One New York Life

This is the first year I’ve managed to finally get my thoughts on Sam’s winter pack down on, um, paper. It took quite some time this year but, due to the way Sam packages their winter samplers, it’ll be a relative quick process going forward as four of these six beers are likely to appear in every sampler for the rest of time. I have recently seen 12-packs of Coastal Wheat available for separate purchase, so it appears I was right about the sampler just being a preview for a new Brewmaster’s Reserve.

• Winter Lager: This is the grand-daddy of Winter brews. It remains my favorite winter seasonal and, like I said last week, if a brewery wants to enter a crowded winter seasonal market, they need to beat this. 40
• Coastal Wheat: Odd choice to include in a winter offering sampler. Everything about this beer, from the colors on the packaging, to the name “coastal”, to the flavor screams “Summer Beer.” I would think, if Sam wanted to preview this, they would have included it in this year’s Summer Styles or Brewmaster Collection samplers. Out of place in a winter offering, but I look forward to seeing it placed in future Brewmasters’ Collection six-packs. 34
• Cranberry Lambic: There are only two uses for this I can think of. First — a party in which the goal is to bring the worst beer and second — giving someone who hates beer a beer they might like. 19
• Old Fezziwig: I won’t go so far as to say I look forward to my seasonal 24 oz’s of Old Fezziwig, but I will say it’s become enough of a winter institution that I’d miss it if it were gone. I also feel safe in saying that if this didn’t exist, Winter Lager wouldn’t exist as we know it today. For that alone, it has my respect. 26
• Holiday Porter: I’ve been a fan of this beer since they introduced it in 2004. I look forward to it every year and I really wish they’d start putting it in 22 oz bottles for the holiday season. 35
• Boston Lager: Funny thing here… if I was having a party, it wouldn’t cross my mind to buy cases of Boston Lager bottles to throw on ice for everyone. But, if I had a kegerator and wanted to supply my guests with a upscale, safe, tasty option, I can’t think of a better choice than Boston Lager. Its low ABV would be safer for guests who might have to drive home later and the flavor is safe for a huge crowd. Boston Lager exists to be purchased on tap. With special pint glasses. 35

Average Score: 31.5 (of 50)

Best: Winter Lager. No real surprise here. Sam’s Winter Lager remains not only one of my favorite winter seasonals, but one of my favorite beers overall. If it were not to be included here, I’d be hard-pressed to buy the sampler over a 12-pack by itself.

Worst: Cranberry Lambic. I’d like to meet the group of people who love this beer and keep it in the sampler so I can punch them in the jeans.

Final Thoughts: I complain about the generic-ness of this sampler pack every year. I still purchase it every year because four of the twelve are two of my favorite winter seasonal offerings. It’s also become the twelve-pack that my get me by default for Christmas Eve/Day. I would be immensely happy if they’d replace Cranberry Lambic with a heavier winter offering like Cream Stout, but I don’t see that happening. Cranberry Lambic must have some fans somewhere. I also have a moral objection to them test-marketing a spring/summer offering in their winter sampler.