Samuel Adams Maple Pecan Porter - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

Amish_Ambush

2.8/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75

What is this in the Sam Adams spring variety pack? Maple Pecan Porter? Yikes. I am as skeptical as a browns fan during a coaching change. Let's see what we got here:

Appearance: Dark mahogany brown. Can see through the glass without holding it up to the light, Off white head dissolves into thick lacing.
Smell: Maple obviously.
Taste: Coffee, maple, nut with slight milk chocolate note. Tastes a little syrupy with a slight rusty aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, While I wouldn't call this watery, it is missing a little something. Perhaps by design but not up to snuff when compared to high quality porters.
Overall: Not impressed with this offering. It's not Cranberry lambic bad, but I can't think of another Sam Adams beer that this beats out. Maybe it is on par with the winter lager but.... eh.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 01:38:48 | More by Amish_Ambush

lordofthewiens

Maine

2.83/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

In a pint glass the beer was dark reddish brown with a medium-sized tan head. There was a bit of lace.

Sweet chocolate aroma. Some coffee.

Taste of maple syrup and chocolate. There was a distinctly bitter unpleasant aftertaste.

Ugh! Something wrong with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 22:27:53 | More by lordofthewiens

CaptJackHarkness

New York

2.84/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75

From twelve ounce bottle freshness dated to June 2013.

Aroma like a sweet stout, but bready. Poured a clear ruddy brown with off white head. Head lasts under a minute with spotty lacing of glass. Taste is sour, biting. Burnt pancakes! No pecan hint at all unless they used burnt nutshells! Was it maple syrup or the bark of the tree they used? Another drainpour for me!

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 02:11:59 | More by CaptJackHarkness

stakem

Pennsylvania

2.95/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz brown bottle into a matching Sam Adams sensory glass. Big thanks go to Eric for gifting me with a couple bottles form this new seasonal variety pack. The brew appears brown in color that displays some polished clarity without being held to the light. Some ruby to mahogany coloration is seen around the edges and a frothy 1.5 finger of khaki head rests atop. The cap slowly fades leaving a wall of lace sticking to the glass.

The aroma has suggestions of minerals initially that fade to a bit of maple sweetness. A very mild amount of roasted grain character imparts some traces of chocolate and coffee also through the nose along with a hint of citrus hops to contrast. There is almost a birch or root beer essence also emitting from the glass. When swirled some hints of sulfur emerge.

The flavor of this brew starts off with almost a hint of root or birch beer coupled with traces of minerals and a bit of carbonic quality. A sweetness is present tasting like artificial coffee flavored syrup and maple with a faint grainy nutty aspect. There is very little roastiness about this brew and the aftertaste has a hint of bitterness coming from a flavor of herbal hops. As the brew warms up, this gets a sort of cola feel about it which reverts to my initial impressions of birch or root beer.

This is a lighter bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. The alcohol is hidden quite well but I gotta admit that the flavor profile here is a bit of a train wreck. For something described as a pecan maple porter, I didnt get much pecan or maple flavor and this was more like root beer or birch beer than a porter. It lacked any significant amount of grain quality and seemed to be just too artificial tasting. Not a fan of this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 02:10:18 | More by stakem

Dcmpres

California

2.99/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Light caramel in color with off-white head that leaves a wispy lace throughout the glass.

S: Subdued notes of earth, chocolate with hints of candied maple pecans.

T: A little thin on the entry, but it gains weight and sweetness with the candied pecan lingering into a delicate finish.

M: Light to medium bodied with good carbonation that maintains a crisp balance point to the sweet maple finish.

O: This was a decent offering for a specialty porter.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 00:36:42 | More by Dcmpres

CraftBeerTastic

Pennsylvania

3.01/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Ba Review #252
Served On: 2/8/2013
Glassware: DFH Chalice
Labeled ABV: 5.6%
Date/ Code: June

This was a 12oz bottle from the spring mixed 12 pack I picked up at Evergreen Liquors in Frederick, MD ($15.99).

Look: Filled the glass with a dark muddy brown while bronze tinges outlined the edges of the glass. The head was a thick light-tan color with lacing already coating the sides. Carbonation was difficult to detect given the dark nature of the appearance.

Smell: Roasted notes with some diacetyl that came through. A sweet brown sugar character seemed to dominate the nose. I guess it could also be perceived as maple with some nutty almond mixed in. I’ve often wondered if Same Adams waits until these newer offerings are brewed before they name them. That way every batch will fit the name - exactly.

Taste: Anyway, this beer definitely drinks better warm. I first tried it at fridge temps and all I got were roasted malts with a nasty metallic flavor. Once the beer warmed - the metallic turned in to a burnt brown sugar followed by a nutty character. The finish was fairly clean. The brown sugar sweetness did linger for a moment. Other than that, not much going on beside the typical porter thing.

