Craft Beer Spotlight: Sam Adams Sam ’76 – Ale Meets Lager

Craft Beer Joe

6 years ago

Sam ’76 By Samuel Adams

I often wonder what it is like to be on the leadership team of a company like Samuel Adams. They have a lot of influence and power in the industry but they also face real issues as the craft beer movement has become so localized. Innovation isn’t easy but can help them remain relevant. One of their latest creations, Sam ’76, is a great example of what it takes to continue to be a market leader.

But Samuel Adams has to continually wonder what market they are chasing. Are they trying to win over the hardcore craft beer fans? Or are they striving to reach the Macro lager crowd?

These are two unique groups which often want different types of beers. Is Sam ’76 a beer that can reach both groups?

Let’s see what this this lager / ale hybrid has to offer.

Review Of Samuel Adams Sam ’76

Samuel Adams, aka Boston Beer Company, is one of the originals when you think about modern craft beer. Their Boston Lager remains a favorite among those that have been enjoying craft beer over the past few decades.

They’ve come a long way since the early days of craft beer. Many overlook them and don’t consider them to be real “craft beer” due to their size.

Regardless of how you view them, there’s no denying that big brands like Sam Adams can help move the market as they have the power to reach more customers than a local brewery.

Sam ’76 is a beer that has the potential to reach a wide audience. It has more flavor than most low ABV beers (Macro lagers specifically) but is still very approachable.

They achieve this balance by bringing in characteristics of lager and ale and yeasts. It has the ale qualities that impart a fruity, hoppy notes while still be very smooth and crisp like a lager.

Sam ’76 has an ABV of 4.7% and IBUs of 12.

Here is how Samuel Adams describes Sam ’76:

By experimenting with both lager and ale yeast strains, the brewers at Sam Adams came up with the concept for a brand new beer – Sam ’76. This truly unique brew takes two active fermentations and blends them together to create a deliciously harmonious result. This process delivers a distinct flavor that showcases the slight fruitiness of an ale with the balanced drinkability and smoothness of a lager.

Sam ’76 will surprise any craft beer lover with its huge flavor and aroma along with a light-bodied, refreshing crispness. At just 4.7% ABV, this brew is perfect for those sessionable occasions. Cascade, Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe and Galaxy hops impart a tropical citrus aroma that gives way to a bright, juicy citrus hop flavor but without the hop bitterness. The brewers have been experimenting for over a year, tested over 60 iterations with multiple combinations of 12 different hop varieties in the nano brewery in Boston in order to perfect the Sam ’76 recipe.

Initial Thoughts

I didn’t think much of Sam ’76 when I first heard of its release. While it sounded interesting (Ale meets Lager), I thought it was targeted to fans of American Lagers more than a craft beer enthusiast like myself.

But then I heard many craft beer fans talking about how Sam ’76 was their new go-to beer option when they wanted something easy and light.

Sam ’76 comes in a variety of packaging options – I went with the 16oz cans because it just seems to fit the personality of this beer.

It pours a straw, golden color with good clarity – just a bit of chill haze. The head is bright white and fluffy.

Overall, the appearance reminds me of most light lager beers.

Tasting Notes

Knowing that this was a blend of lager and ale, I had an idea of what to expect. However, I wasn’t sure that blending these types of beer would turn out well.

The first thing I got was the ale components of this beer. There is a nice hop presence that brings is subtle hop and fruit flavors. It reminded me of a Pale Ale without the bitterness.

Sam ’76 finishes like a lager – clean, crisp and light. Sam ’76 satisfies while also making you want more.

The low IBUs and ABV are very apparent. But that’s exactly what you’ll want out of a beer like this. Having a few won’t burn out your taste buds or cause intoxication.

Final Thoughts

Is this the beer that will convert lager fans into ale fans? Probably not.

Will it change how you feel about Sam Adams? Maybe.

Is this a great option for a hot day when you want something super approachable yet still have some body and flavor? Yes.

This could easily be the beer you pick up when you’ll be grilling, camping, tailgating, or just enjoying the company of family or friends. The balance of ale and lager qualities makes this an interesting beer to drink while not getting in the way.

Learn More About Lagers

Conculsion

Many of the craft beers that I enjoy are big, bold and dominate the situation. I drink them when I want the beer to give me something to talk about.

This isn’t that kind of beer. Instead, Sam ’76 is going to let what’s really happening in your life remain the focus. It will just be the beer in your hand providing great flavor along the way.

And I think that’s great. I need more beers like this in my life.