this one disappoints a bit. It's not that it's a bad beer, but I think it's an underwhelming brew for what I was expecting and I know it can be brewed with more umph! Still, it is an easy drinking wheat ale that I wouldn't have any issues with enjoying at any time and think it's well suited to anyone getting into the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2011 23:26:52 | More by ChrisCage

kflorence

California

3/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle, pours a hazy yellow color with pretty nice head that fades into lacing on the glass as you drink. Very carbonated beer, smells of fruits, spice, malts and yeast. Tastes much the same, overall a little bready and thin with an overpowering citrus/orange peel and spice flavor that seems to be a little overbearing. Nothing special here, I’ll stick to the Belgian brews.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2011 01:59:38 | More by kflorence

tykees88

Indiana

3.48/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- straw to orange ish color. one finger white head. lacing that is less than impressive.

S- coriander and orange peel. biscuit malts.

T- Tastes alot like the smell here. A fruity flavor with some spice to it. There is not much if any hop flavor, and that is disappointing.

M- Medium to light on the mouthfeel. carbonated nicely.

O-It's nice. a good blue moon alternative if you're trying to slowly pull people away from macro

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2011 16:34:18 | More by tykees88

UpNorthLager

Wisconsin

3.43/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A well-balanced beer, with a hint of spice. A fine amber color, full head, not too much aroma, though I was cooking chicken tikka masala at the time. (I'd have to say I was pleased with the pairing.)

I think I was expecting a little more richness to the additional flavors, but I was satisfied with it as a beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2011 01:24:21 | More by UpNorthLager

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

First had: on tap at a Chili's somewhere

Poured a hazy golden brown, with moderate carbonation, and a nice frothy white head. Some sediment visible in the glass. Crisp citrus in the aroma. Crisp taste, wheat, citrus zest, coriander, and some peppery spice. A little bit stale and bitter though. Light-medium mouthfeel, somewhat drinkable; an okay wit.

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2011 21:04:17 | More by Rifugium

nimrod979

Maryland

3.85/5  rDev +10%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle pours a golden color with a slight haze. Medium white head that doesnt stick around for too long. Sublte citrus fruit and spice aromas. Coriander. Flavor is pretty much the same. Orange and citusy fruity flavors with a slight Belgian spice and wheat flavors. Light to medium mouthfeel. Smooth and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2011 21:43:07 | More by nimrod979

bierschmecktgut

Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured slightly hazy but displayed nice rising carbonation. Pale/Straw yellow with a frothy head. Has left little lacing.

Dry malt aroma with soury-grass like hops play even but not super pleasing on the nose.

well balanced profile of hop/malt throughout. the finish is slightly tart but crisp and refreshing. No lingering bitterness or tongue coating, especially with the creamy mouthfeel. Having trouble finding the citrus notes but coriander is evident and stands out solo.

Again, minimally tart and refreshing - good mouthfeel, smooth finish with good carbonation - a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2011 00:54:50 | More by bierschmecktgut

Bfarr

Washington

2.95/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Hazy straw and thin white frothy head with good retention. Little floral wheat aroma. Balance of wheat and spice with light sweetness. Notes of coriander and orange peel. Tacky, grainy and foamy feel.

Feel is very unlike SA beer. It’s very distracting and ultimately almost ruins the beer. Otherwise it’s a fairly good tasting beer but lacks in aroma and feel.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2011 02:03:27 | More by Bfarr

happygnome

Minnesota

3.7/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

a: pours a hazy orange color with about a quarter inch of head that disappears quickly leaving a little trace of lace around the top of the beer and edge of the glass. There is a little noticeable sediment on the bottom of the glass, not enough to turn someone off to the beer though. Carbonation continues to rise to the top of the beer.

s: Tangy sweet with a little sour lemon aroma. Orange, clove sweet grassy aroma.

t: sweet crisp flavor charactorized by citrusy orange and lemon flavors

m: light bodied beer with a good amount of carbonation

A decent beer, I enjoyed it

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2011 23:35:46 | More by happygnome

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Its Sunday night after a tough loss on the ice....lower right back is tender from a spill....needed some bottle of healing....so I am trying hte White Ale...working off a mixed 12pck. The White ale is a yellow unfiltered beer with decent carbonation and white head that seems to be lacing nicely. The nose is very subtle, but I sensed orange peel and some spice. The taste is typical of most witbiers...there is a tingling of the buds from the spices they brewed the beer with then is ome off the pallete nice a crisp. A decent beer for after hockey. Mouthfeel is fine...not sure I would session this beer because I am not that big of fan of Witbiers. Sammy A did another fine job with this one!!!!

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2011 04:03:02 | More by WoodBrew

PDXHops

South Carolina

3/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 ounce bottle poured into a mug. Name aside, the only thing white about the beer is the frothy head; the body itself is golden and bubbly. Somewhat hazy. Okayish retention and lace.

