Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Brewed By: Boston Beer Company in Boston, Massachusetts
Purchased: Single bottle (12oz) from Sam Adam's Harvest fall mix-pack purchased in Chicago, IL; 2011
Style/ABV: Vienna, 4.8%

There's not a whole lot to say about Boston Lager that has not been said by a million other folks. Boston Lager was the first beer brewed by Samuel Adams, and the original recipe was developed in St. Louis, Missouri by Louis Koch back in 1860. In 1984, Jim Koch brewed his first batch of Boston Lager in his kitchen. And the rest is pretty much history. You can read more at Wikipedia or at Sam Adam's website. 

A Vienna Lager is a malty, complex, and clean lager with some hop bitterness to provide a balanced finish. Boston Lager clocks in at a surprising 30 IBUs, and is brewed with Two-row Harrington, Metcalfe, and Copeland pale malts. This beer also uses Hallertau Mittelfrueh and Tettnang Tettnanger Noble hops.

 *    *    *    *    *    * 

Samuel Adams Boston Lager

The beer pours with a wonderful amber-orange color. As with most Sam Adams Lager-style beers, this one has a light body with good clarity, and appears to be filtered. There is moderate carbonation in the clear body, and a nice 3-finger head was present after the pour. The head is nice and creamy and slightly off-white with hints of orange. I'm getting some lacing on my glass too. When the 3-finger head does dissolve, it leaves a nice 2-centimeter coating of bubbles and foam. Really nice stuff. 

 

The aroma on Boston Lager is nice and balanced. You get nice clean citrus and pine from the hops. The citrus and pine is complimented with a nice malt note, and I smell some light pale malts, some toast, and some bread. You also pick up on some of the Lager yeast which imparts a slightly "lager spice" quality. Over all, a very fresh, clean, and floral nose.

 

The taste profile is really nice. Very clean, smooth, and creamy. You taste some crisp pine, pulls towards citrus, big toast notes, slight sweet malt notes, and big Lager yeast notes which are quite clean and lightly spicy. 

 

This is a medium-light bodied beer, with a creamy and smooth mouthfeel that is complimented by the fresh hops and the clean Lager yeast. The carbonation is softer, and the finish is slightly dry but refreshing. On the front I get carbonation, sweet malt, and hops. The hops roll through into the middle, and finish on the back end with some toast, hops, and dryness. Super clean, super drinkable.  

Rating: Divine Brew 

Score: 91%

 

Again, there's not much to say here. I love this beer and would never turn it down. This is an American craft beer standby, and a staple to the movement. This is also an excellent Vienna Lager, especially when you consider the availability and the price. Sure, there are better Viennas out there, but Boston Lager is sold at just about every bar, restaurant, and 711 in the United States.

Boston Lager has saved me from having to drink BudMillerCoors on more than one occasion, and it is one of the beers that helped convert me into a craft beer fan. This is a wonderfully balanced, clean, and simple beer. What's not to love?