OK, I had a blast doing this taste test. It took place in a campground in western Ohio along the Indiana border in mid June. The outside temp was about 82 degrees and the sky clear. A great day for a summertime brew (or two) under a shade tree. I started off by pouring a Sam Adams Summer Ale in my glass, followed quickly by doing the same with a Sierra Nevada SummerFest. Ahhhh…My two favorite brewery’s, head to head. GAME ON!!
Appearance: The Sam Adams poured a dark cloudy color similar to apple cider. Something you would expect to see in the fall. The Sierra Nevada looked more like apple juice or a lager beer. It simply looked refreshing. Score: Sierra Nevada
Head: They both had the same color, white. Sam Adams didn’t last much past the first drink. Sierra Nevada was still there 1/3 of the way down, a little lacy, but still there. Score: Sierra Nevada
Aroma: Sam Adams had a deep malt smell, but not sweet. The Sierra Nevada had almost a “skunky” smell to it. (No it wasn’t the campground, or me for that matter) Almost like a beer from Holland. I was surprised. Just didn’t expect that. Score: Sam Adams
Taste: I could definitely taste the unmistakable flavor of the Sam Adams hops. This mixed with a bit of citrus made for a very intersting zest on my taste buds. (how’s that for some fancy talk?) A little filling, with a long after taste. I couldn’t drink more than a couple of these in one day. Sierra Nevada had a crisp taste and a clean finish. These are good things but not what I would expect in a “summer brew”. I can see a six pack disappear around a campfire in one night. (as a matter of fact, I did see a six pack disappear around a campfire in one night) Score: Sam Adams
Overall: Classic Sam Adams. Just what I envisioned it would be. The Sierra Nevada was a slightly more refreshing beer. They will both be bought and tried again.
Conclusion: This is a toss up for me. I really liked them both. If I had to choose or recommend one to someone I wouldn’t know what to tell them except that if you want to sit around and relax with a “summer” brew I would go with Sam Adams Summer Ale. But if you wanted a good tasting beer for the long haul, but not too long, remember it hails a 5% ABV, I would go with the Sierra Nevada SummerFest.
The ultimate winner: They both score a “C+” on the P-O-R-C-H-scale. A veritable tie. So it just comes down to who has the best looking label. And the winner is…………………Sierra Nevada SummerFest. The label has a colorful outdoor scene featuring a river running through some rolling hills with a mountain in the background, and the name is on an old timey looking banner at the top. A lot of thought was put into this one. This is one good looking beer all the way around.
Posted by Mr. Porch in Beer Reviews, Sam Adams Series, Sierra Nevada
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