Samuel Adams White Christmas

Samuel Adams White Christmas - Ale Brewed with Spices (2012)

Limited Release (Winter Seasonal? - New)

12 fl. oz. (x6) / $8.99USD / 5.8% ABV

About: "Using some of our favorite Christmas spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange peel, we brewed this hazy white ale with distinct fruity citrus notes and a warm spiciness. The blend of malts contributes a medium body with a subtle sweet note while the wheat provides a slight crisp character. The lingering spice notes leave you wanting more. Malts: Samuel Adams Two-Row Pale Malt Blend, Wheat, German Pils / Hops: Spalt Spalter Noble / Special Ingredients: Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Orange Peel / Yeast: Samuel Adams Ale Yeast."

Thoughts: Christmas Beers. You gotta love it. Or do you? White-mas poured a super-light yellow lemony-type color with a fluffy white head. This beer is ultra cloudy, with slight carbonation.

The scent is a very light citrus tone with all of those familiar spices from the Fat Jack and Merry Mischief. And though everything here is super light, it still smells delightful overall. It smells a little bit like oranges, and maybe a touch of kiwi, which is weird since lemon and grapefruit usually prevail. But here it smells a lot sweeter and of course, those spices help things out a bit.

The taste is decent enough. It's not fulfilling or exciting at all really. Hmm. It's like water with the spices. Imagine Fat Jack or Merry Mischief... only without the special stuff, the kick that makes those go above and beyond the usual stuff SA does. This is like a watered down-tasting version of those brews. It may be a lighter affair, but it's void of any unpleasant factors. It tastes like a Sam Adams brew, which I guess is consistent, but they don't really seem to ever venture into unknown territory. These guys play it way too safe, and this beer (along with many others) is proof of that.

Mouth is pretty thin. Not exactly what you would think of when you imagine a "Christmas" beer, but if you're going to session a sixer, I don't see why this wouldn't do. It does after all taste good. It's just that after trying their other seasonal offerings (which feature the same spices, and yet are far superior) this one just doesn't cut it. However, this is a damn fine White Ale for what it is. The spices don't overpower and actually fade along with the initial taste, but leave a remembrance of the brew on the tongue. Still, it's far too watery for its own good.

At least they put this out by itself in six and twelve packs. I'll take this any day over the other beers from their Winter Pack, aside from Fezzi, which should have gotten this treatment. Hey, there's that playing it safe again!