30 FAVORITE BEERS -ALES AND LAGERS

[knightni]

I really am getting this going.

 

Thanks to everyone who sent in lists and a very special thank you to FlaSoxxJim and Hogan for helping me with a topic that I know little to nothing about.

 

 

There are 20 Ales, 10 Lagers, and a host of honorable mentions.

 

So, without further ado, here we go.

 

[knightni]

30. (#20 Ale) Smithwick's Ale

 

Beer Advocate Rating: B (good) based on 578 reviews

Rate Beer Rating: 51/100 overall and 70/100 to style based on 1436 reviews

4.5% ABV, 48 IBUs

 

Soxtalk Voting - 12 points

 

 

Smithwick's (pronounced smiticks) is an Irish red ale style beer from Kilkenny in Ireland. Smithwick’s was originally brewed in St. Francis Abbey Brewery in Kilkenny, known as 'Smithwicks Brewery' until c.2000. The brewery is situated on the site of a Franciscan abbey where monks had brewed ale since the 14th century, and has ruins of the original abbey on its grounds. It is Ireland’s oldest operating brewery, founded by John Smithwick in 1710 on land owned by the Duke of Ormonde.[2] It is the major ale producer in Ireland. It was purchased from Walter Smithwick in 1965 by Guinness and is now, along with Guinness, part of Diageo. Smithwick's as most people know it today was originally created as a special brew for the first Kilkenny Beer Festival, later called Smithwicks No. 1 and now just Smithwicks. The head brewer in those days was Ron Girdham. Smithwick’s for the domestic market is brewed in Kilkenny and the higher strength export variety is brewed in Dundalk. Smithwick's is listed in the top five best tasting beers by the McHale beer rating club of Ireland.

[knightni]

29. (#19 Ale) Three Floyd's Gumballhead

 

Beer Advocate Rating: A- (excellent) based on 974 reviews

Rate Beer Rating: 98/100 overall and 100/100 style based on 1019 reviews

5.5% ABV, 28 IBUs

 

Soxtalk Voting - 15 points

 

 

An American Wheat Ale, Gumballhead is named in honor of the underground comic book cat created by Rob Syers. Initially a seasonal summer beer, now brewed year round due to demand. This beer helped redefine American Wheat Beers. Brewed with Amarillo Hops and a generous portion of American red wheat, Gumballhead has a complex hop aroma with notes of grapefruit, lemon zest, marmalade and peach. These flavors combined with low bitterness make Gumballhead a refreshing American Wheat Beer that doesn’t suck. Three Floyds Brewing Company LLC was founded in 1996 by brothers Nick and Simon with their father Mike Floyd. The original brewery was built by Nick and Simon in a run down warehouse located in Hammond, Indiana. The first beers brewed by the brothers were designed to be a departure from the fairly bleak craft brewing scene in the region. Nick and Simon brewed intense balanced beers that were and still remain “not normal” by conventional standards.

[knightni]

28. (#18 Ale) Goose Island Harvest Ale

 

Beer Advocate Rating: B+ (very good) based on 274 reviews

Rate Beer rating: 93/100 overall and 99/100 to style based on 297 reviews

5.7% ABV, 35 IBUs

 

Soxtalk Voting - 16 points

 

 

Harvest Ale is a seasonal beer brewed in the fall. Brewed in honor of the Harvest season this copper colored ESB (Extra Special Bitter) is made with Cascade hops and the richest Midwestern malts. A fruity American hop aroma and a toasty malt character make Goose Island Harvest Ale an extra special beer worthy of your devotion.

[knightni]

27. (#10 Lager) Red Stripe

 

Beeradvocate overall rating (790 reviews): C+ (“Decent”)

RateBeer overall rating (1587 ratings): 10/100 overall; 63/100 to style

 

Soxtalk Voting - 17 points

 

 

Red Stripe is a Jamaican lager beer whose logo is a bold, diagonal red stripe. It is brewed Desnoes and Geddes Limited, originally a soft drink manufacturer incorporated on July 31, 1918, by Kingston, Jamaica natives Eugene Peter Desnoes and Thomas Hargreaves Geddes. In its current formulation Red Stripe is 4.7% alcohol by volume.

