Samuel Adams - Latitude Series (Part II)

Well, judging from the popularity of the first part of this two part series there are a fair number of you waiting to hear about the last three varieties of hops involved in making Samuel Adams' Latitude 48 Deconstructed Series.  I'll just get right down to brass tacks, then.  Let's pour!

The fourth hop: SIMCOE 

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational purposes only.

Aroma 11/12
This is so nice I wish brewers would make an IPA out of this hop alone.  Brewers: please consider that a challenge.  The aroma was abundant the second I opened the bottle, not even waiting for the pour.  It is almost champagne-like with a wood/nut aroma in close contention.  There is a light pine and grass note in the background that seems to be an afterthought, but as the beer warms it blends superbly with the champagne and citrus smells.

Appearance 3/3
Color is the same reddish-copper as the others, but the head is (forgive me) "head" and shoulders above the rest.  It is thick, frothy, stiff, becomes lumpy, and leaves an almost solid lace on my glass.  Excellent!

Picture is my own.

Flavor 19/20
An immediate bitter splash is the bold introduction for this brew and dives immediately into its backbone.  On the tongue this beer has just as much molasses as the color would have us believe, but with some woody tones, and a sharp, sour citrus note that shines through it all.  After being held in the mouth a bit, a sugar sweetness also develops.  The finish is a fantastic IPA bitter finish.  It is exactly what one should expect from an IPA.  It builds off the prior sour flavors and really uses them to beautifully transition into a resinous bitter.  The fade from one to the other is very tasty and very cool.  The aftertaste is surprisingly clean, given the bitter finish, and also leaves the mouth dry.

Mouthfeel 5/5
Did you notice I didn't start the flavor section "Again with the distracting carbonation," like all the others in this series?  That's because it didn't have it.  I'm not sure how.  I stored them the same way, opened them the same way, handled them the same way, etc.  Its mouthfeel is definitely different and I shall describe it as a certain well-copyrighted Disney character: "Practically perfect in every way."

Overall Impression 9/10
I am very impressed with this offering.  Excellent, unique aroma, superior appearance, distinct flavor transitions, and a perfect stylistic mouthfeel are definitely ingredients for this beer's success.  What else can I say?  Wow.

Total 47/50
Yeah, I'm surprised by the score too, but I stand by it.  This is an amazing hop!  After re-reading all the flavor sensations it gave me (molasses, sharp citrus, the crazy fade to bitter/pine), I thought to myself, "How can anyone not like beer?"  This is a fun beer to drink a glass of and since you receive two, almost worth the price of the 12 pack itself.  Seriously.  I haven't even had the last beer of the bunch yet, but unless it tastes like unicorn tears and plays the theme from the ORIGINAL Transformers Movie (1986!) when it opens I think that is a safe claim to make.


The fifth variety: ZEUS

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational purposes only.

Aroma 9/12
Starting with rich molasses-laden malt, this beer quickly gets to work showing its hop profile as it warms.  It starts with a faint grassy aroma, but gradually transitions into a rich pine log sent.


Appearance 3/3
Head retention average, lacing is just as superb as the Simcoe hop.  Color is similar to prior varieties.

Picture is my own

Flavor 15/20
Again with the carbonation.  This beer starts out with a creamy malt, but switches almost immediately to a pepper and bitter resin.  Those two flavors grab hold and never really let go.  OK, there is a slight, dark, caramel undertone, but it is very faint in contrast to the other larger, more abrasive flavors and is not as large of a contributor to the overall flavor profile.  The caramel seems to grow stronger as the beer warms, either that or I am becoming more accustomed to the bitter hops as I go.  Either way, it's providing more balance even if it is a secondary flavor.  The pine notes also increase with warmth.  The finish has a sharp bitter that earns this the title "Bitterst of the Series," and also shows off more of the pine flavor.  The aftertaste is ink-like in its bitterness and nothing more.

