Skip to main content

Our First Taste of Samuel Adam’s New Ale and Lager Hybrid, Sam ’76

Which do you prefer: ales or lagers?

This is a question many beer drinkers have heard over the years. It’s kind of a silly question, as the terms strictly refer to drink’s fermentation method and not necessarily the beer’s aroma, appearance, or flavor, although there are certain expectations. In a nutshell, lagers utilize bottom-fermenting yeast and ales use top-fermenting strains; lager yeast works best in cooler temperatures while ale yeasts like it comparatively warm.

Recommended Videos

A brewer’s creativity often pushes a beer beyond its basic, expected properties into something surprising and new. However, there are some aspects to a beer’s profile that are usually determined by the fermentation method. Lagers are routinely described as clean and crisp, where as ales tend to be more varied and flavorful. But in the expanding world of craft beer, you may be hard-pressed to truly tell the difference on taste alone.

Meet Sam '76

Samuel Adams has entered the ale versus lager debate with a novel suggestion: Why not have both? The new Sam ’76 offering is being dubbed a hybrid of sorts, thanks to its unique recipe. After a year of trial and error, the brewery landed on the technique of combining two batches of wort (unfermented beer) — one an ale and the other a lager — early in the fermentation process. That super-wort continues fermenting as a single batch. The yeasts then work together to finish the alcohol conversion and make beer. A late addition of extra hops adds to the product’s final punch.

But the most important question isn’t ale or lager — it’s “how does it taste?” The answer: surprisingly delicious. Sam ’76 pours a bright, clear gold from the can and has a fresh aroma of biscuit, floral, and citrus notes. The hops, including Citra and Mosaic, carry that aroma straight through into a refreshing, quenching beer that pairs perfectly with everything from tailgate hot dogs to lobster tail at your favorite hot spot.

Sam ’76 is available now across the United States in canned six-packs and retails for $9-$10, depending on the market. Find a retailer near you.

Lee Heidel
Lee Heidel is the managing editor of Brew/Drink/Run, a website and podcast that promotes brewing your own beer, consuming the…
Whiskey can be for springtime too, as these easy to make cocktails show
Get out your fruits and your berries, as we're mixing for spring
Bear Fight Whiskey

Spring is officially here, at least in my area where the sun has been shining and the winter cold is finally (finally!) dissipating. That means it's time for spring cocktails, and some of the hottest cocktail trends for this time of year include bright colors and fresh fruits. That might sound like you'll be looking to spritzes, or perhaps clear spirits like gin or vodka, and certainly those can make for some delicious drinks.

But you can also turn these trends to the world of whiskey, which can happily be mixed with these on-trend flavors too. These cocktails from Bear Fight Whiskey for spring include options using either single malt or bourbon as you prefer.
Bear Fight Espresso Martini
Ingredients:

Read more
A foodie’s dream: Highlights from the Nassau Paradise Island Wine and Food Festival
The Caribbean's best food event
Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas

The Nassau Paradise Island Wine and Food Festival, hosted by Atlantis, is an event nearly everyone can enjoy. It takes place over five days and features fun and food in a tropical paradise. From culinary demonstrations to food tastings, there's nothing not to love about this premier culinary event.

After attending sessions at this event for just a few days, I concluded that Bahamian cuisine lives up to the hype. This event encompasses everything true foodies can appreciate: unique cuisine and bold flavors, culinary talent from celebrity chefs, and hands-on culinary learning experiences. Here's what to expect at the event and a look at the flavors of the Bahamas you can expect to savor at next year's festival.
Lunch master classes

Read more
Dekáf Coffee Roasters launches to redefine the decaf experience
A new brand of decaf coffee
Dekáf Coffee Roasters

Specialty coffee lovers no longer have to compromise when choosing decaf. As the decaf coffee and lower-caffeinated coffee trend continues to rise, decaf shoppers now have a new coffee brand to consider. The latest online coffee brand, Dekáf Coffee Roasters, offers exclusively premium decaffeinated coffee. Each coffee is made in a small batch and is sustainably sourced. Dekáf embraces the philosophy that great coffee should be measured by taste, not caffeine content.
Founded by Khanh Nguyen and Anil Mezini, Dekáf was created to elevate decaf coffee to the same level as any high-end specialty coffee. With four years of research guiding its foundation, Dekáf dedicated the past year and some months to developing and refining its approach. From fine-tuning roasting techniques to perfecting sustainable sourcing, every detail is crafted to prioritize quality at every step. The brand focuses on "ownership of the entire coffee process" from sourcing to roasting, handling all steps in-house for best-in-class quality, freshness, and flavor.
Combining Anil’s two decades of experience in the specialty coffee industry with Khanh’s expertise in branding and design, Dekáf is redefining what decaf coffee can be. The company exclusively sources premium, sustainably decaffeinated coffee beans and roasts them in small batches to order, ensuring peak freshness. Every bag is shipped within 24 hours of roasting, delivering the freshest possible coffee in the world of decaf. Without compromising flavor, each bag is just as good as caffeinated coffee. But is an excellent option for those who wish to avoid the effects of caffeine.

Read more