This porter was ok. Nothing to spectacular. It would probably be good with a burger or some sort of comfort dish like potato soup or chicken pot-pie.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 17:08:15 | More by CraftBeerTastic

akuczero

North Carolina

3.15/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured into a pint glass. Appearance is very dark with a mocha head. Malty, sweet smell. Very Nice lacing. Just like the smell this is a very sweet beer. Taste like pecan pie in beer form. Has a thick mouthfeel. Overall a beer I wouldn't mind trying again but not something I would look for again.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 06:26:08 | More by akuczero

TheFunGuy

Virginia

3.16/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Purchased in a variety pack box. This pours a thick black with a tight but quickly fading lace.

The smell is light malt, nut, and a bitterish flavor I am going to call dishwasher.

The taste is the same, with a touch of sweet.

I like nuts in beer, so I would have really liked this. However, just as Bud Platinum can be best said to have a dish soap aftertaste, so does this have an odd bitter taste and smell which is like what hits you when you open the dishwasher during the wash cycle.

Yes, I did rinse the heck out of my glass first, it was the beer.

If it were not for this faint but there smell and taste this would have been a real winner. With these issues it is knocked down to okay plus.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 01:04:13 | More by TheFunGuy

Goosehunter75

Missouri

3.18/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

A - Poured a deer rusty amber color with a nice offwhite head

S - Smelled a little maple and malts

T - There were tastes of maple up front wwith slight hints of chocolate and coffee. There was a bitter cherry flavor on the finish

M - Medium bodied beer. Was slightly creamy with a dry finish

O - Good beer but nothing special. Too light for a porter in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 22:09:47 | More by Goosehunter75

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.19/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Poured from bottle into a pint glass

Appearance- Pours a deep brown color with a cream colored head. The head fades rather fast leaving a medium level of lacing on the sides of the glass.

Smell- The aroma is a mainly sweet, being a mix of maple syrup and toffee with light roasted malt and chocolate notes as well as a nutty aroma.

Taste – The taste is as the nose would predict. It begins with a roasted malt and chocolate and brown bread flavor and a big sweetness of maple syrup and brown sugar up front. The sweeter and bready flavors last throughout the whole taste and are joined by a nutty flavor more toward the middle and the end of the taste. In the end the combo of flavors leaves a sweet and lightly roasted nut flavor to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel- The body of the beer is average in terms of thickness and the carbonation level is average as well . A bit of a thicker body may have been better for the roasted, maple and nutty flavors of the brew, but overall it wasn't too bad as the thinner body did make it a bit easier to drink with all the sweetness.

Overall- A little too much sweetness and not quite enough roastiness in a porter for me. Not really my fave of the Sams.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 03:05:24 | More by Darkmagus82

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.21/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Pours a deep dark copper color that appears almost black in the glass with mahogany edges and a one finger off-white head that quickly settles into a thin, lasting ring. Minimal spotty lacing left behind.

Slightly smokey aroma with a balance of roasted and sweet malt notes. Deeply roasted notes at first with hints of coffee bean, oatmeal and toast followed by caramel, toffee and nut. I'm not really picking up much maple/syrup but the pecans begin to show as it warms.

On the lighter end of medium bodied with a combination of dry roast, sweet malt and pecan notes. Again, I'm only picking up the faintest bit of maple but the pecan stands out a lot more than in the nose, especially in the finish. Slightly smokey and acrid up front with some toast, burnt malt, coffee bean and oatmeal but this is balanced by sweeter notes of caramel, toffee, hazelnut and some biscuit. The roasted pecan flavor lingers long in the finish giving an otherwise mediocre beer another layer of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 08:24:33 | More by corby112

Bitterbill

Wyoming

3.21/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

June is notched on this single that I bought.

A- A very nice looking brew. Dark brown colour, +1" head of tannish foam. Good lacing.

S- Big aroma of maple, hints of roast.

T- Maple up front, pecans there but not particularly tasty in a good way...were they bbq'ed? Very sweet overall.

M- Not much carbonation in this bottle but goodish mf for the most part.

O: One and done. I expected more from the inclusion of pecans and didn't get it.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 15:19:27 | More by Bitterbill

Cavanaghty

Maine

3.23/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a Sma Adams glass.

Appearance: Dark reddish brown color, with a thin off white head. No lacing left, and head went away quickly. Had the carbonation of a soda.

Smell: Not a strong smelling brew, some hints of roasted malts and maybe coffee??

Mothfeel/Taste: Smooth and medium bodied, yet watery. Taste of roasted malts and grain mostly, some nutty qualities. But now maple or pecan to really speak of.

