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

Green Flash Saison Diego

Brewed By: Green Flash Brewing Co. in San Diego, California

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 4-pack purchased at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, Illinois; 2013

Style/ABV: "Session" Saison, 4.5???%

Reported IBUs: 20

First off, congratulations Chicago Blackhawks. Not just for winning this series, and ultimately the Stanley Cup, but for that crazy 7-game series against Detroit. How do you top that? My only regret is I took five years off my life, and my heart hates me. It only seems fair to bring my liver down to that level as well. About Green Flash:

Green Flash Brewing has only been around since 2002 and only puts out about 14,000 barrels annually, but they seem to be on the rise. Based out of San Diego, California, Green Flash Brewing Co. was founded by Mike and Lisa Hinkley in 2002 (in Vista, California). The company brews big beers, and focuses on premium styles and traditional styles with modern twists. The company describes their beer as "cutting edge." Since its inception, Green Flash has won a number of awards for their beers, and has already carved an impressive mark in the world of craft beer. For more info, check out their website HERE.

I thought we reached our limit with hop puns, and apparently Green Flash agrees. Now we are doing....Saison puns! Yes, tonight's beer is aptly titled Saison Diego. Get it. He he he. That's funny. Because San Diego. Anyway, as per Green Flash's website, and the Saison Diego page, this beer is an unfiltered, golden farmhouse ale. It is brewed with Seville orange peels, ginger, and grains of paradise. It also features some Czech Saaz hops. It's unclear what type of yeast is used from the description, but we can take a stab at that in a moment. What is also unclear about this beer is the fact that it's a low-ABV session beer. When I first tried this beer, I was expecting a robust Saison, and I had to adjust my expectations accordingly. More on that in a bit too...

Green Flash Saison Diego

The beer pours a hazy, yellow/straw/lemonade color, with a couple of fingers of fluffy, white head. In bright light, the beer has hazy straw tones, a ridiculous amount of lively carbonation streaming upwards, and a creamy white head that is hanging around for the duration. It definitely looks like a Belgian/Wheat/Saison-type beer.

The aroma is really nice, and reminds me a bit of the Rayon Vert. You get vibrant lemon, lemon peel, bright and fresh orange, and citrus zest on the nose. The grains of paradise are evident on the nose, and you pick up a bit of biscuit. But the intriguing character on the nose is definitely the hint of funk, must, and mild barnyard. There's just a hint of funk, and maybe some leather on the nose. Weirdly enough, I'm also picking up a dash of corn or grain. 

The taste is light, refreshing, and super quaffable. You get big citrus, lemon peel, mild Belgian funk, barnyard, biscuit, and some must/funk up front. That rolls into some clove, mild bitterness, and a light, grainy finish with hints of corn. 

The mouthfeel is creamy, and has great supporting carbonation....it's medium-light bodied, with a good palate and very average complexity. At around 4.5%, this is stupid drinkable. My thought on that is: come on, Green Flash! Why is this only available in 4-packs? I could pound a 6-pack of this over a Saturday. Let's make that happen. The front is all about the citrus, lemon peel, light grass, barnyard/leather/light funk...that rolls into some earthy hop kick and clove...the back end trails off into a grainy, corn, maybe Pils malt finish. 

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

This is a very Light Above-Average. I was originally let down by this beer, but at the time I didn't realize how light this really is. For what this beer is...something you can drink 3 or 4 of in an evening without feeling like an alcoholic...this is pretty legit. A lot of Saisons do dial up the ABV into that 6.0%+ range, which can transform a dangerously drinkable style of beer into a beer that can get you dangerously drunk. You could pair this beer with lighter poultry, fish, lighter cheeses...cucumber sauce? Mmm. Is cucumber sauce not the greatest thing ever. It is. I can recommend this as a session beer to drink multiple bottles of. Great for a weekend. If you're looking to crack open a single bottle of beer to mull over for a bit, and if you're looking for a Saison, look elsewhere. 

Random Thought: Apparently it's like World War Z in Wrigleyville...but then, it's always like World War Z in Wrigleyville. You know what they say, Cubs fans will celebrate anything.