A recent addition to the fall 12 pack.

Always happy to see a new, Sam Adams beer in a traditional style. If there are beers that they do well, it’s usually something like this. Besides, these days I’m just happy to find almost any traditional styles!

Pour is an attractive one both in terms of the color and clarity. Dark red, copper hues on the pour. Add the fine looking head, and you’ve got yourself a smashing looking beer.

Simple brown ale type notes (I always think of Munich Dunkel’s in these terms), with light toasted malts sitting on top of a slightly bitter hop backbone. Body is medium and simple without feeling ‘smooth’ per se, and the carbonation is average. Drinkable and easy. It’s pretty light TBH which I suppose is what one might expect, but you don’t get the depth of malt that one might expect in other classic beers of this style, No real Noble bite in the hops though.

This feels a little like an American version of a Munich Dunkel which, I suppose is absolutely, 100% appropriate! Anyway it’s obviously very approachable and again that’s the point. stylistically a good ‘starter’ beer for people interested in delving more into German styles. It’s hard to dislike this, even if its depth is questionable. A Dunkel for the masses, and that’s OK.