Cream Stout Challenge (Samuel Adams Vs. Bell's)

Here is a head-to-head review of two cream stouts: Samuel Adams' Cream Stout and Bell's Double Cream Stout.  First, the sniff test out of the bottle.  Samuel Adams Cream Stout definitely has the more robust bouquet.  It smells like a beer with stoutish tones of roasty and toasty aromas.  Bell's Special Double Cream Stout has a lighter smell, more mellow, with hints of almost like vanilla, so it defintely has more of the vanilla "cream" aspect to its cream stout.  I literally did a double pour into less-than-pint glasses.  Bell's has a darker head, a darker tan color to the foam.  Samuel Adams has a a lighter, whiter head.

Samuel Adams writes, "Smooth and rich, Samuel Adams Cream Stout is brewed with extra portions of roasted chocolate and caramel malts, roasted barley, and hand-selected English hops.  Tradition has it that ale drinkers of Samuel Adams' day considered all other stouts to be merely mile.  This was the cream.  Cheers!"  So, Sam Adams is using the "cream of the crop", the "cream rises to the top" metaphor, but I don't think I imagined the vanilla undertones of the Bell's Special Double Cream Stout.  Bell's writes, "Brewed with a blend of 10 different malts, Double Cream is an incredibly rich stout composed of dark, sweet and smooth tones intermingled with a soft, roasty finish."

So, I am not going to score these two beers head-to-head with competing scores.  I will let El Presidente take care of that.  He can chime in with the technical scores like an Olympic judge.  I will talk in more roundabout terminology.  At 6.1% abv, Bell's wins the smoothness and aromatic test.  It smells good, it tastes good, and it has an alcoholic kick without tasting of alcohol.  Sam Adams, however, has more of a robust stout taste to it, it leaves more attractive lacing on the glass, and it tastes great.  What is the abv %?  I don't know.  The bottle doesn't say, and neither does the website.  That is a pet peeve of min.  Information is power.  Tell your consumers what the abv% is please.  From Sam Adams' website:

Samuel Adams® Cream Stout is a true cream stout, balancing body and sweetness, with the natural spiciness of grain and hand selected English hops. Our brewers use generous portions of roasted chocolate and caramel malts as well as roasted unmalted barley to impart a fullness of body, a roasty malt character and rich, creamy head. Its dark, mahogany color makes it almost as easy on the eyes as it is on the palate.

In conclusion, if I judge coffee stouts by the taste of the coffee flavor, then I have to judge cream stouts by their creaminess.  It only makes sense.  Samuel Adams taste more like a stout, and Bell's seems to taste more like a cream stout.  If you take "cream stout" to be a top grade, "Cream of the crop" stout, then I probably wouldn't pick Samuel Adams anyway.  I am a Samuel Smith man, myself.  So, I am thinking of cream stout as kind of like a milk stout only better, richer.  


Bell's would beg to differ.  They write,

Double Cream Stout derives its name from its smooth, creamy texture, not the ingredients. Completely dairy-free, this stout blends ten different specialty malts to yield a remarkable depth of flavor. With only a touch of burnt notes, Double Cream Stout focuses on the softer, cocoa & espresso-like aspects of roasted malt.

So, no milk, but a creamy, smooth stout.  Bell's wins.  That is is my decision.  Chime in with comments if you feel otherwise.  Convince me I am wrong, but until then, Bell's is the winner of this showdown.

Samuel Adams Noble Pils (Presidential Brief)

What: Samuel Adams Noble Pils
Where: Houlihan's Cherry Hill, NJ
When: Saturday, February 19th, 2011
What-have-you: A fitting name for a proud beer. Whatever gives pilsners that slightly floury taste is prominent here, giving Noble Pils a hearty body. This is great for pub consumption but may not be light enough to quaff in the heat of summer. I guess that's why it arrives late winter/early spring.


Check out the Sam Adams Roundup we did awhile back!

Samuel Adams Noble Pils

Samuel Adams Round-Up

Samuel Adams Round-Up:

We occasionally like to re-visit some of our previous reviews to spotlight a certain style of beer, or in this case, a particular brewery. Here are some of our Sam Adams beer reviews. To start off, for the Hop-Head-in-Chief, we bring you:

1. Sam Adams Longshot Double IPA:

This home-grown recipe from Mike McDole of California has a pretty serious hoppy kick. With 7 varieties of American hops addes, this blend has a very definite grapefruit juice thing going on. [Read the full review]