Overall: I was really hopeing this beer would be better, but I am a little disappointed at Sam Adams for a lack of flavor. I will probably not buy this one again.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 16:47:53 | More by Cavanaghty

brentk56

North Carolina

3.24/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours a coffee brown color with a large tan head; nice retention and lacing action

Smell: Candied pecans with a hint of chocolate

Taste: Candied pecans, up front, with the maple building from start to finish; in the middle, there is a dusting of chocolate; the aftertaste features a grainy element; the maple just lingers on in the aftertaste

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: Not much of a porter, this is more of a gimmicky beer (and not a very good one, at that)

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 00:18:09 | More by brentk56

bourbonbock

New York

3.25/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured a 12 oz bottle into a clean pint glass and received the following.

A. Dark chestnut colored body topped with a tan head about 2 fingers thick that dropped to a cap for the remainder of the experience.

S. The smell reminds me of french toast with hints of cinnamon, vanilla, and nuts, and of course syrup. It also has that sam adams yeastiness.

T. The taste begins with a roasted bread flavor and also nuttiness and and burnt marshmallows.

M. Light on the tongue with a nice creamy feel down the throat but slight burnt flavor after swallowing.

I would definitely drink this beer if I bought the sampler pack again but don't think I could have more than two due to the mixture of flavors.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 00:45:15 | More by bourbonbock

Zorro

California

3.26/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Clear dark brown colored beer with a small tan colored head.

Smells sweet with a smoked malt aroma and a fair scent of smoke. Other scents are caramel and nut. Faint maple detected.

Starts out bittersweet with a very strong patent malt taste upfront. Strongly bittersweet. Maple and caramel flavors but I just can't detect all that much more from it except a burnt sugar flavor.

Mouthfeel is OK.

Overall just average. The bittersweet flavor just isn't balanced enough.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 01:48:39 | More by Zorro

PicoPapa

Connecticut

3.28/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

12oz bottle with a Best Before Date notched at July. Pours a dark mahogany color with almost no head. Virtually no lacing. The aroma is nutty with sweet caramel, malts and earth. The taste is nutty with maple syrup up front followed by malts and earth. Almost cloyingly sweet, but its not too surprising given the maple syrup. Bit of a hazelnut taste at the end. Sweet maple syrup flavor throughout. Light mouthfeel . Pretty thin for a porter. Overall, nothing special but not a bad beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 00:01:35 | More by PicoPapa

ggourde

Missouri

3.29/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5

On the pour it looked a tad syrupy (no pun intended). Near black, head barely rose when I poured. Maple aroma comes out, seems overly sweet. Over halfway done and maple smell still going strong. Maple and pecan are very present. However, it was not cloying as I thought it would be. Clean finish. Mouthfeel is full, heavy and a bit syrupy.

Overall, possibly a good dessert beer, or with cheese. But rather thick.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 00:20:52 | More by ggourde

KajII

North Carolina

3.3/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

[Suggested Glassware: Nonic Pint]

The pour was a clear dark mahogany brown with an average (1-2 finger) light tan rocky head that had decent retention, reducing to a medium film and large collar with good spotty lacing.

The aroma I thought was a little off, although still somewhat appealing of a roasted bread malt and a doughy yeast with notes of milk chocolate, dark roasted coffee, maple syrup, a mild nuttiness and a lingering odor or cardboard.

The taste was malty sweet and very roasty with a hint of chocolate early on, becoming a tad bitter with a decent coffee presence along with a slight maple sweetness and a hint of smoke at the end. The flavor lasted an average duration after the swallow with a lingering roastiness left behind.

Mouthfeel was medium in body with a lightly dry, oily texture and a lively carbonation.

Overall I was quite glad the taste of this brew was more appealing than the aroma. It possessed a nice nutty roastiness along with a light smoky sweetness, very nice...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 20:02:10 | More by KajII

tjsdomer2

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Appearance: Looks like Coca-Cola. Pretty flat, but a nice brown color with a hint of red.

Smell: Mineral water and a hint of maple syrup.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Initially there are a lot of toasted pecans. I like this a bit, because of the hint of maple in the finish. Very unique. Could/should be bolder. Medium-body finish that's quite smoky.

Overall Drinkability: A novel idea that doesn't quite work as well as it could. Still a decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 02:24:34 | More by tjsdomer2

kojevergas

California

3.36/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The name makes it sound good, so I'm looking forward to it. Acquired as part of Boston Beer Co.'s Spring Thaw pack ($16 for a 12 pack at grocery stores in SoCal). 12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a conical Samuel Smith's pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are well above average. 5.60% ABV confirmed.

