Sam Adams American Light now available nationwide

A lager for the masses

By Mark Stock Published March 20, 2025

Sam Adams American Light. — Boston Beer Company

One of Sam Adams’ most popular beers is now available from coast to coast. The American Light, a lager style beer, comes in at 4.2% ABV and is made from barley from Montana and hops from Washington state. With spring officially here, the timing seems ideal.

The release comes just in time for March Madness, as sports fans all over will be tuning in. Very much aware of this, Sam Adams is also offering a special seat protector called The Spot Clock. The app is meant to be a way for game-watchers to save their favorite viewing seat while they get up for another round of beers.

fenway park sam deck sam adams beer — Lee Heidel/The Manual / The Manual

The beer is made with a pair of hop varieties, lager years, pilsner malt, and pours a light gold hue. Previously, the beer was just available regionally. Now, it’s available by draft, can, and bottle all over the country. For many, it’s a favorite barbecue beer, built for longer days, salty food, and sunny weather. It’s just 115 calories and has already won some awards.

Recommended Videos

Sam Adams got its start back in 1984 in Boston. Lagers have always been the label’s strong suit, making this release a fitting next page in the larger story. The brand is now owned by the Boston Beer Company. Many are familiar with staple beers like the Boston Lager and Juicy IPA.

Don’t stop there, we’ve got beer coverage across the board. Check out our features on the best IPAs and the state of the craft beer movement. Here’s to cold beer and college hoops.

Topics

Liquor, Beer, Wine & Drinks

Contributor

Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…

Food & Drink

Craft beer continues to flex resilience in latest report

Close-up of beer in a glass

Craft beer might be in a better place than many thought. While new competition and mindful drinking trends have challenged the industry, it's showing real resilience. A new report from the Brewers Association suggests that perhaps the glass is half full.

The report indicates that while the craft beer sector did dip slightly in 2024 in terms of production, employment within the industry rose. In terms of beer made, things decreased about 4% in 2024 compared to 2023. Yet, the craft arena added 3% in workforce, for a total of nearly 200,000 involved. Also reported was the value of craft beer at large, a whopping $28.9 billion.

Food & Drink

PNW brewery honors century-old lodge

A lager for a storied PNW lodge

Thunder Island Centennial Lager.

Multnomah Falls Lodge turns 100 this year and that calls for celebration. The beautiful building sits at the base of the 620-foot waterfalls, one of the tallest in the nation. A west coast brewery is honoring the milestone with a special beer, set inside a decidedly cool-looking can.

Thunder Island Brewery of Cascade Locks, Oregon recently dropped the Centennial Lager. The 5.5% ABV beer is balanced and lively, an ideal spring sipper. On the can, there's a cool design that depicts both the falls and the lodge, seemingly etched on like a wood print.

Food & Drink

The Extra Special Bitter: A classic style beer with something for everyone

A look at the English-style pale ale

Beer pouring from a keg

Like a lot of great beers, the Extra Special Bitter owes its heritage to Europe. Also called ESB, this balanced beer is essentially a hoppier version of a pale ale, born in England. It's a great option for the spring and summer, as it offers a bit more weight than lighter beer styles while appealing to hop heads and those looking for something refreshing, too.

There's a big time appeal to the Extra Special Bitter as it seemingly has something for everybody. Built into this crisp beer are floral yeast notes, bitterness, earthiness, and some herbal characteristics. There's a signature evenness to the beer, too, the hoppy elements countered nicely by the malts.