Mouthfeel 4/5
The early, crazy carbonation deducts points, but the head earns some.  Also, this beer seems to fill the mouth more than any of the other varieties, despite its similar body.  It foams up in an interesting way.


Overall Impression 6/10
Not bad, but not thrilling either.  Simpler aroma and flavor than the others, though.  Definitely the bitterest hop of the varieties.  I see its potential in conjunction with other hops, but it offers little on its own.

Total 37/50
I partially believe that this score is based on having all of the essentials of an American IPA, but none of the finer things.  Sure, it's bitter, tastes like pine, has some malt, etc.  However, it misses out on some of the characteristics that truly set apart an excellent IPA like citrus, floral, complexity.  As the score would indicate, this does not make it a bad beer, but there are definitely better our there.


The last is the combination of all 5: Latitude 48

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational purposes only.

 Aroma 9/12
Again starting of with caramel and molasses malts, but slowly evolving into a grass/funk aroma.  This is short lived and evolves again into a more citrusy version (light orange, canteloupe) with an overshadowed pine note.  The final evolution stays (thankfully) and smells very crisp and light.


Appearance 3/3
A repeat of the prior two beer's über-lacing.

Picture is my own.

Flavor 16/20
Creamy up front and peppery (not the first time we've seen that combination), it moves quickly to a lightly grassy/pronounced pine backbone with plenty of malt sweetness and a touch of citrus.  This is a very nice combination of a lot of things that are all going on at once.  The finish provides more pepper and bitter, but follows it with a brief, creamy, sweet wave that never overcomes the two despite is distinct appearance.  The malt is also more present in the finish that one would expect in an IPA, but not necessarily a terrible thing.  The aftertaste allows a fading, sharp bitter to take hold, but it must be truly waited out before it makes its appearance.  As the beer warms it takes on a very nice blend of malt and citrus hop.

Mouthfeel 4/5


Overall Impression 7/10
A caramelly version of the style, but a solid one nonetheless.  Extremely high technical prowess in the brewing process is evident in every aspect of this beer.  A bit more of the citrus to keep things more refreshing perhaps would have been appreciated.  This seems dark, especially for a summer seasonal.

Total 39/50
Obviously more complex than some of the other varieties, but that doesn't necessarily allow the best of each hop to show.  There are characteristics of each present and it's really fun to pick each one out after drinking the whole series.  Perhaps, its biggest fault is to not focus on one or two defining characteristics and instead going for all the the characteristics inherent in five different varieties of hops.  Who is to say which is better, the single flower or the bouquet?

A picture of the top of the variety pack.  Very cool.

And that's the game!! It has been a lot of fun going through the different varieties of hops and really isolating flavors, but eventually there had to be winners and there had to be losers.  Here is the final roundup.

Simcoe: 47/50
Ahtanum: 39/50
Latitude 48: 39/50
Hallertau: 38/50
Zeus: 37/50
East Kent Goldings: 27/50

Hopefully, this helps some of you homebrewers as well!  I know it will certainly aid me as I continue to try new and amazing beers and try to really pick individual flavors out of the beer.  Once again, cheers to Samuel Adams for a great idea that caters to homebrewers and the craft beer community!!

Samuel Adams - Latitude Series (part 1)

No, my friends, the title did not lie to you.  Today's review will be for the whole Latitude 48 series from Samuel Adams.  OK, so it's not really a series, but for those of you unfamiliar with Samuel Adams Latitude 48, here's the scoop.  Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA is made with 5 different types of hops.  This summer, Samuel Adams was selling a "Latitude 48 IPA Deconstructed" 12 pack.  In this twelve pack the individual types of hops are given their own pair of bottles. 2 bottles of the "blend" and 2 bottles each of the 5 different types of hops used: Zeus, Goldings, Ahtanum, Simcoe, and Hallertau.  Whether or not you dig Samuel Adams or think they're "too big," this is a really cool idea and completely caters to the craft beer community.  There is no other place I would be able to easily sample this many single hop beers and compare/contrast them so quickly.  Plus, this is a great tool for developing your palate and being able to single out flavors in future beers!

