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

gmfessen

Michigan

3.69/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from the bottle into a pint glass, SA Maple Pecan Porter is a deep mahogany in color with a monsterously frothy off-white head. The nose is definitely malty sweet - maple, caramel, brown sugar, chocolate and toffee. The taste reflects the porter nature of the beer; light, sweeter notes are complimented by darker, drying notes of burnt chocolate and coffee. Mouthfeel is light to medium in body with a whip-cream like head and less than active carbonation. Overall, not a bad beer but not SA's most impressive either.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 23:32:06 | More by gmfessen

RWLawman

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A - Dark mahogany brown. Poured somewhat aggressively, and was initially left with a half-inch thick head, which quickly dissolved into next to nothing. Very little lacing on the glass, too.

S - My first thought was, "wet dog" honestly. However, upon agitating the beer a bit, I picked up on the different characteristics I expected -- maple syrup, brown sugar, malt, and a nutty scent.

T - Very sweet, but not to the point of being unpleasant. The maple seems to capture the first half of the flavor, followed by an almost woody flavor, along with the nutty flavor of the pecan. Maybe the slightest hint of chocolate notes, but mostly this beer is as advertised -- maple sweetness and pecan, somewhat resembling a nice pecan pie.

M - Syrupy, but with moderate carbonation. Pretty thick, but I prefer my beers that way. All in all, I've been generally pleased with Samuel Adams' beers' consistency.

O - I like this beer for its uniqueness, and true-to-name flavor. A lot of times you buy a beer that is called something it is everything but. In this case, you get what you ask for.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 02:27:00 | More by RWLawman

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

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.56/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I was the most excited about this of any beers in the spring mix. I wanted it to be better, because I just love maple, but it fell short of lofty expectations. pour is nice, medium density brown with a red glow when held to the light, and two inches of khaki head. the nose is really sweet, like breakfast syrup. the nutty vibe is amazingly fresh, roasty, and rich. unfortunately, the maple syrup taste like the artificial crap, not the lovely nectar the region is known for. its too sweet, brutally thick, and just not as pure is it probably should be. again, the pecan component is very well done, and is the saving grace of this porter. the feel would be great without all the residual sugar because the body is nice and full and the carbonation is pleasantly bright. I wish they would give this one a do over. too sugary to drink more than one of, and while I didn't dislike it altogether, the maple syrup part just didn't work out.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 22:37:36 | More by StonedTrippin

raznug

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +20%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: This porter pours a deep brown color with red hues though out the beer and is topped with ¾” of tan colored head.
Smell: The aroma of this is beer is interesting it has a roasted aroma that blends with the maple aromas that are followed by a nutty aroma that really make my mouth water.
Taste: This is a very tasty brew by Sam Adams the blend of maple syrup, pecans, coffee and chocolate make me really hope they put his beer into 6 packs very soon.
Mouthfeel: This is a medium bodied beer that is tasty yet easy to drink this could be the best Sam Adams that I have ever had, way to go Jim Koch.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 17:59:55 | More by raznug

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

Groomsy

Kentucky

3.61/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle from Spring Thaw pack into a nonic. "Enjoy By" date of June.

What a strange beer. If this is strange to my palate, I don't even want to think about Rogue's experiments with bacon.

MPP has a dark brown body with highlights of ruby red in the light. Topped a creamy khaki that leaves thick lacing, the carbonation helps to hold the head in tact. A good looking porter, though the head loses some of its staying power toward the end.

When cold, this beer has little aroma. As it warms, some sweetness emerges in the usual porter scents - dark roasted coffee and chocolate. However, there is *gasp* some syrupy sweetness lingering in the background with a slight smoky nature to it. The syrup is too dominant in the nose, but it's definitely still there. Behind all of this is a hard-to-define nuttiness. While most usually associate hazelnuts or walnuts with darker styles of ale, this kind of nuttiness has a slight tang to it, a nice contrast from the sweet smell of the rest of the profile. Very interesting, though mild on the nose.

Whoa. Dessert beer. The front of the tongue is hit with a nice mix of dark chocolate and coffee, but then mid-palate, the maple syrup kicks in big time and coats the mouth with a massive sweetness that tends to cloy a little as the beer warms. The pecan nuttiness, tangy and slightly smoky, comes in on the finish. As the beer warms, unfortunately, this fairly well-rounded profile falls apart into a cloying syrupy sweetness. For what it is, though, this is enjoyable.

