Samuel Adams, you have impressed me!

So, I know I said that I was going to post about New York state beers and I was about to.... but I stumbled upon Sam Adam's Blackberry Witbier in my late night Wegman's "I'm starving" visit. I can't help but write about this beer because it is delicious.

I was hesitant to buy it though. As a bartender I find that people don't really try new beers. Occasionally we will get a business man in from out of town that wants a Syracuse (or Upstate New York beer). Unfortunately we don't have any. We used to carry Syracuse Pale Ale from Middle Ages Brewery, which was really good. But being that I work at an Australian themed restaurant we carry Australian beers. And while I enjoy the Australian beers we carry, I find it odd to focus on them with Anheuser Busch down the street from where I work. But I digress.....

I find that more people are willing to try a new wine but not really a new beer. Or maybe that's just the experiences I've had. When someone is going to try a new wine and they are unsure about whether or not they like it a good bartender rule of thumb is to find out what they normally drink. Seems simple I know however, the problem with that is that I am amazed at how many people don't actually know what they drink. When this is the case, I try to find out if they drink coffee and how they like that. I like a nice French roast coffee. I don't necessarily like a very strong coffee, I just like it to have some punch to it. I've noticed that I tend to like rich beers. Not too hoppy, not too sweet but something with substance. Rich caramel or a coffee taste with a smooth finish. Of course those are also the beers that carry a little bit more alcohol content and knock me on my a**. A good beer is not just a frat boy drink. It can be enjoyed like a fine wine or a nice vodka. I wish more people would see it that way.


Back to my point, at first sight I wasn't sure how I felt about buying a Blackberry beer. Sam Adam's is one of my favorite beers. Octoberfest is my favorite flavor followed by their Black Lager, but fruit beers make me nervous. Their Cherry Wheat is too sweet for me. But this beer is perfect. It seems a little bit more light than the regular Sam Adam's. This beer is a cloudy honey color. The best part is the subtle hint of blackberry. It's a nice fresh touch. There is nothing artificial about it. Subtle, yet with a powerful enough punch for you to know it's there.

I don't know how you feel about beer, or how you feel about "fruity" beer but I suggest that if you should come across this beer in your travels it is worth it!

Cheers!!!!!

~Melissa