Samuel Adams Brewer Patriot Collection 4-pack

Samuel Adams isn't a brewer people sit on the fence with when it comes to their beers: they love or they loathe. But once you get away from their mainstream beers, a more adventurous side of the brewer emerges, resulting in some rare brews, like its Double Bock and its Fall Harvest Imperial Pilsner.

On July 4, I caught a glance of the Brewer Patriot Collection, four ales made from Colonial-era beer recipes. $10 for 4 beers might not sound like a bargain, but at least 3 of these beers here are usual enough to merit the purchase.
I drank all four beers from a Statesmetal beer mug, since other beer vessels of the time weren't available to me, and I'm pretty sure the Sam Adams portrait on most bottles holds a metal mug. But I could be wrong on that. All I really know if what I tasted. And I'll give each beer its own rating; to rate such a disparate group of ales together does justice to none of them.

Traditional Ginger Honey Ale: The most pleasant surprise of the batch. I had no expectations, but what I found was a perfect summer session beer; drink it in the sun all day and never suffer from its ill effects. Honey, ginger and lemon hit the taste buds early and often, just as the name promises.

Because it fermented quickly and could be made from everyday ingredients, this was an everyday libation for the colonists. Even at 5.5 percent alcohol-by-volume, this would serve as a fine alcoholic substitute for ice tea on a hot summer afternoon.

Rating: 8/10

George Washington Porter: Easily the best beer here, if only because it stands out as one of the best porters I've ever tasted. Most porters come off as stout light (which they are), but those one takes off in new directions of flavor and complexity. I attribute that to its unfiltered state (none of the beers in this collection are filtered) and the sharp flavors it exhibits: molasses, licorice and a divine roasted finish that recalls a German rauchbier.

I want a sixer of this porter. And I'm not a fan of most porters.
9.5/10

James Madison Dark Wheat: Blah. That's all I can say. I've been drinking too much hefeweizen and wit bier this summer to show patience for an ordinary wheat. It isn't bad --- some slight toffee and cocoa flavors emerge later in the sampling. Coming on the heels of the GW Porter, however, banality is a misdemeanor.
Rating: 4/10

1790 Root Beer Brew: Advertising exactly what it is once again, here we have an alcoholic root brew, with a strong - though not imposing - spearmint tone running through it. Another one that works well on a hot summer day. However, it is heavy like root beer, and more than one glass might leave you on the bloated side. Since I only had one, I think it was a quality, if somewhat esoteric, way to wrap up the fine Brewer Patriot Collection (just as long as we ignore James Madison).
Rating:7/10