REVIEW 119: SAMUEL ADAMS REBEL IPA

Yes, it reads, "Boston Lager." But it's Rebel IPA.

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  USA

BREWERY:  Boston Beer Company

STYLE:  IPA

ABV:  6.5%

PURCHASE:  Draft (22-oz.), $6.75

SERVING:  Samuel Adams branded specialty imperial pint glass. Standard inch-high head from the tap. Decent but unspectacular retention.

APPEARANCE:  Transparent golden-copper body with the usual white head. Very bubbly and very good, if uneven, lacing.

BOUQUET:  It's an IPA. But . . . this one is not all hops. Very well balanced aroma with pleasant complements of malt, citrus, yeast, and caramel. Nothing an experienced beer drinker hasn't smelt before, but worthy of a nod of affirmation just the same. 

PALATE:  Medium to slightly heavy body. Conspicuous carbonation that, if held too long, will increase rather sharply. Hops--reportedly five different varieties--are front and center, as you'd expect. But this is one of those IPAs that knows when to pull back. And it's multidimensional:  Citrus (mainly grapefruit, but some lemon and orange) notes are increasingly prevalent toward the finish, and the aftertaste equally piney and yeasty with touches of malt and caramel. As with the aroma, very well balanced.

MUSINGS AND METAPHORS:  Underrated by most of the online beer snob community; I would rate this even higher if not for the overtly biting carbonation in the early going of each sip. 

For a long time, I have struggled to find a beer from the Sam lineup, aside from Latitude 48, that rivals the flagship Boston Lager. Well, mission accomplished.



GRADE:  A-