Two final notes before I pour.  I will evaluate the first beer (Ahtanum Hops) with my customary 5 categories: aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel, and overall impression.  However, since I assume many of the characteristics to be extremely similar (mouthfeel, appearance) I will not be reevaluating those for every single hop variation unless one of those differs from the others.  Wouldn't it be safe to assume the appearance and mouthfeel would be similar?  Well, we all know what happens when one assumes.

The second thought is that I may be drinking these beers a bit too late.  As is common knowledge in the craft beer community, time breeds passive hop flavors.  This was proven to me recently in my Hop Juice Black that had lost its bite since its purchase only 2 months ago.  Needless to say, that episode definitely increased the urgency with which I wanted to sample this variety pack.  I only hope I didn't wait too long again and spoil what could have been an otherwise excellent exbeerience.

Let's pour!

First up, the Ahtanum Hop:

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.

Aroma 9/12
As the head arranges itself, a strong aroma of molasses comes forward and then melds into hops as the head settles.  The hop aroma is more complex than I would have assumed for a single hop!  A grapefruit citrus is first (and bold), but eventually settles into a wonderful blend of citrus, floral, and light hints of grass.  Quite nice and a challenge to those who wish to naysay against Samuel Adams.

Appearance 3/3
This brew is becoming more and more impressive.  It pours a fiery, brilliant copper and a lasting cream-colored cap.  Little lacing and high clarity are also of note, but do not capture the attention like the prior mentioned characteristics.

Picture is my own.

Flavor 17/20
An initial assault of prickly carbonation makes it difficult to pick out flavors.  The beer does start out with the molasses from the aroma and some crystal malts.  The sweetness is brief and takes a back seat to our featured hop.  The hop flavor is almost nothing like the aroma.  The sweet, nuanced blend of the aroma is gone, and instead we are given a strong pepper and resin mix.  The pepper is primary to the resin, but both do allow an underlying sweetness that is more akin to caramel than molasses.  The backbone also features a slightly-higher-than average hop bitter.  A nice touch to see in the middle, when many lesser IPAs wait until the suds wash over the back of the tongue to relay their bitter notes.  The finish here is almost a lighter bitter than the backbone (odd!), but after a few moments a second wave of bitter comes and is a neat surprise when you thought it was all said and done.  Aftertaste is light, but bitter and lightly resinous.

Mouthfeel 3/5
As you saw earlier, I couldn't even wait until the appropriate section to note this beer's initially inappropriate amount of prickly carbonation.  It falls dramatically (and thankfully) throughout the bottle and eventually compliments the beer quite nicely and maximizes refreshment.  Speaking of refreshment, this is a bit heavier than I would have anticipated by being just barely over what I could consider a "medium body," but it is partly caused by the dramatic fall in carbonation.  It seems a narrow window in which to drink this beer, being either too carbonated or almost too flat.

Overall Impression 8/10
A surprising offering from Samuel Adams considering the amount of "poo-pooing" that is often aimed their way.  This beer proves that they are not too big to make good beer.  A wonderful, though far from strong aroma, superb appearance, and a substantial flavor all make this beer worth buying.  It is also a strong argument to seriously consider their next seasonal variety.

Total 39/50
Good for you Samuel Adams!  This beer alone should shut some mouths about you being "too big," and I haven't even gotten to the rest of the variety pack yet.  This is pretty impressive.  I'll admit, I too don't exactly dive into the cooler to snag a Sammy Light, but I would for this.  This is hoppy, tasty, and well made.

Next up: the East Kent Goldings

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.

Aroma 4/12
The initial aromas are not attractive at all.  This is funky.  It's a battle to tell if it smells more like boiled vegetables or the well water from your grandmother's tap.  Thankfully, that fades away eventually though not completely.  Eventually a very sweet malt smell arises from it that seems to include some honey.  Crystal malt is again present as is a light, fleeting "tea" aroma.  I neglected to mention the tea aroma in the first review since I thought it was just a brief misstep on my part.  It was not, as it was present in this beer as well.  Virtually no hops present in the aroma, unless they are responsible for the earlier funkiness.  Not a good sign in an IPA.

