Sam Adams freely admits that this was a big experiment. They decided to add a bunch of hops to a lager to add the spice of the hops to the mellowness of the malts. The result, they hoped, would be the best of both worlds.
The head is thick, and the bubbles are large. The aroma is distinctly lager, but it definitely has that hops bitterness to it. It doesn't smell very appealing, I have to say. After I take a small sip, this doesn't seem like its going to end well. The attempt to make it complex has made the taste come in waves - not good ones, either. I take a bigger swig the second time around, and this time, it's a bit better. Maybe this is like Guinness, and a deeper draught is necessary to get the proper flavor out of the beer. I can live with that.
No, it's just not right. The finish is just too floral. It's not as bad as the Pistil dandelion beer, but I've definitely tasted better. As the beer warms, though, the bite gets more mild. It's much more drinkable after you let it warm a bit. I grabbed a second one to see how it goes with a little food; and it's still just kind of okay. Maybe it will get better as it warms up, but I'm already out of food, so I'm left sipping this as it warms. Could be a worse night.
2.25/5
