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Samuel Adams Spring Ale is, according to Boston Beer, brewed in the Kolsch style, a light and hoppy German ale native to the city of Koln. In Koln, Kolsch beer is served in small cylindrical glasses that your waiter will keep filling until you tell him to stop. The beer is so drinkable that you may not want him to. German Kolsch is very rare here in the United States; in all my beer travels I have only seen it once. That was Reissdorf Kolsch, which I enjoyed on draft at Redbones in Boston. It was a very clean, malty brew, more closely resembling a lager than an ale.
That should not be surprising. Kolsch is fermented like an ale but cold-conditioned like a lager. It will often include wheat as an ingredient to lighten the palate (Boston Beer uses wheat in Spring Ale). Boston Beer’s Spring Ale was first introduced in 1998 as part of the holiday sampler pack. It is generally available from January to March, though the freshness dating on the package states that it is best consumed before June. Alcohol by volume is 5.2%. It is widely available in bottles and on draft.
On December 3, 1998 I wrote this about Samuel Adams Spring Ale:
Just picked up a Sam Adams Winter Classics 12 pack today. I was looking for the assortment after reading my friend Fred Engels' review of the new Spring Ale which debuts in this year's sampler. The label says the beer is brewed in the "classic Kolsch style", as you read on there is a mention of English Kent Golding hops being used, perhaps a bit unusual for a German style ale, but Spalts are used as well.
The nose is very subtle on Spring Ale, very light malt
is detectable with a pinch of fruit. The ale is light golden colored and
well carbonated. The palate is fairly clean of esters as one would expect
for a cold conditioned ale, but a crisp apple character is discernible and
this subtle fruitiness complements the light malt body nicely. The finish
has just enough hop character to provide a quenching dryness to it. A very
nice beer, probably best suited for the warmer spring months than the cooler
ones.
In Germany, the name Kolsch (which properly has two little dots called an
umlaut over the o), is an appellation controlee, or a controlled
name. That means that the only beers that can truly be called Kolsch must be
brewed in Koln. The French have a similar lock on the name champagne. In
accordance with this, most American microbrewers will call a beer fashioned
after the ales of Koln as being in the Kolsch style rather than calling
their beer a Kolsch directly.
Samuel Adams Spring Ale pours to a light golden orange color with a medium
head formation and an earthy Goldings hop nose. The palate is medium to
light bodied with a touch of butter and delicate, biscuity malt. The finish
reveals a hint of minty Spalter Spalt hops, but the Earthy, slightly floral
Goldings dominate and give the beer more English character than German. A
light bitterness is present too. This is a very drinkable and tasty beer,
though it is not in my estimation a shining example of a Kolsch. To be fair,
though, Boston Beer admits to using Goldings to make their beer just a bit
different from a traditional Kolsch.
It is, however, a perfect beer to match with your Easter dinner; light and
refreshing like a spring breeze, very drinkable, and hoppy enough to cut
through a brown sugar glazed ham or a leg of lamb with mint sauce.
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
