Samuel Adams Imperial White Ale

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

12oz bottle: Pours a murky, dirty gold with a small, white head. The aroma is sugary sweet, with soft notes of pineapple, peaches, cantaloupe and bubble gum. Very hard to detect though for such a big beer. Big, thick, cloying body. Wow - this is the antithesis of what a witbier should be. Lots of boozey alcohol, with a heavy layer of caramel malts. It’s hard to pick out a lot of the subtle notes that are sure to be here - since the ABV and sweetness get in the way. I hate to jump on the bash wagon, but this is nearly undrinkable. This style should never have been imperialized.

(12oz bottle) Creamy medium off-white head atop hazy amber body. Aroma is moderately sweet, orange, melon, bubblegum. Taste is moderately sweet, boozy, orange, some bubblegum. Sticky full body, alcohol burn. Improves a little as it warms, but still way too much alcohol.

The dull opaque amber livens up when it is held up to light. Sugary, phenolic, flowery and boozy aroma. Very thick, sweet beer with light flowery-fruity notes. Ultra thick, cloying. Slight boozy finish. A bit of a mess.

Clear copper pour with a thick and lasting tan head. Aroma definitely belies some of the booziness but there are some nice coriander, clove and banana notes as well. Full bodied but resinous and sticky mouthfeel. Flavor reveals some orange and other citrusy notes. Spicy towards the finish. I think it’s really just an over the top wit but I would have liked some more carbonation and a tad less sweetness. Other than that, nice brew.. and I’m glad SA is doing some different stuff.

ours chill hazy orangy coppery with 1-finger off-white head. Nose is limey citrus, bubblegum, malt, pineapple, hops. Tastes citric, floral, rock sugary, witgh limey, pineapply, and clovey flavors. rather heavy palate that gets hotter as it warms.

Hazy orange, small off-white cap, looks thick, viscous, syrupy but not in a bady way. Aroma is bubblegum and alcohol, with some pineapple esters. Decent mouthfeel, palate is pretty smooth, not too sticky because the alcohol dries the finish. Flavors of tangerine candy, with a potent alcoholic and herbal finish. Main flavors remain orange, tangerine, and fresh herbs. Mellows as it warms. Has a big malt backbone and interesting character. A heavy and hot brew. Like a liqueur.

My bottle (12oz) shared with tupalev. Pours a hazy orange-copper with a spare diminishing white head. Aroma: Well that’s different! Sweet malt along with toffee, grain, fruit (oranges mainly), candi sugar, herbs and lots of alcohol. Flavour’s sweet, sugary and fruity (oranges and more) with, again, lots of alcohol. Medium bodied. It’s decent but man, it’s really boozy and over the top -- I’m glad I shared it.

$2.49 12oz bottle from PP bottle shop. 4/28/09 A chance to vent about beer pricing: Thank you San Adams and finally a reasonably priced good beer in the current insane state of the overpriced beer market. In and out of beer stores, over and over again, leaving with nothing in my hand. It seems the $4.99 Blind Pig is often the cheapest thing in the store...so I wait and lurk and look... and opt out for the $1 samples next door, or the $6 pizza + salad + pint...a much more reasonable deal. On the plus side, my interest in home brew is taking off, especially with $1/lb 2-row at home brew mart. I’m starting to do a series of experiments by fermenting in growlers. I can make a growler of Berliner Weisse for about $1. Look out Sam Adams! There are even cheaper alternatives. Anywho...about the beer. Yellow amber color. Sweet. Thick body. Easy to drink. Kind of like a good triple but with a neutral yeast instead of Belgian yeast. Aaah. Mmmm. good.