Samuel Adams LongShot Grape Pale Ale

Interesting to come across this surprise release from Boston Beer. There is a good-sized head, and a charming aroma of grapes, wildflowers, and malt. Amber-brass color. The flavor is interesting, but it is not what i expected. I taste more wheat than IPA. It is soft and nicely fizzy on the palate. There is some maple and a touch of sourness and fruity sweetness. Mild, dry hops and a touch of metal in the finish. This is a pleasant and mellow brew, but the label led me to expect something more dramatic. I bet the original homebrew was better.

Interesting fruit aroma with some caramel malt backing. Beautiful copper/amber color with a white ring for head. Medium body with fizzy/creamy carbonation. Flavor is a bit papery, and arguably a bit vinous. There could be fruit of a grapey sort. There is certainly enough hop to balance the sweet. It’s an interestingly different "pale ale". I wouldn’t drink it constantly, but it is something that would be good every so often.

This isn’t that great.Tastes like their mediocre pale ale with some fake fruit in it. Everything is thin, from the aroma, to the flavor, mouthfeel. I don’t recommend it, but it comes with a great weizenbock. Trick someone into drinking this.

Poured a clear yellow-gold with a small head. Aroma is a bit corny...no grape at all. Flavor is not at all like biting into a grape. More like a sweet ale with some musty notes. Not offensive but really pretty mediocre.

Bottle. Pours a clear amber color with a small off white head. The aroma is a light hop and sweet malt. The taste is a sweet malt with caramel and citrus. A decent fruit beer from Sam Adams.

12 oz. bottle. The aroma is reminiscent of that of a German pilsner: Lightly fruity and dry. Green apple scent. I finally get the green grape smell after multiple sniffs and sips. The aroma is pleasant but not strong nor complex nor memorable. Pours a clear gold with some effervescence. Moderate amount of frothy, off-white head. Good lacing. I really don’t taste the grape, but it is generally fruity (light-colored fruit tastes). Not very flavorful. Dry finish and lightly dry aftertaste. Light to medium body. Soft in the palate. Easy to drink and refreshing. It’s a good thirst quencher. Sam Adams LongShot Grape Pale Ale is like the accessible golden ales or bitters that are pushed to the less adventurous customers at mediocre brewpubs. It is neither offensive nor interesting; it is boring but not bad. It would make a good beer for sipping cool outside by the lake on a warm summer day (unfortunately, that’s not the environment in which I sampled it). It’s really not good for much more than that, but it’s certainly far from a drain pour.

Bottle. Aroma seems a bit thin, not that unpleasant, although also nothing really of note other than an average pale ale, certainly nothing that makes you hurry off to your first sip. Flavor perfectly refreshing if not overwhelming, there is grape there, sour green grape, and it was my favorite part of the beer, so I really wish it was there more (as in if it was there more, I could see this becoming an item of regular consumption for me, hint hint). I thought the mouthfeel was quite solid overall, despite initial impressions that it might be weak. Sure, it’s not a GREAT beer, and it’s companion weizenbock is superior, but I strongly disagree with the sub-3 rating of this brew.

Very mild, fresh ale aroma. Clear honey-ale color. Tastes light, very easy to drink, as easy as a light beer. Only the slightest of a grape taste, keeping the light ale-beer taste is the primary flavor. The grape is ao faint it tastes almost more like apple. Seems to me like a great summer beer alternative to a citrusy-hop summber beer. This was very nice and i only with these Longshots where perminant beer selections.