 

The first Red Stripe was brewed in the Surrey Brewery in 1928 as an ale that was too heavy to suit local preferences. The current lager formulation was first produced in 1938.

 

In 1985, the brand was first imported to the United States with poor initial results. Red Stripe recovered and rode the popularity of dance hall reggae in the early 1990s to well over a million cases of annual distribution. Red Stripe is a significant sponsor of reggae, ska, and other music events.

 

In 1993, 51 percent ownership in Desnoes & Geddes Limited was purchased by Guinness Brewing Worldwide, now Diageo, an acquisition that has significantly increased the international distribution of Red Stripe and Dragon Stout.

[knightni]

26. (#9 Lager) Shiner Bock

 

Beeradvocate overall rating (776 reviews): C+ (“Decent”)

RateBeer overall rating (1,242 ratings): 21/100 overall; 50/100 to style

4.4% abv

 

Soxtalk Voting - 18 points

 

 

Spoetzl was founded in 1909, and claims to be the oldest independent brewery in Texas. A group of businessmen incorporated Shiner Brewing Association and placed Herman Weiss in as the company's first brewmaster. In 1914 a German immigrant brewer named Kosmas Spoetzl co-leased with Oswald Petzold with an option to buy in 1915. Spoetzl had attended brewmaster's school and apprenticed for three years in Germany, worked for eight years at the Pyramids Brewery in Cairo, Egypt, and then worked in Canada. He moved to San Antonio in search of a better climate for his health, bringing with him a family recipe for a Bavarian beer made from malted barley and hops.

 

During Prohibition, Kosmas Spoetzl kept the brewery afloat by selling ice and making "near beer." After Prohibition only five of the original 13 Texas breweries were still intact. When the Prohibition laws were repealed larger beer plants, such as Anheuser-Busch, moved to Texas making life harder on the smaller independent breweries, but Spoetzl kept things small and simple never going more than 70 miles for business.

In the 1970s and 1980s the brewery's Shiner Beer and Shiner Bock had less than 1 percent of the Texas market. In 1983 Spoetzl produced 60,000 barrels of beer; in 1990 only 36,000. Sales improved after Carlos Alvarez of San Antonio acquired the brewery in 1989: Production grew to 100,000 barrels in 1994, and over the next ten years, production nearly tripled. The company has 66 employees.

 

Spoetzl's flagship beer. Bock has been brewed since 1913, almost as long as the Spoetzl Brewery has been in business. However, it wasn't until a few decades ago that Shiner began producing Bock year-round. Bock was considered a Lent beer, and therefore was only made around that season. Today 80% of the beer made at the Spoetzl Brewery is Bock.

[knightni]

25. (#17 Ale) Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat

 

Beer Advocate Rating: B- (worthy) based on 1011 reviews

Rate Beer Rating: 32/100 overall and 53/100 to style based on 1480 reviews

5.4% ABV, 23 IBUs

 

Soxtalk Voting - 21 Points

 

 

Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat® follows the centuries old American tradition of brewing beer with native ingredients, in this case Michigan cherries as well as a touch of honey. The sweet fruitiness of the cherries is balanced against the crisp, cereal note from the malted wheat and the subtle citrus flavor from the Noble hops. The end result is a sweet, refreshing beer that is light on the palate but long on complexity. Introduced in 1995 as a summer seasonal brew, Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat® developed a large enough following to be introduced as a year round style. Its distinct cherry character has made it one of the most unique and well liked styles of Samuel Adams® beer ever. Cherries are added at two different points during the brewing process. Once during the mash and again during finishing.

