Samuel Adams Black Lager

Aroma: “Moderate roast and toasted malt. Hints of smoke, chocolate, coffee. Subtle earthy hops.” Flavor: “Moderately strong milk chocolate in the flavor with toast and rich malt behind it. A moderate sweetness slowly fades and is a touch cloying in the finish. Bitterness is very low. Other than the lingering sweetness, the finish is clean with a light lasting dark malt flavor.” Overall: “Nice malt character throughout and very clean. Pleasant dark-malt complexity without an overtly harsh tannic bitterness or astringency. Well-balanced. Straightforward and to-the-point, a no-nonsense, clean, and enjoyable black lager.”

Brilliant lasting head. Crisp, spicy hop character out front, with floral, citrus, and raw grain notes. Pronounced malt flavor throughout—clear, dry toasted notes with subtle, layered sweetness. The bitter-and-sweet balance of hops and grain flourishes on the tastebuds. Finish is fairly aggressively bitter, with a grassy lingering aftertaste. Bright throughout, trends toward bitter, but that works.

Aroma: “Moderate rich malt and smoke up front with toasty, biscuit, and slight chocolate malt behind that.” Flavor: “More toasty popcorn kernel and chocolate malt in the flavor with much less smoke. Moderate sweetness into moderate bitterness in the flavor. Clean lager profile. Finish is slightly bitter with a hint of smoke or peat that lingers. Good balance on the sweetness.” Overall: “Nice beer overall but some may find the smoky malt out of place in the aroma. The flavor is well executed, and the dry finish is nice. Still, it’s a very light beer with some big flavors that are difficult to corral in such a small package.”