The Taste of Samuel Adams, and Less Calories to Boot
Written: Feb 09 '03 (Updated Oct 17 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Better than most lights; Hop taste is appealing
Cons: Makes you wish you were drinking a glass of Sam Adams Boston Lager
The Bottom Line: This product is better than most light beer, yes, but it doesn't compare to the full- bodied taste of the regular version.
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| Bryan_Carey's Full Review: Sam Adams Light |
Light beer is a popular alternative beverage that has been gaining market share since it was first introduced on a massive scale in the 1970’s. Most light beers have less flavor and less character, but they satisfy that portion of the market that wants to drink beer, but doesn’t want the guilt associated with consuming all those calories.
Boston Beer Company has now entered full- force into the light beer market with a product that was introduced late in 2002. It’s Samuel Adams Light, a light beer based on the company’s flagship product, Sam Adams Boston Lager.
Basic Characteristics of This Beer:
Upon pouring, one thing is certain: this product does not look like your typical light beer. It has a copper color with nearly perfect clarity and a nose that includes the light scent of hops. The foam is pretty good at first, but it falls apart quickly.
Tasting this beer yields a flavor that is similar to Samuel Adams Boston Lager- just not as pronounced. The taste of carmelized malt is present, along with the finishing flavor of hops that gives the beer a slightly spicy, fruity finish and aftertaste. The brewers at Boston Beer Company make this product using two- row barley malt and Spalt Noble hops, which are better quality ingredients than you find in most light beer.
Compared to other light beer, Sam Adams Light is a little more caloric and just a little more full. That isn’t to say that this is a full- bodied product. I’m only saying that, comparitively speaking, it’s more full- bodied than the average light. And because of this, a 12 oz. serving contains 124 calories. That’s about 30 percent more than a glass of Miller Lite.
Food Compatibility:
This product is lighter than the average Sam Adams product and because of this fact, I think it goes best with light snacks and appetizers, like chips, chicken tenders, cheese sticks, and other finger food. I think it would also match up fairly well with pizza, hamburgers, and other casual fare. And it’s not too bad all by itself, especially during those times when you want to taste some hops, but you don’t feel like the heavy flavor that goes along with most highly- hopped beer products.
Final Thoughts:
Boston Beer Company’s launch of Samuel Adams Light marks the company’s second attempt to grab a share of the light beer market. Back in the early 1990’s, Boston Beer marketed a product called “Boston Lightship”, which was eventually scrapped in 1995 because of lower than expected sales.
I’m not the type who usually wastes his time drinking light beer. I really don’t care about the extra calories in regular beer and I feel that, more often than not, the calories saved are not worth the flavor that is given up. Most all light beers are watery, weak, and full of adjuncts like corn and other cheap ingredients. The savings of 30 to 60 calories per bottle isn’t worth it, in my opinion.
Samuel Adams Light, however, is a step above the typical light beer. It’s brewed using higher quality ingredients than other light beer and it doesn’t include any adjuncts. It does have a watery character to it- just like other light beer- and the body is thinner than the regular style, like you would expect. But it still manages to maintain a certain amount of appeal that most other light beer lacks. I think it’s partly because of the beer that it’s based on- Samuel Adams Boston Lager. Boston Lager is not an ordinary American lager, so it makes sense that its light version is not an ordinary light.
Do I think this product is as good as a regular, full- bodied product? No, I do not. Drinking Sam Adams Light made me wish I was drinking the stronger version. The hop taste in this light beer is appealing, but it just makes me wish I was sipping on a glass of Boston Lager, and enjoying more fully the taste of Tettnanger and Hallertau hops that are present in the high- octane version.
In summary, Samuel Adams Light is a decent product. It easily outshines the majority of light beer products produced in the United States. It doesn’t compare to the richness of the regular Sam Adams brews, but for a light beer, it’s not bad at all. I would recommend this product to those who prefer a little less flavor and slightly fewer calories in their beer. It’s a good alternative to the bland, nearly tasteless light beers that are so popular with a weight- conscious America, like Miller Lite and Coors Light. It costs more- about $7.50 per six pack- which could hurt its chances for success in the market. But I think it’s worth the additional money.
Sam Adams Light. It’s a watered- down version of Samuel Adams Boston Lager that ranks in the middle of the road, in my book, among the world’s malt- beverage products. Try a bottle or two, and see for yourself.
Be Sure to Click the Links Below to Read Reviews on Other Samuel Adams Products:
Samuel Adams Boston Lager
Samuel Adams Boston Ale
Samuel Adams Golden Pilsner
Samuel Adams Octoberfest
Samuel Adams Spring Ale
Samuel Adams Holiday Porter
Samuel Adams Summer Ale
Samuel Adams Scotch Ale
Samuel Adams Vienna Style Lager
Samuel Adams Black Lager
Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig
Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat
Samuel Adams Winter Lager
Samuel Adams Hefeweizen
Samuel Adams Cranberry Lambic
Samuel Adams White Ale
Samuel Adams Brown Ale
Samuel Adams Cream Stout
Recommended:
Yes
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