Samuel Adams Imperial White Ale

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

A spicy fruity, maybe orange aroma, beautiful dark orange color. The flavor on this is quite nice, not a lot of wheat presence, but the alcohol dominates a bit too much. Pretty good, but not great.

The body is mostly clear, with a very light haze, dark orange-amber in color. A small, foamy, beige tinted head slowly disappears, leaving a thick, sugary wash behind to break into micro-spot lacing. Aromas of blonde candy sugar and caramel lay a sweet malt base, with notes of orange marmalade, coriander spice, honey, and flowers. The nose is a bit boozy overall. Flavors continue these trends, sweet candied citrus and caramel dominating, with light floral hop bitterness lending a hint of pepper on the finish. Thick and syrupy in the mouth, the palate is overly hot and cloying. It’s better than I expected, but still not something I’d rush back to.

Pours a cloudy golden orange with a thin ecru head that deposits spotty lace upon the glass. The nose is sweet with notes of cotton candy, orange peel and light coriander; pretty nice. Light to medium-bodied and slick with mineral and alcohol notes at the finish. Obscenely sweet at the first sip, the flavor settles-in to notes of coriander (stronger than the nose would indicate), orange peel, candy sugar and alcohol; there’s a lot of coriander lingering in the aftertaste. This is an interesting rendition of an amped-up wit, but it’s sweetness is way over the top for my tastes. I think that toning it down "a notch" would have yielded a better beer... Exhibit A: Bells Batch 8000. Bigger isn’t always better.

I love big witbiers, but this seemed a lot like a barleywine. Sweet, rich, spicy floral aroma with a little astringent citrus, and some alcohol. This is the darkest wit I can recall seeing, with some orange highlights. The flavor is surprisingly malty and well hopped. There are touches of coriander and orange liqueur, and a peppy hop finish. This reminds me of something Avery would release. It is another good brew in Samuel Adams imperial series.

Cloudy golden orange color pour with a small foamy head. Typical wit aromas of yeast, grain and light fruit, with a definite whiff of alcohol. Flavor follows much along the same lines. Unfortunately the alcohol somewhat overpowers the otherwise lighter wit flavors. Interesting.

Bottle-The beer is kinda all over the place. Two times it was quite enjoyable but another time, it was a task to finish. Since it falls under the Belgian Strong Ale, you’ve got to knock it down a notch. Pours like a white beer with a cloudy appearance and solf orange color. Soft, sweet fruit aroma with a fruity and some malty taste. produce place 4 pack

Vibrant orange in color with minimal head. Aroma of orange blossom, clove, and subtle window cleaner. Citrus, honey, coriander, and hops in a full-bodied, syrupy concoction with a refreshing finish.

Bottle. Cloudy dark apricot colored pour with a thin off white head. Nice aroma of spice and caramel. Thick chewy mouthfeel with caramel malt and alchohol taste noticeable. Not bad.