Appearance 2/3
Head is not nearly as generous (1 finger), but it does leave better lacing.  Clarity is also higher.

Picture is my own.

Flavor 13/20
Again with the distracting carbonation.  I had to let it warm a bit.  There are lots of pale malts of front that charge headlong into a backbone of light pepper, lighter floral, a faint sour citrus, and hints of smoked meat.  Notes of the funk show through, but they are largely kept in the shadows.  The smoked meat becomes a lot stronger in the finish and joins a bitter than is intense, but not particularly abundant.  The aftertaste is a bit smoky and more the bitter from the finish.

Mouthfeel 4/5
Still ridiculously prickly in the beginning, but more creamy overall.  It also seems to hold its carbonation toward the end of the bottle a bit better than the prior bottle.

Overall Impression 4/10
Unusual flavors presented in a mild way.  Tea aroma, peppery backbone, and smoky lingerings are an unusual combination to say the least.  However, this is not to say that it could not be done in an enjoyable combination.  This simply doesn't seem to be said combination.

Total 27/50
I can see this hop's place and unfortunately it is not by itself nor surrounded by crystal and caramel malts.  This could really add to a rauchbier or a other beers requiring a smoky/peppery styling and a concentrated bitter finish.  Looking back, I could probably name several beers that have utilized this hop that I thought were a bit unusual.  The hop has potential, but its setting is dramatically holding it back.


Third will be the Hallertau Mittelfrueh

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.

Aroma 10/12
Starting out strong with rich, bready malts this beer quickly transitions into caramelized orange rind and other sweet citrus tones.  This is quite nice.

Appearance 3/3
A bit more orange than its counterparts, with a good amount of lacing from only a finger-sized head.  Its clarity matches that of the Goldings hop.

Picture is my own.

Flavor 15/20
Again with the carbonation.  This is a bit more of a crisp opening than the last two with their heavy crystal malts.  It also doesn't provide the sweetness, leaving a bit of a flavorless entry into the backbone.  The primary flavors in said backbone are a rush of spicy and bitter, but calmed by a second wave of biscuity malt, a caramel, and a citrus backdrop.  In an unusual twist, it almost becomes salty while sitting in the mouth.  The finish is creamy and bitter with the aftertaste bringing out a bit of pine plus some some concentrated bitter notes, even if the bitter notes' abundance (again) is somewhat lesser.  A quicker sip refocuses on the  main themes of orange, caramel, and bitter flavors.

Mouthfeel 4/5
Initial carbonation aside, everything is par for the course and similar to the other varieties.

Overall Impression 6/10
An average offering.  It tastes like an overly bitter amber ale.  Granted, this ale has more orange and not just the straight amber malts (an nice twist), but an citrusy sweet (yet not tart/sour) amber ale nonetheless.

Total 38/50
OK, so I'm a little embarassed to say that I just discovered that the descriptions of the hops are on the backs of the individual labels.  However, I'm glad I trusted my palate because the flavors that are stated to be in this beer are not detectable at all.  The label claims flavors of lemony citrus (I'll allow that) and resinous pine.  There was no pine to be found in this bottle.  Granted, that could be confirming my fear that I didn't drink these IPAs soon enough, but I stand by my taste buds.  Whether I read it or not, the song remains the same: caramel, citrus, bitter.   In that order.


In closing, I find that I should deviate from my plan to review all six Latitude 48 varieties in one sitting. I feel that 3 of them at 6% ABV each on an empty stomach, is not only getting me a little bit tipsy (not a bad thing), but effecting my writing and ability to clearly convey what I am experiencing.  That said, this will be Part 1, with part 2 to follow in the near future.  As it stands currently..


Ahtanum: 39/50
Hallertau: 38/50
East Kent Goldings: 27/50

To be continued...