[knightni]

24. (#8 Lager) Rogue Dead Guy

 

Beeradvocate overall rating (1.998 reviews): B+ (“Very Good”)

RateBeer overall rating (2.469 ratings): 92/100 overall; 99/100 to style

6.6% abv

 

Soxtalk Voting - 23 Points (Ranked #1 by GoSox05)

 

 

Gratefully dedicated to the Rogue in each of us. In the early 1990s Dead Guy Ale was created as a private tap sticker to celebrate the Mayan Day of the Dead (November 1st, All Souls Day) for Casa U Betcha in Portland, Oregon. The Dead Guy design proved popular and was incorporated into a bottled product a few years later with Maierbock as the elixir. Strangely, the association with the Grateful Dead is pure coincidence. Dead Guy is a German-style Maibock made with Rogue's proprietary "PacMan" ale yeast. It is deep honey in color with a malty aroma, rich hearty flavor and a well balanced finish. Dead Guy is created from Northwest Harrington, Klages, Maier Munich and Carastan malts, along with Perle and Saaz Hops.

 

Best With:

This amber colored ale pairs nicely with brothy soups, salted almonds, game birds and seafood. This brew also offers a nice companion to cheeses and fruits.

 

Rogue Dead Guy ale won Gold Medals in 2003 and 2008 at the World Beer Championships.

[knightni]

23. (#16 Ale) Allagash White

 

Beer Advocate Rating: A- (excellent) based on 980 reviews

Rate Beer Rating: 94/100 overall and 99/100 to style based on 1097 reviews

5.5% ABV, 17 IBUs

 

Soxtalk Voting - 24 Points ( Voted #1 by BigSqwert)

 

 

Allagash White is a Belgian White (witbier) brewed by the Allagash Brewing Company. It is spiced with orange peel and coriander. Founded in 1994 by Rob Tod, Allagash sold its first batch of beer in the summer of 1995. Tod had been working in breweries around the U.S. and recognized a void in the craft brewing movement. While both German and British styles had become prevalent throughout the country, Belgian-style beers were very difficult to find. He established a small 15 barrel brewery initially and began brewing Allagash White, modeled after Belgian Wit beer. This style of beer gets its unique flavor from the use of wheat in place of barley as well as the addition of Curaçao orange peel, coriander and other spices.

[knightni]

22. (#15 Ale) New Belgium 1554 Black

 

Beer Advocate Rating: B+ (very good) based on 962 reviews

Rate Beer Rating: 94/100 overall and 97/100 to style based on 1243 reviews

5.6% ABV, 21 IBUs

 

Soxtalk Voting - 26 points

 

 

Born of a flood and centuries-old Belgian text, 1554 Enlightened Black Ale uses a light lager yeast strain and dark chocolaty malts to redefine what dark beer can be. In 1997, a Fort Collins flood destroyed the original recipe our researcher, Phil Benstein, found in the library. So Phil and brewmaster, Peter Bouckaert, traveled to Belgium to retrieve this unique style lost to the ages. Their first challenge was deciphering antiquated script and outdated units of measurement, but trial and error (and many months of in-house sampling) culminated in 1554, a highly quaffable dark beer with a moderate body and mouthfeel. The beer is brewed with Target hops and Pale, Carapils, Black, Munich, and Chocolate malts.

 

 

[knightni]

21. (#14 Ale) New Glarus Spotted Cow

 

Beer Advocate Rating: B (good) based on 478 reviews

Rate Beer Rating: 49/100 overall and 88/100 to style based on 632 reviews

4.8% ABV, 15 IBUs

 

Soxtalk Voting - 27 points (Voted #2 by GoSox05)

 

 

Spotted Cow is a cask conditioned farmhouse ale. Cask conditioned ale has been the popular choice among brews since long before prohibition. We continue this pioneer spirit with our Wisconsin farmhouse ale. Brewed with flaked barley and the finest Wisconsin malts. We even give a nod to our farmers with a little hint of corn. Naturally cloudy we allow the yeast to remain in the bottle to enhance fullness of flavors, which cannot be duplicated otherwise. Expect this ale to be fun, fruity and satisfying. You know you're in Wisconsin when you see the Spotted Cow. Spotted Cow, and all New Glarus beers, are only sold in Wisconsin.

