Hey there folks, rant time! Do I do too much of that? Maybe. But I think after 32 years as a beer drinker, I’ve earned the right. Latest rant: seasonal beers released well before the season they are intended for. Case in point is this year’s Samuel Adams Escape Route, one of the beers in the 2014 Samuel Adams Spring Brews 12-Pack.
I saw this sampler in stores during the first week of January, 2014: much too early for me. Granted, I was ready for spring during the long cold winter we were still enduring, but the beers included were as a rule a on the lighter-bodied side. They included 2 bottles each of:
· Samuel Adams Maple Pecan Porter
· Samuel Adams Cold Snap (new)
· Samuel Adams Escape Route (new)
I still had a few bottles of Samuel Boston Lager at home, and rather than buy the whole sampler I simply picked up a bomber of the Cold Snap which was also available. I waited for the Escape Route to hit store shelves here in Georgia as well, but that didn’t happen until early-April, and they showed up with a “Enjoy Before” date of May. Although Sherlock’s has Sam Adams six-packs for $7.99, I opted just to buy a single.
From the label:
Escaping from winter’s darkness, this hazy golden, unfiltered Kölsch style creates a fresh start. Our take on the classic hybrid style from Cologne Germany combines the subtle fruit notes of an ale with the smooth crispness of a lager for a bright, refreshing brew to help escape those lingering cold days.
Samuel Adams Escape Route has an alcohol content of 5% by volume and 30 IBUs. This isn’t the first Kolsch under the Samuel Adams label, their Spring Ale introduced in 1998 was also a Kolsch, though a filtered one. Ingredients from the Boston Beer website:
MALT VARIETIES: Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, acidulated malt, flaked barley, and carafoam
HOP VARIETIES: Strisselspalt and Aramis
Samuel Adams Escape Route pours to a dark orange color with a medium head of a foam and a soft malty nose. I leave a little liquid in the bottle, swirl to rouse the dark colored yeast, and decant that into my glass. Taking a sip this is smooth and malty with biscuit and a hint of nuttiness from the yeast. The finish is lightly grassy and herbal. I’m not getting a lot of fruit here (the classic Kolsch will have a hint of soft fruit but is mostly clean), more malt and this is a bit heavy for a Kolsch but this beer was certainly delicious an a warm April afternoon while grilling steaks and vegetables.
Overall, I very much enjoyed the smooth clean maltiness of this satisfying, creamy clean ale. That speaks back to my earlier gripe: I think this beer was released too early. I’d have been happy to see it released in March, but for me January is a bit early. Be that as it may, it’s definitely a re-buy for me. I enjoyed Samuel Adams Escape Route very much, and $7.99 for a six-pack is a great deal indeed.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft