Samuel Adams Imperial White Ale

Brewed by Boston Beer Company
Style: Belgian White (Witbier)
Boston, Massachusetts USA

THOUGHTS: Nice beer, but not the best wit. I love when wits are pushed to their limits, but this was pushed way past the limits. I was really hoping for a lot more from this one. It’s a nice beer, but still a bit disappointment. Hid alcohol incredibly well. Maybe even better than Mad Elf, which is really saying something. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a slightly hazy, medium to dark orange with a large to huge, white head that slowly diminished, keeping a nice sheet and leaving excellent lacing. The aroma was light to moderate yeast, light alcohol, orange, slight spice and a little of that barley wine aroma. There was way more coriander when it fairly warm. The initial flavor was very sweet and a little acidic; while the finish was very sweet and very lightly bitter. There was orange, syrup, yeast, grain, that barley wine taste and spices. The medium to full body was a little syrupy and very sticky on the lips with soft carbonation and light astringent and light alcoholic finish.

bottle poured a burnt caramel color with a thin fizzy off white head. aroma has banana yeast, heavy sweetness, with a thick wheat and grain thing. sweetness is really high, thick grains, banana yeast, spice, and some funny fruit. really thick and sweet and hits on cloying.

12 oz. bottle. Pours a thin, short,lived head, with minimal lacing over an apricot colored, relatively clear body, which must be loaded with protein because it clouds up a great deal when a little too cold..........nose contains ripe cantalope, ripe apricot, some banana (in other words it is loaded with esters), it is also over whelmingly sweet in its nose with heavy honey, brown sugar.......taste confirms with a multitude of fruity tastes, orange, dried apricot, dried cherry, fruity sweetness lingering.......mouth feel is thick, chewy, heavy, carbonation minimal in such a heavy thing. This is not yet balance and can go either way. It is very young for such a heavy beer. It might age well and gain a lovely complexity, or it could turn into a candy bomb. Time will tell and I am willing to wait. This emphasizes the problem of controlling large doses of big ingredients. What will you get at the end???

the perfect pour, nectarine orange on the sides and rust orange in the middle. Good white head, holds as a film. Beautiful multihued appearance in the glass. Gummy, resinous, mildly sweet sugary aroma. Thick, syrupy sugar flavor. Initial quick, sharp but small bite. eEavy alcohol burn on the way down. Causes a heavy salivary reaction.

Bottle. Poured a hazy medium orange color. The head was off white with good retention and lacing. Smelled predominantly of distinct coriander, mixed fruit, subdued clove, and graham cracker. Medium to full bodied and a bit sticky on the tongue. Alcohol laden with with fruit (mango & orange) and coriander flavors. Decent enough.

Amber colored wheat beer. Tastes and smells powerfully of oranges and coriander (also melon). Pretty sweet with a thick body, but it is balanced with some bitterness and the spice. Alcohol comes through at the end. Could be more effervescent on the tongue. Yum. I don’t know how many I’ll have in one sitting, though.

Extremely strong and powerful brew with a very evident alcohol finish. Copper color with a nice head, but quickly disapating> This beer taste like a hybrid between a white beer and a belgium saison. It has a floral bouquet with a caramel finish. Much better to drink during the winter!

Pours a three finger off-white head that fades slowly leaving some lace. Cloudy amber color. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Slightly sweet raisin nose. Flavor is raisin, background alcohol, nothing like a white more like a Belgian strong ale. Good whatever it is. $2.75 for a 12oz bottle from Beverage Warehouse Winooski, VT.