[knightni]

20. (#13 Ale) Bell's Oberon Ale

 

Beer Advocate Rating: B+ (very good) based on 1195 reviews

Rate Beer Rating: 91/100 overall and 99/100 to style based on 1504 reviews

6% ABV, 28 IBUs

 

Soxtalk Voting - 28 points

 

 

Bell’s Oberon is an American wheat ale made with European ingredients. Belgium wheat malt and Czech Saaz hops provide a spicy, fruity balance to this seasonal ale. Bell's Brewery, Inc began in 1985 with a quest for better beer and a 15 gallon soup kettle. Since then, they’ve grown into a regional craft brewery that employs over 100 people over an 18 state area. The dedication to brewing flavorful, unfiltered, quality craft beers that started in 1985 is still with them today. Bell’s currently brews over 20 beers for distribution as well as many other small batch beers that are served at their pub in Kalamazoo. Their ongoing goal is to brew thoughtfully, creatively and artistically. They strive to bring an authentic and pleasant experience to all customers through their unique ales and beers.

[knightni]

19. (#12 Ale) Three Floyd's Alpha King Pale Ale

 

Beer Advocate Rating: A (outstanding) based on 1255 reviews

Rate Beer Rating: 100/100 overall and 100/100 to style based on 1556 reviews

6.0% ABV, 66 IBUs

 

Soxtalk Voting - 29 points (Voted #1 by Sox1422)

 

 

Alpha King is Three Floyds flagship beer. It is a big American Pale Ale that pours a deep amber with a creamy head. This ale is brewed with Centennial, Cascade, and Warrior hops giving it an intense citrus aroma and a crisp hoppy finish. Three Floyds Brewing is an American brewery founded in 1996 in Hammond, Indiana. It moved to its current location in Munster, Indiana, in 2000 and opened up the brewpub in November 2005. Three Floyds beers feature assertive hops flavor and bitterness. Production is 4,800 barrels a year.

[knightni]

18. (#11 Ale) Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

 

Beer Advocate Rating: A- (excellent) based on 2228 reviews

Rate Beer Rating: 96/100 overall and 99/100 to style based on 2871 reviews

5.6% ABV, 37 IBUs (International Bitterness Units)

 

Soxtalk Voting - 30 points (Voted #2 by Balta1701)

 

 

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is an American Pale Ale. It is a delightful example of the classic pale ale style. It has a deep amber color and an exceptionally full-bodied, complex character. The fragrant bouquet and spicy flavor are the results of the generous use of the best Cascade hops. The pale ale is the second best selling craft beer in the United States, behind Sam Adams Boston Lager. Sierra Nevada produces almost 700,000 barrels of beer per year.

[knightni]

17. (#7 Lager) Stella Artois

 

Beeradvocate overall rating (49 reviews): C+ (“Decent”)

RateBeer overall rating (2,093 ratings): 19/100 overall; 91/100 to style

5% ABV

 

Soxtalk Voting - 31 points

 

 

Stella Artois is a lager originating from Leuven, Belgium, predominantly brewed in the UK. It is named Stella after the Latin word for "star".

 

Although Belgium is best known internationally for its ales, bottom-fermented pilsner lagers such as Stella Artois head the list for domestic consumption, making up almost 75% of Belgian beer production. Stella is promoted as an international brand by its brewer, AN InBev AB. In its home market of Belgium, however, it is marketed, priced and sold as a regular lager.

 

In 1926, Stella Artois was launched initially as a seasonal beer especially for the Christmas holiday market. It was first sold in Canada and it was such a commercial success that the brand became available year round and, apart from the duration of the Second World War, has been produced ever since. The first Stella Artois beer was exported to the European market in 1930. By 1960, 100 million litres of Stella Artois was being produced annually. InBev opened a new fully automated brewery in Leuven in 1993, and by 2006, total production volume was over a billion liters annually.

