Is There Such a Thing as “Comfort Beer?” A Review of Sam Adams Black Lager

By maoglone

I’m reasonably sure that I’ve noted in the past that my go-to beer, in terms of type, is the Black Lager. That said, reviewing beers on the semi-regular basis that I do means that I don’t get to drink as many black lagers as I’d really like to. After the whole Pumpkin Ale thing, I had to go for something a little more comforting, something a little more in my wheelhouse.

Samuel Adams Black Lager is pretty much what you’d expect: malty, dark, and pleasant. It’s about as beer-flavored as you can get, and there’s a richness that you’d be hard pressed to find in other black lagers–the two I’ve tended towards in the past seem to be a little syrupy in comparison, which is saying something.

There’s not much in the way of a finish here–which is to say, it’s not an overpowering beer at any point. In terms of “drinkability,” which I’d define in this case as a question of whether I could drink six and not be fazed, I’d put SABL pretty high on the scale. In other words, I like this beer. A lot.

At least in the limited world in which I live, black lager doesn’t seem to be as popular as I’d expect it should, or perhaps could be. In general, it’s a very accessible type of beer with a nice color and flavor, and it’s not so complex that your “less sophisticated” beer drinkers or casual beer drinkers couldn’t greatly enjoy it. It’s possible, I guess, that it gets lost in some kind of confusion because of the fact that it’s a dark beer but it’s neither a porter nor a stout, but rather a closer cousin to straight lagers and pilsners in terms of taste, albeit a measurable amount maltier and richer.

As Sam Adams Black Lager goes, I feel it necessary to rate this beer in comparison to other black lagers I’ve had. It’s a bit drier than the others and strangely, this makes me like it a little more. In other words, it’s possible I’ve found a new go-to beer. It’s affordable, it’s tasty (a “Super-Good” on the CTS scale), it’s got a good, solid label, and it’s drinkable. Not sure what more you could possibly ask for.