I held off a bit before getting the 2011 version of the Sam Adams Winter Classics 12-pack. I usually buy one for Thanksgiving, but I spent the holiday in Rhode Island and drank local brew. I finally dove into my favorite winter seasonal mixed pack over the first weekend of December.
2011 brought another new line-up to the Winter Classics 12-pack:
- Boston Lager
- Winter Lager
- Old Fezziwig Ale
- Holiday Porter
- Chocolate Bock
- Black & Brew
New in 2011: Black & Brew
Gone in 2011: White Ale
Black & Brew is an interesting addition to the Winter Classics line-up. According to the Samuel Adams web site, this “Coffee Stout is a dark brew that combines roasted coffee with a rich, full-bodied stout. For the authentic coffee flavor, we use 1.5 pounds of Sumatran coffee beans per barrel, added late in the brewing process to provide the most flavor possible.”
By replacing White Ale with Black & Brew, this 12-pack now skews to dark, heavy, and rich suds. It’s much less of a session 12-pack than it used to be, so I don’t think I’ll buy as many this winter for football games and what-not as I have in past years.
Based on the 2011 version, I’m not sure if this will stay at the top of my list of favorite winter seasonal mixed packs. I need to find a contender and hold a winter 12-pack taste-off, like I did last year.
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