Chargrilled Mighty Oak

My father-in-law is famous for always having a Costco-sized variety pack of Sam Adams in his garage fridge.  And while Sam Adams is by no means my favorite brewer, my father-in-law's habits do allow us to sample nearly all the Sam Adams flavors without having to commit to an entire 6-pack.  Because quite frankly, one or two bottles of any Sam Adams flavor is usually enough.

Today, I selected the Mighty Oak Ale (5.7% ABV) by The Boston Beer Company in Boston, Massachusetts (i.e. Samuel Adams).  I picked this because I had never seen it before and figured it was worth a go.

According to the brewer, "Samuel Adams Mighty Oak Ale is the winner of our 2011 Beer Lover’s Choice® campaign. This brew combines the malty sweetness of an ale with the complexity of oak aging for an overall well-balanced beer.  The aroma has a subtle earthiness from the English hops, while distinct notes of oak come through in the flavor of this amber brew.  The vanilla and caramel oak character is balanced by the sweetness and subtle roastiness of our blend of malts for a smooth dry finish."

My tastebuds detect the vanilla and caramel immediately.  Woah --- this beer is very very sweet.  I drink some water and then taste it again.  Yup, still sweet.  I don't think I've ever had a beer this sweet before.  The carbonation is minimal which I think makes it taste even sweeter and more like a syrup than a beer.  I would compare it to a sweeter version of a Newcastle Brown Ale.  I would drink this beer again if I found it in an icy cooler at a BBQ, but I would not buy more with my own money. 

My rating:  2 of 5.