Not a lot in the way of Belgian aromas; almost pilsnerish, actually. Lightly sweet, gentle noble hops, very gentle Belgian yeast character. Tastes OK if uninspired. Kinda of a hybrid between Stella and a mildly hopped pils. Not a bad beer at all, but this style can bring a lot more to the table.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2011 02:30:38 | More by PDXHops

bristol2120

Illinois

2.15/5  rDev -38.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Pours with a quickly dissipating head that leaves only a thin layer of foam in its wake. Beer is a pale golden with aslight amount of haziness. Aroma is a bit off-putting, with an odd chemically presence, slightly reminiscent of disinfectant that I have notices in other SA products. Taste reflects this odd presence as well. Mouthfeel is a bit thin, but has a decent level of carbonation. Overall, I was very disappointed in this effort, and had a similar reaction as I did when I sampled SA's Coastal Wheat.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2011 04:22:20 | More by bristol2120

40oztofreedom89

California

3.03/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Drinking this as i review it. Poured from a 12oz bottle into a snifter. not much head to speak of, and what little head there was, dissapeared quickly. The nose very malty, with a hint of smoke in it. mouthfeel is very good, its very creamy. This beer is moderately bitter, but mainly sweet. The beer's appearance is very cloudy, and golden yellow. i'm tempted to call it a mix between amber and yellow. could be more carbonation. Overall, its an ok beer, not sam's best though

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2011 04:43:07 | More by 40oztofreedom89

EricCioe

Montana

3.35/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This pours a really light straw with a two finger white head that sticks around and leaves good lace. On the nose this smells like wet straw with some spices present with some slight hop spice mixed in. There is some yeast further back with some wheat. (Historical aside - Justin Verlander just no-hit the Blue Jays.) In the mouth it's roughly the same set of things, with the wheat sticking out a little further with the spices. The body is pretty light and it drinks quite easily, a short finish making this refreshing and nice.

Overall, this is a decent beer, definitely something to drink on a hot day, but nothing to really make you sit up and proclaim this an amazing beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2011 22:53:02 | More by EricCioe

HockeytownBrew

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +23.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Samuel Adams glass

A: Pours a cloudy, yellowish-orange haze. Finger width head that fades quickly, with next to no lacing left behind.

S: Very nice scent of wheat, hops, citrus, coriander - this is going to be a good one, I can tell right away.

T: Very pleasant. Very well balanced combination of wheat and hops with the citrus making its presence felt.

M: Medium bodied and moderately carbonated. Very crisp and finishes smooth

D: Good drinkability. Found myself wanting more.

Very good brew again from the BBC.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 05:44:54 | More by HockeytownBrew

metter98

New York

3.53/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is hazy pale yellow in color and has a light to moderate amount of carbonation. It poured with a thin layer of white bubbles that consistently covered the surface.
S: There are light aromas of wheat in the nose.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and also has notes of citrus and spices in the flavors.
M: It feels light-bodied and a bit watery on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The beer is easy to drink but isn’t really that refreshing or thirst quenching.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2011 20:07:51 | More by metter98

vfgccp

New York

3.5/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A – Banana yellow with a fully white head that settles quickly with ok lace. A fair dusting of head sticks around throughout the drink.

S – Wheat and light yeast with a mild nuttyness. Soft lemon overtone.

T – Soft wheat crackers with a drop of honey. Light lemon note. The wheat note rolls and builds throughout the backend.

M – Light body. Touch watery. Low carbonation. Sweet, bready finish.

O – Nice flavors, but the mouthfeel could use a little work.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2011 03:47:27 | More by vfgccp

woemad

Washington

3.53/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle from a seasonal 12-pk. Best by next month, according to the label.

Pours a hazy, pale gold color, with a huge creamy white head that took it's time settling.

Earthy wheat scent vies with a lemony tartness and mild spices. Not the best smelling witbier-ish beer I've come across but not bad.

Mildly earthy and tart tasting, with some sweet, honeyish tones and some spicy notes in the background. Not exactly a flavor bomb, but not too bad.

A little more body to the style than I prefer, but not too bad. It could stand to be a little crisper in my opinion.

A decent beer for when you want a little flavor but aren't looking for a flavor bomb. I'm a little perplexed as to why BBC are making this a fall/winter seasonal, as it seems more like something suited for spring.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2011 23:48:48 | More by woemad

brewemstrong

Tennessee

3.73/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Very light yellow that's cloudy and very carbonated. A good two finger, off white head and great lacing.

S: A solid hop character about this beer with pineapple and clove notes. It smells pretty sweet and maybe yeasty. Very inviting

T: What one would expect from a wheat beer but a lighter citrus taste than say, Blue Moon. There's also a spice that I can't place but complements the hops

M: The flavors blend well giving a light bodied but full flavor. The carbonation hits hard yet doesn't dilute the spice.

O: I would buy this beer again. It's an easy drink and wheat beers don't tend to overpower. The alcohol is barely present and the spice blend is solid

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2011 02:00:54 | More by brewemstrong

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Slightly more than a fingers worth of perfectly uniform crisp pure white head... Slight retention gives way to a lacing... A slightly pale gold color... A medium amount of briskly paced carbonation... Clean and 100% translucent...

S - Loaded with wheat... Some lemon zest... Just a very subtle touch of spiciness... A little subdued overall, but still quite refreshing and inviting...

T - Wehat and assorted grainy malts... A touch of honey... Some faint lemon zest... Even fainter orange zest...

M - On the lighter side of medium bodied... Nicely carbonated... Very crisp... Clean and refreshing... Quite simple, but very well executed...

D - Simple and straightforward... Easy drinking and rather sessionable... Not an overly remarkable Witbier, but yet another solid member of the Samuel Adams line-up... I would have no trouble throwing back a couple of these, though it would be my first choice for a wheat based brew...

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2011 22:56:19 | More by philbe311

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This white ale pours out as a cloudy opaque yellowish gold color. There a small amount of sediment in the bottle after the pour. The aromas are slightly floral and grainy. The taste of this beer is a little bit of citrus upfront that fades into the wheat back bone. There is a little bit of some wild flower type of thing in there too but very mellow. The mouthfeel is smooth and lightly carbonated. This is a decent but very drinkable white ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2011 23:48:02 | More by Knapp85