 

Despite its success internationally, the number 1 selling beer in Belgium is its sister beer Jupiter.

 

 

 

 

[knightni]

16. (#6 Lager) Corona Extra

 

Beeradvocate overall rating (932 reviews): D (“Avoid”)

RateBeer overall rating (2,482 ratings): 2/100 overall; 13/100 to style

 

Soxtalk Voting - 33 points

 

 

Corona Extra, better known as Corona, is a brand of pale lager owned and produced by Cervecia Modelo (Grupo Modelo) at a number of breweries in Mexico. It is one of the best-selling beers in Mexico and is one of the top-selling beers worldwide. Corona beer is available in over 150 countries.

 

Outside Mexico, Corona is often served with a wedge of citrus fruit – usually lime - inserted into the neck of the bottle. Within Mexico, especially in the south, Corona served with lime is not uncommon, but is not considered mandatory.

 

Available in over 150 countries, it is also Mexico's leading export brand. It was first brewed in 1925 by Cerveceria Modelo on the tenth anniversary of the brewery. In 1926 the brewery decided to package the beer in clear glass. Clear bottles increase the opportunity for spoilage. Exposure to sunlight or light from fluorescent bulbs such as those used in refrigerated display cases significantly damages the taste of beer, yielding a taste that is often described as “skunky”. This is the result of the essential hop oils spoiling due to UV exposure.

 

In 1997, Corona Extra became the top-selling imported beer in the US, surpassing Heineken. Grupo Modelo is currently the sixth largest brewer worldwide.

[knightni]

15. (#5 Lager) Negra Modelo

 

Beeradvocate overall rating (731 reviews): B- (“Worthy”)

RateBeer overall rating (1466 ratings): 27/100 overall; 46/100 to style

5.3% abv

 

Soxtalk Voting - 34 points

 

 

Negra Modelo is a Vienna lager-style beer first brewed in Mexico by Austrian immigrants. It was introduced as a draft beer in 1926. The beer comes in an unusually shaped, wide brown bottle with a trademark gold label. It probably fits most comfortably in the Munich Dunkles category, although it could be considered a Vienna-style amber. The beer is too black for a standard Vienna and that it has more than normal roast malt character to compare it well with other Viennas. In some states of the U.S. the beer has the words “dark ale” on the label. This is only due to certain state liquor regulations. The beer is definitely a lager due to the fact that Modelo makes no ales.

 

[knightni]

14. (#10 Ale) Goose Island Honker's Ale

 

Beer Advocate Rating: B+ (very good) based on 747 reviews

Rate Beer Rating: 78/100 overall and 98/100 to style based on 1087 reviews

4.2% ABV, 30 IBUs

 

Soxtalk Voting - 36 points (Voted #2 by Disco72)

 

 

A fine example of quality Midwestern craft beer from Chicago, Goose Island Honker’s Ale is an English Style Bitter that delivers a tasty balance of sweet hop flavor with a more complex wheat or malt finish. Inspired by visits to English country pubs, Honker’s Ale combines a fruity hop aroma with a rich malt middle to create a perfectly balanced beer. Immensely drinkable, Honker’s Ale is not only the beer you can trust but one you’ll look forward to time and again. It is brewed with styrian golding hops and 2 row, caramel, wheat, and roasted barley malts. The brew was awarded with the bronze medal at the 2006 World Beer Cup.

