Beer From Near & Far

I really enjoy Sam Adams beers. Their Boston Lager was the first American lager I ever tried, even before Budweiser! (could be a good thing) And even though I've had only a few nicer Lagers since, it will always remain an instant classic, and a perfectly enjoyable beer.

My second reason for my Sam Adams passion is that it seems that's all I ever drink whilst in the States. They have an incredibly massive range of beers, and where ever you (or we go anyway) it's the Sam Adam beers which are present on tap, it's so readily available. (and go for the happy hour and you get 2 for 1, which is brilliant!)

However, despite how many styles and varieties of beers I consume from this brewery in the States, (and it's usually about 20+ different styles!) we do not have that range over here in the UK. The Imperial Stout pictured is always a regular treat which I have to bring back with me on the plane! In fact, the only beer I've ever seen from Sam Adams for sale in this country is my old favourite; the Boston Lager.

That was until I took a trip to the Rake in London last week and spied this bad boy!

As soon as I saw it, I had to have it. It stood out a mile to me in the fridges.

It's a Chocolate Bock, and it's a BIG Chocolate Bock! All 1PT, 9.4FL OZ of it.

It looks... well you can see for yourself really, it looks dark! The aroma is quite unusual. It's quite fitting that I pictured the two beers at the top as, although there might be quite a bit of chocolate in there, it has big hints of both these beers mixed in together. It has nothing towards the big American strengths that we're used to though, or even a regular Bock strength, it's only 5.5% but that's certainly no disappointing thing. (I think I would have had to share if it was much stronger, it's such a big beer)

It has a great flavour, it's light, and there's not really a lot of depth to it. It makes it incredibly drinkable, and with such a drying, almost lactic finish, the beer is half gone before you know it. Chocolate, chocolate malts, chocolate biscuits, chocolate milk, chocolate raisins - it's a very tasty and light beer. I'd love to know how Glyn and the Rake team get their hands on beers like this.

Unfortunately it has been a fleeting moment for the night though. As nice is it is to get amazing beers from Sam Adams,  it's always going to be from afar, unless they start importing their whole range to retailers near you, and not just the Boston Lager. (I really wish they would!)