The mouthfeel is about right for a porter and is on the heavier side of medium-bodied. Some soft carbonation leaves some lingering flavors of syrup and nuts in the finish.

I'm usually not into super sweet beers, but I tried to be as objective as possible with this beer. It starts out quite nice, but falls apart into cloying sweetness toward the end. Overall, however, a solid beer and very enjoyable with brownies. :)

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 23:54:13 | More by Groomsy

flagmantho

Washington

3.79/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: deep red-brown hue with a haze-free body and a moderate effervescence (only visible when held up to the light). Head is a finger of pillowy tan foam with decent retention. Good stuff!

Smell: very sweet and nutty with plenty of maple, caramel and toffee character in there as well. Good, and definitely as-advertised, but a little bit over-the-top for my taste.

Taste: very much like the aroma, with the same big sweetness and big maple/toffee character. Bitterness is relatively low, but it does help balance out the works a bit. Tasty, but still too sweet for me.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a big, well-integrated carbonation. Silky smooth from head to toe; I like it!

Overall: good, but sweet. If you are in the mood for a sweet dessert beer, this could be for you. The sweetness isn't cloying or sickly or anything like that, but it is just a bit more than I'm looking for in a porter.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 22:22:13 | More by flagmantho

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

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

Moose90

Colorado

3.78/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A – Pretty dark, but translucent brown. Mocha head disappears quickly and leaves very thin and light lacing.

S – All the goodness of a good porter. Nice lightly roasted malts, add in sweet maple and nutty notes. Not too sweet, does smell a touch artificial though.

T – Dry roasted malts, the nuttiness comes through on the finish, and there is some sweet maple goodness.

M – Somewhat thin, and overcarbed. Makes for a quite dry experience. Would be better with some more body to it.

O – Not bad. An interesting idea. It is a little light, and has a lingering but not unpleasant sweet aftertaste. Glad I got to try it, but I won't seek it out in the future.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 23:51:54 | More by Moose90

mactrail

California

3.41/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Attractive dark mahogany brown. The usual luxurious Sam Adams head and carbonation. Interesting smell; nutty, burnt sugar, and a little metallic.

Certainly quite strongly flavored with the nuts and syrup. Quite drinkable. The maple flavor is distinct but not overdone. Rather sweet. Thin bodied, and the malt is not so dominant, but that mapley sugar flavor stands out. OK, it's pretty good for a funny flavored beer but the aftertaste is dirty hops and something scorched.

This is quite a novelty but I can't see drinking it again. From the Spring mixed twelve pack purchased at Albertson's supermarket in San Diego. So that means I do have one more to drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 05:31:57 | More by mactrail

Ivanhoes_Backpack

New Brunswick (Canada)

3.45/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

341ml bottle from a spring thaw mix pack (which I paid $17 duty at the border for!... all for the love of beer I guess).

A - looks great, pours a dark amber, 3/4 finger head, lots of lacing.
S - strong maple up front, little booze.
T - mmmaple, some pecan nuttiness, a bit of alcohol in there, some hop bitterness to finish.
M - smooth, even for a porter, but almost too smooth, even a bit watery.
O - Pretty good start to the mix pack, it's a solid sweet dark beer. Looking forward to the next one: IPL

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 23:32:25 | More by Ivanhoes_Backpack

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.56/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Pouts black with hints of brown. Some foam on top but mostly gone. Nutty nose that really grabs the pecans. Like crackerjacks. Taste opens syrup sweet with some nutty malt mixed in. Little over sweet. Faint hop close. Not much like a porter. Just ok.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 02:17:05 | More by KTCamm

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

WoodBrew

Illinois

4.29/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Sammy A has another good one in the maple pecan porter is a decent beer and I'm glad to have a chance to try it. The beer pours a near opaque ruby tinted deep deep amber. The beer is lacing quite nicely with a creamy slight off white head. The scent was the weakest of this beer...I wanted more...hints of sweetness and malt. The taste was pushed by sweetness the pecan was a bit slighted. The mouthfeel was light to medium body with smooth carbonation. Overall a taste ey to drink porter...nice job!