2. Samuel Adams Imperial Stout:

This imperial stout is dark all the way through. Extreme bitterness up front presents the traditional dark flavors of chocolate and coffee. The bitterness gives way for just a moment to let in a little sweetness from deep within. Then, the aftertaste hits with lasting results. What is that herbal, tongue-numbing bittersweet flavor? Aha! Anise. I may not have come up with that on my own but Jim Koch was kind enough to sum up the brew on the rear label. Thanks, Mr. Koch, for putting words to my flavor experience. [Read the full review]

3. Samuel AdamsSummer Ale:

There are lots of summer beers out there and they seem to get better and better. Sam Adams is sort of the successful big brother of the craft brew industry and usually keeps the level of competition pretty high. This Summer Ale has a nice golden color and slightly hazy complexion. The body is just right with a smooth mouthfeel, too. So flavorful and consistent. Get it in the bottle or on draft! [Read the full review]

Samuel Adams Imperial Stout

Samuel Adams Imperial Stout:

This imperial stout is dark all the way through. Extreme bitterness up front presents the traditional dark flavors of chocolate and coffee. The bitterness gives way for just a moment to let in a little sweetness from deep within. Then, the aftertaste hits with lasting results. What is that herbal, tongue-numbing bittersweet flavor? Aha! Anise. I may not have come up with that on my own but Jim Koch was kind enough to sum up the brew on the rear label. Thanks, Mr. Koch, for putting words to my flavor experience.

The aftertaste lingers a good long while, perhaps partly due to the intensity of the brew, but maybe the viscosity has something to do with that -- Sam Adams Imperial Stout coats the mouth like Sambuca in a way. So let that be the Presidential Recommendation for today: Sambuca drinkers, give this powerful stout a try.

Sam Adams Imperial Stout fits right in the mix of imperial stouts abv-wise, clocking in at 9.2%. Not nearly a session beer, this imperial stout is particularly boozy in flavor with a pungent bite that so far is unique to me. Very stylish and extremely bold, this offering is sure to receive a perfect Style score. But here's the thing...

I love Sam Adams; I love bold brews; I love imperial stouts... but this isn't my favorite among them. I have to be honest here, it's not suiting my taste buds. The craftsmanship is ever-present, but I'm not in love. Goes to show that there's some crazy voodoo involved in brewing. Not many breweries could even take a chance like Sam Adams by creating an entire Imperial Series. And even fewer can throw down a unique imperial stout. This particular version of imperial stout does challenge the norms of the style but it does not redefine them in my opinion (Key words: my opinion. Please comment!!).

Samuel Adams Imperial Stout:

Representation: .875

Accessibility: .85

Style: 1.0

Personal Preference: .85

Total Score: 3.575 Flags

Check out our other reviews of [ Imperial Stout ] beers.

Samuel Adams Longshot Cranberry Wit

Samuel Adams Longshot Cranberry Wit:

Well aren't you a little tart? This unfiltered light ale is delightfully snappy and cran-tastic. With a light yet somehow hearty blend of cinnamon and coriander, the label's description likens this brew to a crisp autumn day in New England. Yes, I can see it now! The Longshot Cranberry Wit would be just right for a camping trip: Anytime of day, maybe best suited for breakfast. But the grains of paradise remind me of another Sam Adams' seasonal: the Summer Ale. And with a sharp cranberry flavor, I suppose this wit would work as a refreshing summertime brew as well.

The label also gives us another hint: "For brewery-fresh taste purchase before month notched." The magic month on my bottle was September. So if I buy it in August, I could drink it in September or October. Fall is in full bloom by then (at least in New England). Should I wait til September to buy more? Will I get max freshness? Will Sam Adams brew this batch again for purchase in the fall? Hmmm... Maybe I'll just enjoyit now as a summer thirst-quencher and keep one or two for the changing of the leaves. Perhaps I'll simply go camping a little early this year and enjoy the best of both worlds!

Representation: .90
Accessibility: .90
Style: .90
Personal Preference: .855

Total: 3.555 Flags

Read a review of Samuel Adams' Longshot Double IPA
Read a review of Samuel Adams' Summer Ale
Read a review of Samuel Adams' Longshot Grape Pale Ale
Read a review of Samuel Adams' Longshot Weizenbock

Samuel Adams Longshot Double IPA

Sam Adams Longshot Double IPA:

This home-grown recipe from Mike McDole of California has a pretty serious hoppy kick. With 7 varieties of American hops addes, this blend has a very definite grapefruit juice thing going on. Extremely floral and pleasantly bitter, this Longshot has a lot going for it. The body is a solid medium with a decent malt base. I'm figuring there's some wheat in there somewhere too, since this light-colored IPA is cloudy and tongue-teasing.

