Beer of the Week (Vol. CXXXVII)

A return to normalcy edition of Beer of the Week sponsored as always by the consistently cheerful folks at Glen Lake Wine and Spirits who can help find the wine, whiskey, and beer to get back into the swing of things. The latest big beer news from the store is that Glen Lake Wine and Spirits now offers make your own six-packs with a healthy selection of single bottles to choose. It’s a great way to sample a variety of beers and you get 10% off when you fill your six-pack.

With the craft beer market continuing to grow both in size and scope, some of the big dogs within the craft ranks have expanded their offerings to meet the desires of ever more discriminating craft beer lovers. Locally, we’ve witnessed this with Summit’s Unchained Series of more adventurous beer styles. And national craft brewers like Sierra Nevada and Samuel Adams have also followed this path. In fact, Sam Adams now boasts over thirty different styles of beer across a range of seasonal and special series.

One of those brews from their Limited Release series is Samuel Adams Tasman Red:

Bold, lively, and a bit rugged This wily red IPA gets its character from the Tasmanian hops that are full of grapefruit, pine, and earthy notes creating a bold flavor that threads throughout the taste. The hops are balanced by a core of roasty malts that give this brew body and richness with hints of toffee. This flavorful brew is rounded and smooth with a dry and citrusy hop finish.

22oz brown bomber bottle that sells for $4.99. Orangish-red label features a drawing of a rough-hewn character with a glint of mischief in his eyes.

STYLE: Red Ale

ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 6.75%

COLOR (0-2): Dark ruby red and mostly clear. 2

AROMA (0-2): Lots of volume with big bubbles. Off-white color. Good retention and lacing. 2

HEAD (0-2): Citrus and floral hops with a little bit of a sweet edge. 2

TASTE (0-5): Unlike the smell, roasted malts come through more than the hops here. Hops are citrusy, but not all that bitter. Some spicy flavors as well with just a hint of sweetness. Medium-bodied with a watery mouthfeel. The finish is somewhat empty. Not especially drinkable. 3

AFTERTASTE (0-2): The aftertaste is metallic and tinny. It becomes off-putting after a while. 1

OVERALL (0-6): I was really looking forward to this beer as I had heard good things about the beers in the Sam Adams limited release series and a well-done Red IPA sounded delicious. While it sure looks tempting in the glass, it comes up short when it hits the taste buds. Initially the flavors are good if a bit pedestrian, but the aftertaste quite literally leaves a bad taste in your mouth. And the more you drink, the more noticeable it becomes. 3

TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 13