 

 

[knightni]

13. (#9 Ale) Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy

 

Beer Advocate Rating: C+ (decent) based on 340 reviews

Rate Beer Rating: 18/100 overall and 39/100 to style based on 514 reviews

4.2% ABV, 13.5 IBUs

 

Soxtalk Voting - 38 points

 

 

A Shandy is described as a lemonade-flavored beer, which is a European favorite during the warmer months. The light, crisp flavor makes it very refreshing to drink. Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy starts off being brewed like any "regular beer," using wheat and malted barley. But the similarities to "regular" beer end there. A small amount of real Wisconsin honey is added to the brew, along with real, fresh lemonade and citrus flavors to create its unique taste. The Web site also suggests mixing equal parts of Berry Weiss with Summer Shandy to create a pink lemonade. At just 130 calories, it's one of the lighter beers out there and features 4.2 percent alcohol content, about the same as a regular, light beer.

[knightni]

12. (#4 Lager) Pilsner Urquell

 

Beeradvocate overall rating (1,126 reviews): B (“Good”)

RateBeer overall rating (2,298 ratings): 79/100 overall; 95/100 to style

 

Soxtalk Voting - 39 points

 

 

Plzeňský Prazdroj (trans: “Pilsner from the origina sourcel”), known better by its German name Pilsner Urquell, is a bottom-fermented beer produced since 1842 in Pilsen, Bohemia. Pilsner Urquell has a heavier body but slightly less alcohol than typical American-style lagers and more strongly hopped than most pilsener beers. Saaz hops, a noble hop variety (one of four traditiona Old World cultivars strongly associated with a beer region or particular style), are a key element in its flavor profile, as are the use of soft water and fire-brewing.

 

Pilsner Urquell is the original pilsener and first lager beer. It is characterised by its golden color and clarity and was immensely successful – In 1998, nine out of ten beers produced and consumed in the world are derived from the original Pilsen beer.

 

Before 1840, the standard beer in the Czech Republic was as anywhere else a top-fermented ale, characterized by a dark color, turbidity, and inconsistent quality. The Pilsen city commissioned Bavarian brewmaster Josef Groll to develop a better beer. On October 5, 1842, Groll had an entirely new mash ready and on November 11, 1842, the new beer was first served at the feast of Saint Martin markets.

[knightni]

11. (#8 Ale) Bell's Two-Hearted

 

Beer Advocate Rating: A (outstanding) based on 2225 reviews

Rate Beer Rating: 100/100 overall and 100/100 to style based on 2122 reviews

7% ABV, 47 IBUs

 

Soxtalk Voting - 51 points

 

 

Bell's Brewery, Inc. formerly Kalamazoo Brewing Company, founded by Larry Bell as a home-brewing supply shop in 1983, sold its first beer in 1985. Originally brewing in a 15-gallon soup kettle, the company has grown remarkably from its production of 135 barrels (1 bbl = 31 gal.) in 1986 to over 90,000 barrels in 2007. Bell's Brewery has grown from a tiny operation renting part of a former plumbing supply warehouse to a bustling, regional craft brewery. Over twenty years of brewing, Bell's Brewery has built a nationwide reputation as a creative and talented brewery, playing a significant role in changing the beerscape of the nation.

 

Two Hearted Ale is defined by its intense hop aroma and malt balance. Hopped exclusively with the Centennial hop varietal from the Pacific Northwest, massive additions in the kettle and again in the fermenter lend their characteristic grapefruit and pine resin aromas. A significant malt body balances this hop presence; together with the signature fruity aromas of Bell's house yeast, this leads to a remarkably drinkable American-style India Pale Ale.

 

 

[knightni]

10. (#3 Lager) Samuel Adams Octoberfest

 

Beeradvocate overall rating (1,616 reviews): B (“Good”)

RateBeer overall rating (1,801 ratings): 76/100 overall; 93/100 to style

5.3% abv

 

Soxtalk Voting - 56 points (#2 by ChiSox_Sonix)

 

 

Introduced in 2001, and only available Mid-August through October, Samuel Adams Octoberfest has a rich, deep reddish amber hue which itself is reflective of the season. It masterfully blends together five roasts of malt to create a delicious harmony of sweet flavors including caramel and toffee. The malt is complimented by the elegant bitterness imparted by the Bavarian Noble hops and it provides a wonderful transition from the lighter beers of summer to the heartier brews of winter.

