Sam Adams' Summer 12-pack

$12 and brimming with potential, if not good and interesting beers, this box was pretty much the only option at Target today. But, it makes for good literature (I know at least 33% of the readership likes hearing/seeing myself talk). I had the Coastal Wheat on tap at Buffalo Wild Wings during US v. Ghana, and it tasted appropriate to the mood. However, I've had it from the bottle before and don't think it is that bad. I think it was skunked or a dirty tap. I think we got two of the Boston lager in there. I might add a picture when I drink those, but no point in reviewing one of the most available beers around. Interestingly, the 12er comes w/ two of the Sam Lights, which I remember being surprisingly good. I will contemplate these as objectively as possible.

1st randomly selected participant: Brewmaster's Collection, Blackberry Witbier (http://www.samueladams.com/enjoy-our-beer/beer-detail.aspx?id=42e434fe-1f92-4e7c-b496-473507bc698b)

picture forthcoming

I'll give them props for putting a lot into this beer, in terms of ingredients and effortful recipe development. Short of a super-expensive geuze or lambic, this is about as good as I could expect a blackberry beer to be. As the website says, the orange peel, blackberry, and coriander flavors DO in fact complement the malted wheat flavor. If you know what to taste beforehand, this tastes a bit like a buttery blackberry scone. If you don't know what to expect (and especially if you serve it slightly warm), you will react the way Laura did in this situation: "That's nasty. Tastes like cough syrup." The nose isn't anything special, but neither is it off-putting. Mouthfeel is 'fizzy' and light. Enough sour, sweet, and bready to be interesting on all parts of the tongue and have a scone-y ale aftertaste. All in all, my attempts to describe the beer have improved its taste exponentially. Sam should take a cue, as the cursory explanation on the bottle tells you less than the name of the beer. Most importantly, good when served COLD. If you can tell yourself "blackberries and orange peel" rather than "cough syrup," or at least compromise, "Flintstones' vitamins," this is an enjoyable beverage. I'd bet it would be quite nice on a hot day if bottomed-up quickly.