I can't help but compare this brew to some others I've had: Longshot Double IPA reminds me a little bit of Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA (only not quite as rich) and Victory Hop Wallop (only ot quite as bitter). All three have an alcohol content of about 9% and all three are capable of satisfying a hop-head's desires. Sam Adams Longshot Double IPA is definitely worth a try.

Citizens, let me know if you might have more colorful descriptions or more accurate comparisons. Keep in mind that I've placed this particular beer in some pretty rare company so let me know what you think.

Representation: .95
Accessibility: .89
Style: .925
Personal Preference: .90

Total: 3.665 Flags

Summer of Sam

Samuel Adams Summer Ale:

There are lots of summer beers out there and they seem to get better and better. Sam Adams is sort of the successful big brother of the craft brew industry and usually keeps the level of competition pretty high. This Summer Ale has a nice golden color and slightly hazy complexion. The body is just right with a smooth mouthfeel, too. So flavorful and consistent. Get it in the bottle or on draft!

Honestly, there's not too much to say about this beer. It's pretty awesome. Craft beer drinkers can appreciate it for being tasty and refreshing. Beginners may see this as an opportunity to dip their toes into the "micro brew" ocean without getting put off by strong malty or bitter "over-the-topness".

I'm not sure about the public at large, but the Cabinet and I agree that Sam Adams' seasonals were a bit (just a bit) off about two years ago but this year's Winter and Summer offerings have stepped it up again. In fact, of all the summer ales I've tried so far, Samuel Adams Summer Ale probably tops the charts. I have some more tasting to do, so look for a page devoted to Summer brews in the next few weeks. Maybe even a podcast...

Samuel Adams Summer Ale:

Representation: 1.0

Accessibility: 1.0

Style: .90

Personal Preference: .90

Total Score: 3.8 Flags

Weizenheimer - Sam Adams Longshot Weizenbock

Samuel Adams Longshot Weizenbock:

The other winner of 2007's homebrew contest, Mr. Rodney Kibzey of Illinois, has done something pretty special. This Weizenbock gets into your chest and warms your whole body.

I can picture this complex and fruity and wheaty and alcoholy brew bringing feeling back into the bones of some poor avalanche victim on a ski trip. There he sits, shivering, wondering if he will ever see the beaming faces of his loved ones again as he freezes to death. Away slips his consciousness when from out of the mist bounds a Saint Bernard rescue dog with a cask around his neck. With the skillful dexterity that only Saint Bernards have, the rescue hound pops the cork and pours a shot of Rodney Kibzey's weizenbock.

This lifegiving ale has a deep fruit and wheat flavor, rich and a little spicy with noticeable cloves. The alcohol essence gives it a brandy-like quality. You know what this reminds me of? Mince pie. Goodness, if this beer is still around next Thanksgiving, it's a no-brainer.

That settles it. I'm going to get a few cases of the Longshot combo. Since Lili Hess's Grape Pale Ale will be greatly refreshing this summer and Rodney Kibzey's Weizenbock is a warming winter gem, it would serve to have some waiting for a special occasion. Both of the Longshot brews push the boundaries of beer, incorporating different elements and bringing together the different states of this FermentNation. Both of the home brewers should be commended on their efforts. Maybe your home brew will be the next Longshot to make it.

Samuel Adams Longshot Weizenbock:

Representation: .90
Accessability: .80
Style: .85
Personal Preference: .90

Total Score: 3.45 Flags

Longshot Wins Big - Sam Adams Grape Pale Ale

Samuel Adams Longshot Grape Pale Ale:

Sam Adams' homebrew contest winners get a batch of their winning creations produced in limited release by the brewmasters of Sam. The first one I had was the Grape Pale Ale created by Lili Hess, a Samuel Adams employee from Hawaii. Look for her face on the label, smiling proudly as well she should. This ale is pale as advertised and grape as promised.

But don't fret -- It doesn't taste like the unnatural grape flavor that makes your tongue turn purple. That strange grapeness is unwelcome here. Rather, a mildly sweet yet delightfully dry white or green grape flavor pushes back against any bitterness in this ale. In fact, the sweet and dry elements hook up for an almost champagne-like experience.

Lili's Grape Pale Ale stands strong among fruit beers (although Dogfish Head seems to have perfected the art). Sweetish and dry-like, I bet it would make a great half-and-half with Guinness. Even better, this would be great right out of the bottle. Chill this light and fruitish brew in a cooler full of ice and take it to a tailgater or a barbecue. This pale ale will appeal to beer folks as well as grape folks so go ahead and try it. It's a winner for a reason.

Samuel Adams Longshot Grape Pale Ale:

Representation: .80
Accessability: .90
Style: .85
Personal Preference: .85

Total Score: 3.4 Flags