Samuel Adams White Lantern

Brewed By: Boston Beer Company in Boston, Massachusetts 
Purchased: 12oz bottle from the 2013 Sam Adams Winter Classics variety pack bought at Binny's in IL; 2013
Style/ABV: Witbier/Belgian White, 5.5%

Reported IBUs: 10

Tonight I'm knocking out the rest of the new beers from the 2013 Winter Classics variety pack. About Sam Adams:

The Boston Brewing Company/Sam Adams is, of course, the brain child of Jim Koch (and Harry M. Rubin and Lorenzo Lamadrid). Founded in 1984, Jim Koch got the ball rolling after college when he decided to resurrect and brew his favorite family recipe. That recipe belonged to his great-great grandfather, Louis Koch, and dates back to the 1870s (where it was brewed in a St. Louis brewery). That infamous family brew is the Sam Adams Boston Lager, of course. You can read more about the history of the Boston Brewing Company HERE, or check out their website HERE.  

The White Lantern is a Belgian-style Witbier/White brewed with Spalt Spalter Noble Hops, and two row pale malt, wheat malt, and Ida Pils malts. Clocking in at 5.5% ABV and 10 IBUs, this beer features the addition of tangerine and orange peel, coriander, and Grains of Paradise.  

Samuel Adams White Lantern

The beer pours into a hazy orange body, and kicks up one or two fingers of sea foam white head. In bright light, the beer is a gorgeous orange color, with jets of carbonation rocketing upwards. There's some lacing on my glass, and the bright white head is sustaining nicely. 

The aroma on this beer is very subtle, with lots of wheat, coriander and lemon, orange peel and orange, a hint of clove, a hint of the Grains of Paradise, and lots of wheat-grain wheat punch.

Ehhhh...this is shaping up to be my least favorite of the 2013 Winter Classics. You get a wash of malty wheat with some Grains of Paradise/Coriander driven spice, hints of lemon and orange, and lots of bready wheat. There's a good amount of lemon asserting itself in this beer, and some hints of grass along with the wheat. It just tastes like it is missing something...but it's not offensive and it is on point for the style.

I love my Grains of Paradise and Belgian Whites. This beer is okay. It's drinkable at 5.5%, has a nice balance of wheat malt and lemony spices, and a dash of orange peel too boot. It is the perfect vehicle for the holiday season, despite having average complexity and average palate depth. The mouthfeel is light-bodied with high levels of carbonation and creamy density. Up front: wheat and Grains of Paradise; that rolls into coriander and lemon with more wheat; back end is trailing lemon/orange peel, and the finish is malty. 

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Average on this. It's not offensive, it's not amazing, it's par the course. But, definitely an appropriate Winter/holiday beer. I would pair this beer with some glazed ham or Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner. I could see this going well with sweet potatoes and pineapple. 

Random Thought: And now...the Cherry Chocolate Bock