Samuel Adams LongShot Grape Pale Ale

Brewed by Boston Beer Company
Style: Fruit Beer
Boston, Massachusetts USA

12oz bottle. Pours a light orange with highlights of gold and brown. A thick, white head forms, but quickly dissipates. Very little lace is left on the glass. The aroma is very malty and toasty. There is a slight ester character to the smell, from what seems to be English ale yeast. There are also notes of English hops, but the bready, toasty malts win out. No fruit aroma to speak of. The flavor is light and very toasty. There isn’t a real grape character to the flavor. It tastes like an English Best Bitter (I guess an American-style pale ale would have too many hops to accept any sort of grape flavor). By mid-palate, there is a slight fruitiness - above and beyond the esters that are reminiscent of sweet, white grape juice; but that character is very mild. The finish is bready with a touch of bitter hops and some acid that could be from grapes (I suppose it could be called almost wine-like). The mouthfeel is medium in body with a nice, spritzy but not over-the-top carbonation. Overall, a very plain but drinkable beer. Nothing truly special. I’m upset that Mike McDole’s Double IPA didn’t win - that would have been a much better pale ale than this one.

Faintly hoppy with a little fruit in the nose. Copper color with some faint fruitiness in the body.

To label this a pale ale is just a vast misrepresentation of beer in itself. I have a feeling the recent hop sweep kept this from tasting the way it did when it was presented in the competition. The first placing beer was a IIPA that SA couldn’t produce due to the hop constrictions of late. This beer is a wheat beer, unmistakable. Just like most companies use fruit in the brewing of their wheat beers, this is simply one that uses grape instead of cherry/raspberry.

Nose is nice and floral with a citrus and caramel kick. Appearance is okay, head disappears too quick(like most/all SamAds). Flavor is quite nice malty, caramels, with a floral/citrus hop character, odd fruit flavor also... grape? Mouthfeel is suprisingly nice, slightly silky but lacks proper bittering for a PA (especially when cooler). Overall an intresting beer I’d have again, but not something to buy regularly. Will trade Lazy Magnolia SP with others. Email/message me.

Bottle. Pours an amber color. Not bad for a long shot winner. Aroma is grapes, apples, and other fruits. Flavor is yeast, grains and fruit. Not bad.

Bottle: Light brown pour with light carbonation. Pretty thin semi white head. Light fruit scent to it. Was expecting more of a sweet taste to it but overall not a bad brew.

12oz Bottle: Pours clear amber w/ a small off-white head. Aroma is sweet malts w/ a touch of hops. Reminds me of an English Ale, very caramelly aroma. Caramel flavor w/ a nice little hop presence towards the end & a slightly dry finish. I don’t quite get putting this beer in the fruit category. English Pale Ale, yes. Fruit, not so much.

Bottle. Pours pale gold. Mild grape taste and mild hop flavor. Not bad not great.