CasaSoho
New Englander at Heart
4-12oz. Bottles, One Bottle Each of Four Historic Styles
As someone fairly new to beer, I have been seeking out wide variety of styles and brewers of late in an effort to expand my knowledge and catch up for lost time. Dating back to a horrific warm Bud Ice incident as a 16 year-old, an appreciation for hops and malts has not come easy. Through the years my contempt beer has left me in many awkward situations. Whether I was handicapped in drinking games by the Goldschlager at my side or just all together left out at family picnics and get-togethers while others enjoyed a frosty brew. Too often I would go to bed sick to my stomach from an alcohol du jour served on the rocks or perhaps straight up. Other times I was forced to bed early unable to cope with drunken nonsense of beer guzzling heathens.
However, that is now all in the past and I can pinpoint the moment my life changed. Gathered in the company of family, friends, and complete strangers I attended a Labor Day weekend wedding in Williamsburg, VA last year. After 2-3 Grey Goose and Cokes I gazed towards the center of the room and observed a crowded floor of dancers having the time of their lives. What did they all have in common besides a complete lack of humility and rhythm? Just about everyone on that floor had a beer in his or her hand. Far beyond an ordinary drink, the glass bottles acted as an accessory, a form of communication, a way of life. A way of life that outdates the written word itself. Who was I not to partake? So I stepped up to the open bar and ordered a beer, what did I have to lose? That malty Ale with a hint of caramel changed the way I looked at cold beverages forever. Although, I wasn't ready for every type beer the next day nor am I able to join any of you in a Budweiser or Coors Lights today, a chain reaction was started that opened up a whole new world to me.
The latest adventure in that new world and to the point of this thread was a Boston Beer Company offering I picked up this past weekend. Intrigued by 2 styles completely unbeknownst to me and the historic significance of all 4, I purchased the Samuel Adams Brewer Patriot Collection. A selection of 4-12oz. bottles of beer brewed to "honor the fine American brewing tradition begun by our founding fathers". I respectfully submit my review.
Traditional Ginger Honey Ale
AVB 5.5
From the Brewer - "Ginger Beer in the colonies can be traced back to the late 1700's. Dealing with contaminated water supplies and foods new to them, the early Americans valued ginger, and ginger beer in particular because it aided digestion and eased nausea".
Appearance - Saturated honey in color with a full head that retained well. A light amount of carbonation danced in the glass. Overall a very inviting offering.
Aroma - Smelled of a very natural sweetness, notes of honey and a lemon citrus aroma.
Taste - As advertised this beer was dominated by a strong ginger taste, also picking up hints of molasses and vanilla. Lacks balance.
Impressions - The ginger taste caused an initial shock to the palate but warmed up rather quickly. I would pair with seafood, sushi, grilled vegetables. Use as an intermezzo, however limit consumption to 1-2.
James Madison Dark Wheat Ale
AVB 5.4
From the Brewer - "Brewer-President James Madison was quite avid about brewing. He used grains such as wheat and rye that were local to his Montpelier estate, and hand-roasted them over wood cut from his land. We arranged to get red and white oakwood from the land Madison used to own. We hand-smoked the malt over this wood to replicate the flavor notes that they would have achieved at Montpelier".
Appearance - Deep caramel in color this beer was both light in head and retention. Cloudy and lightly carbonated it looked liked a meal within itself.
Aroma - Very strong aroma of cherries that had an overt sweetness to it.
Taste - A malty brew dominated by smoke with a notes of caramel. A light floral finish.
Impressions - Comparable to Bass, however there is more depth to this beer. I loved the cherry aroma and would have liked to of picked up notes in the taste. Struggled to find a food pairing, consume watching a ball game or in company.
George Washington Porter
AVB 5.7
From the Brewer -"George Washington's favorite brew was Porter. In fact, he felt so strongly that there should be an American Porter, he adopted and encouraged a policy of buying only American brewed beer rather than import British beer. This policy was part of the Non-Importation Agreement of 1774 drafted by Samuel Adams, Washington signed the agreement at a meeting of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia".
Appearance - A dark and thick beer almost black in color. Picks up an amber tint under light. A foamy superfluous head that surprisingly lacked retention. If the James Madison Dark Wheat looked like a meal, this beer is breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Aroma - Notes of chocolate and nuts with a faint sweetness.
Taste - Espresso, licorice, and chocolate with a light hoppy finish. A very well balanced beer.
Impressions - Leave room in your stomach if opening this beer, very filling. Some similarities to Guinness, more powerful burnt taste.
1790 Root Beer
AVB 5.5
From the Brewer - "Our forefathers were an innovative people. The quickly learned to brew from the local ingredients available to them. Root Beer for instance comes from the root bark of the Sassafras tree, which is native to Eastern North America. Originally added to tea for medicinal purposes, it was soon adapted for beer. Rootbeer was also brewed with wintergreen, another indigenous ingredient that is one of the main flavors in root beer today. It's not hard to imagine Samuel Adams brewing with these ingredients himself, and enjoying this rich beer after a long day of planning a revolution".
Appearance - Cloudy and amber in color it lacked both head and retention.
Aroma - Close to the classic root beer smell dominated by notes of licorice. A very old school medicinal smell to this beer.
Taste - Overwhelmed by a strong licorice taste complimented by spicy background hops. An out of balance brew that could benefit from lighter malts to mellow.
Impression - I could not finish this beer although I made it a point to drink enough to write a fair review. Very disappointed after saving this selection for last. Licorice over-powered my senses. Compare to drinking Sambuca in tall glass. May have benefited from pairing with a desert. More of a novelty drink than an approachable beer.