 

Brewed to celebrate the arrival of autumn with an amber hue. This beer contains a blend of four malts – Harrington, Caramel, Munich, and Moravian – to create sweet flavors. The sweetness is balanced by the bitterness imparted by the Noble Bavarian hops.

 

[knightni]

9. (#7 Ale) Hoegaarden

 

Beer Advocate Rating: B+ (very good) based on 1469 reviews

Rate Beer Rating: 94/100 overall and 99/100 to style based on 2538 reviews

5% ABV, 18 IBUs

 

Soxtalk Voting - 57 points (Voted #1 by ChiSox_Sonix)

 

 

Named after the Belgian village where it was first discovered, Hoegaarden (pronounced hoogarden) wheat beer has a rich history dating back to the middle ages. It is the original Belgian wheat beer and part of a long brewing tradition in this agriculturally rich region. Blended with malted barley, wheat, coriander and curaçao orange peel Hoegaarden has a distinctive, smooth flavour and subtle citrusy character. When poured it has a soft, white creamy head and pale almost shimmering appearance. Today the Hoegaarden brewery is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev. Records suggest the recipe was first discovered in around 1445. This region of Belgium was part of the Netherlands at the time and the first brewers had access to exotic herbs and spices imported from the Dutch colonies. Records suggest the first wheat beers were intensely sour and this is partly what may have led the first brewers to their creative blending with coriander and curaçao orange peel, developing the world famous wheat beer recipe.

[knightni]

8. (#2 Lager) Samuel Adams Winter Lager

 

Beeradvocate overall rating (1,552 reviews): B (“Good”)

RateBeer overall rating (1,825 ratings): 74/100 overall; 47/100 to style

5.6% abv

 

Soxtalk Voting - 58 points (Voted #1 by The Gooch)

 

 

Introduced in 1989, and only available from November through Mid-January, Samuel Adams Winter Lager is the deep ruby colored lager made with winter spices that include orange zest, cinnamon, and fresh ginger. It has an almost magical aroma which seems to promise something special to the tongue. The cinnamon, ginger, and hint of citrus from the orange peel blend with the roasty sweetness of the malts to deliver a warming, spicy flavor. On the palate Samuel Adams Winter Lager is rich and full bodied, robust and warming, a wonderful way to enjoy the cold evenings that come with the season.

[knightni]

7. (#1 Lager) Samuel Adams Boston Lager

 

Brewer: Boston Beer Company

Beeradvocate overall rating (2,088 reviews): B+ (“Very Good”)

RateBeer overall rating (2,851 ratings): 72/100 overall; 97/100 to style

4.9% abv

 

Soxtalk Voting - 59 points

 

 

In 1984, Jim Koch, the fifth-generation, first born son to follow in his family’s brewing footsteps, brewed his first batch of Samuel Adams Boston Lager in his kitchen, using the original family recipe for Louis Koch Lager. At the time, Koch was working at Boston Consulting Group after receiving BA, MBA and JD degrees from Harvard University. At Harvard, Koch met Harry Rubin and Lorenzo Lamadrid. Both Rubin and Lamadrid were graduates of Harvard Business School. In December 1984, Koch left his career at Boston Consulting Group and along with Rubin and Lamadrid, founded Samuel Adams Beer.

 

Six weeks after Jim started the business Samuel Adams Boston Lager won the "Best Beer in America" award at the Great American Beer Festival.

 

This deep amber color lager is brewed using only four ingredients and traditional brewing methods for a full, smooth body. The Noble hop varieties of Hallertau Mittelfrueh and Tettnang Tettnanger add a wide range of floral, piney and citrus notes, which are present from the aroma, through the taste, and all the way to the lingering smooth finish.

 

The Samuel Adams brand began with Samuel Adams Boston Lager. The original recipe was developed in 1860 in St. Louis Missouri by Louis Koch, who sold under the name Louis Koch Lager until Prohibition, and again until the early 1950s.