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 02:49:29 | More by WoodBrew

chrisd73

Arizona

3.76/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from bottle into a pint glass.

A - Dark brown with a slight red tinge. Not quite opaque. Tan head of a smidge more than 3/4 inch settles down to a thin head that remains while drinking, Quite a bit of lacing leaves the inside of the glass coated.

S - Smells of maple and maybe a hint of maltiness. Not as complex as I had hoped; seems too sweet/candyish.

T - Sweet, maple. Slight bitterness tries to settle in but is chased of by the sweetness and a slight nutty finish.

M - Creamy, but not too thick. A little bit fizzy at first. Kind of fun one to roll around in the mouth while tasting.

O - As far as what it is trying to be I think it works. Slightly oversweet and the maple overpowers the other flavors a bit, making it feel almost one-dimensional. Still an enjoyable beer, though. Kind of surprised it is in the spring selection because it tastes and feels like something I would want after an autumn hike or in front of an early winter fire.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 01:50:35 | More by chrisd73

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

Damian74Shensky

South Carolina

4.21/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured in Chimay glass.

A - A mahogany color with a finger tan head, some lacing.

S - Pecans, Maple, hint of chocolate.

T - Nuttiness, Maple syrup

M - A medium bodied, nice carbonation, Dry finish. Well balanced.

O - Enjoyed this beer, wish it was all year round. Will get again.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 19:48:29 | More by Damian74Shensky

nickfl

Florida

3.7/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A - Pours with one finger of light brown foam on top of a black body with some minor ruby highlights showing through. The foam settles at a moderate pace and leaves excellent lace.

S - Brown, malty notes of molasses, nutty caramel, and a hint of maple.

T - Lots of dark sugar up front with maple and molasses. Some nutty malt in the middle and a finish of dark bread and more maple.

M - Medium body, moderately low carbonation, and a sweet finish.

D - The pecan and maple are both readily evident and while I enjoy the maple character quite a bit it is really overly sweet and one dimensional in the end.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 08:10:21 | More by nickfl

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.44/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5

Pours a beige tan head. Color is a dark caramel brown.

Taste of caramel, chocolate, and toffee. I pick up the maple syrup flavors. Kind of sweet. The pecan would be hard to pick up if I didn't know it was in this beer.

Mouthfeel is creamy and smooth. Ends a little dry with a lingering bitterness which I found odd.

Decent beer for the price. I'd drink more of it, but not something I'd regularly seek out.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 03:06:56 | More by mothman

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

Duhast500

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a dimpled mug.

The color is a deep dark maroon with a finger and a half of foamy light brown head ans some thick lacing left on the glass.

The smell is maple with some slight pecan aroma in the background. There is such maple flavor that is giving me visions of pancakes.

The taste is different with more of a pecan flavor. There is some juicy flavor that is slightly pruinish with more maple in the back with some slight wood flavor mixed in as well.

The feel of this beer is has a bit of smooth feel and a nice body to this beer. Not heavy but a bit bigger then the typical medium beer there is some great interesting things about this beer that makes it a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 23:50:08 | More by Duhast500

jwc215

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Best by April, 2013:

Pours ruby brown to black with a lasting, thin, off-white head. Ample lacing sticks.

The smell is of maple syrup, chocolate, roasted coffee beans and a hint of pecan. Robust.

The taste is of maple sweetness balanced by roast. Chocolate and a hint of coffee keep the maple from becoming overbearing. There is a pecan nuttiness in the fairly long finish.

It hits full-bodied with a sweet aftertaste - but not too cloying or sticky. A pretty rich brew.

This is a solid porter with maple syrup and a touch of pecan. Pretty complex. Great aroma followed by a delicious taste. The sweetness doesn't overwhelm.

I'm thinking this brewery really knows how to make a porter, but the only two I recall having are in variety packs (this, and the one for Christmas time - which is a great one).

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 17:54:40 | More by jwc215

mikeg67

New Jersey

3.69/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle. Pours dark brown with foamy beige head. Aroma is of bready, nutty malt, hints of hops and dark fruit. Body is full and smooth. Taste is toasted, nutty malt, maple syrup, chocolate, hints of earthy hops and dark fruit. Finish is medium, coffeeish. On a sweet side, but should be good with right food.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 22:46:48 | More by mikeg67