Served straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a four finger khaki colour head of good cream, nice thickness, and very good retention. Body colour is a dark dull caramel brown. Semitranslucent; nontransparent. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. The colour is a bit underwhelming, but otherwise it's par for the style.

Sm: Maple syrup, light roasted barley, chocolate malt, caramel, a bit of java/coffee roast, and delightfully evocative pecan nut. Pecan is a highlight here and comes through in a pleasant way, though overall it seems too sweet and malty for a porter. Some spice. A strong appealing aroma.

T: Maple syrup and evocative pecan nut. Biscuit and dark malts comprise the simple unobtrusive foundation. Some cream. Chocolate malts (not chocolate itself). A bit of coffee when I look for it. Overall, it's a bit too sweet and lacks the roasted character I look for in a great porter, but then it's not trying to be a great porter. I do love the pecan; it's a nice touch and works well with the maple. Well balanced and built for a simple macrobrew porter. I like it. No yeast character comes through, nor does any alcohol. I don't expect any yeast character in a porter anyway.

Mf: A bit overcarbonated. Smooth and wet, with a nice creamy feel that I always appreciate. Good thickness, though perhaps a bit overbearing on the palate for its lack of complex or truly deep flavours. It suits the flavour profile well in a general sense, but doesn't feel custom tailored to it.

Dr: Well priced for its quality. I'd have it on-draught. One of the nicer beers from Boston Beer Co. That said, it's not excellent and fans of truly great beers wouldn't be remiss to pass over this one. I'm glad I tried it, though it wouldn't be enough to convince me to buy the Spring Thaw pack again next year; I'd prefer a new offering. I can see why it's getting pretty good reviews from some. It scratches an itch, and there's a lot to be said for that. There are far worse widely distributed porters out there at this price point, but there are far better local releases for around the same price as well. I could drink this one all night.

B-

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 00:41:00 | More by kojevergas

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.36/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Part of the Samuel Adams Mix-pack - $12.99 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours a dark, russet-brown body with a medium-sized, wispy, faint ecru head. A thin spittle of lacing.

Smell: Toasted breadcrusts, toasted pecan additive, and roasted coffee beans, with a spritz of maple make up the nose. Smells more akin to an International Delight coffee creamer!

Taste: Pale malts with a toasty edge and a coffee grain note that blends into the pecan flavoring. Modestly sweet. Maple eventually gets overtaken by the coffee note and pecan flavoring. In fact, for me, this coffee/pecan kick just carries on through the finish and into the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation.

Overall: I had prepped myself for what was to be a flavored porter, though, I had hoped for something just a bit more restrained, if you will. Sure, it is better than those flavored Saranac porters, though!

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 21:26:58 | More by ChainGangGuy

oline73

Maryland

3.39/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

This is a geek murky beer. The carbonation is a bit on the high side. Just a touch of maple in the nose. Not a particularly sweet beer. Some maple and pecan. Roasted malt bitterness need balanced. Good retention. This isn't something I need to revisit.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 18:37:43 | More by oline73

cjgator3

Florida

3.39/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

12oz bottle

A- Pours a dark brown color with a tan colored head.

S- The aroma is sweet maple syrup, roasted malts, chocolate, and coffee.

T- The taste is very sweet up front with more of the maple syrup flavors along with a smooth nutty finish. It is good, but the sweetness does become a little overwhelming at some points.

M- The mouthfeel is between light and medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation.

O- Overall, I enjoyed this beer more than I thought I would. The flavors really go well together. However, the sweetness limits the drinkability for this beer. It is not something that I would want to drink more than one bottle of in a single sitting.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 03:11:40 | More by cjgator3

teromous

Virginia

3.4/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Dark brown and black body, with a light tan fluffy head. Some lacing spots, but not much. The head stands well.

S: Roasted notes of coffee, slightly metallic, and maple syrup (very faint).

T: Lots of roasted flavor. I can taste the grain flavor, backed by some rich coffee-like espresso flavor. I get a hint of maple, but not much. The bottle label says "Maple Pecan Porter" but I don't taste any pecan. This is predominantly a roast-forward porter. It is a good robust porter though. Some maple syrup in the aftertaste.

M: The mouthfeel is pretty dry but retains just enough texture not to dry out the mouth completely, and maintains a smooth dryness. It's slightly sticky, moderate grain bitterness, and is very easy to drink. It would be very easy to drink a few of these.

O: Overall I thought the beer was nice...for a porter. I got some maple but I felt it was buried behind the roasted flavors. I didn't get pecan at all. I felt robbed in these respects. It's not a bad beer by any scale, but it just didn't seem to work. I would enjoy drinking it as a porter, but I probably won't be buying it again. I can get nearly the same experience with any run-of-the-mill porter out there.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 15:59:53 | More by teromous