Fresh As Helles & Hopscape by Samuel Adams Brewing Co (Boston Beer)
Brewery: Samuel Adams Brewing Co (Boston Beer)
Beer Style: Fresh As Helles – Helles Lager, Hopscape – Hoppy Wheat
ABV: 5.4% & 5.5%
IBUs:
Beer God’s Notes
Fresh As Helles Lager
Original Tasting Notes: I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this. Helles Lager might be one of my least favorite styles. @samueladamsbeer did a really nice job on this, the orange blossom gives it just a hint of something that made me enjoy it a lot more than I expected.
I was worried about this one, I don’t really like Helles Lagers, I haven’t really found one that I’ve enjoyed yet. They usually lack a lot of flavors and feel like they’re missing something. To my amazement, I think I finally found one that I enjoyed. The slight flavor of the orange blossom petals really brought something unique and fresh out of this normally bland beer style.
Hopscape
Original Tasting Notes: it had some really nice flavors to it. I enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting to.
Another beer style that can be really hit or miss with me. This one was definitely a hit. I went into it with an open mind and found that the west coast hops that were used really brought out some nice flavor profiles in Hopscape.
This beer was both light and full bodied. It had a nice light and crisp flavor while still have the nice body that wheat beers can have. I will be recommending this to my friends in the late spring/early summer once it starts warming up.
Description
Fresh As Helles Lager
Samuel Adams Fresh as Helles is one of two new seasonal brews released in 2017. This crisp and refreshing beer is a light amber, medium-bodied helles lager with a honey malt aroma and hints of orange citrus and orange blossom notes.
Brewed with Mandarina hops and orange blossom petals, Fresh as Helles provides a lively, citrus flavor that pairs perfectly with the season. The soft citrus notes of orange blossom add a bright accent to the slightly sweet honey malt notes leading to a round, smooth finish.
Pairing with Food: The subtle sweetness of this beer’s malt backbone and citrusy notes from the orange blossom and Mandarina hops stand up to a range of flavors, from nutty to spicy. Its medium body allows it to cut through rich or dense foods, like Thai coconut curry or a bittersweet chocolate torte.
Hopscape
Samuel Adams Hopscape is one of two new seasonal brews released in 2017. This deep gold, medium-bodied wheat ale is the perfect stepping stone from winter’s bitter bite to a warmer spring. It’s citrusy, dank resin and grapefruit rind aromas lead into a balanced flavor of bright citrus and piney hop character paired with notes of crisp, lightly sweet malt. Hopscape finishes with a smooth and slightly lingering bitterness.
Aptly named, Hopscape is brewed with four varieties of West Coast hops: Chinook, Citra, Centennial, and Zeus. Each variety adds bold notes of pine and juicy grapefruit to this deep golden wheat ale.
Pairing with Food: The citrusy, piney, and resinous notes that the hops contribute to Samuel Adams Hopscape are a great pairing for spicy foods. The crisp wheat character balances the spice. The peppery, allspice complexity of jerk chicken enhances the hop profile in this beer, while buffalo cucumbers’ mixture of heat and coolness mirror the beer’s balance between malt and hops.
