Mybeerbuzz.com Highlights 2016 Samuel Adams Rebel Raw

When a beer arrives and the packaging explicitly says, “Keep it Cold” as well as “DRINK IT NOW!”  AND that beer arrives in a cold pack (see photo below)…who am I to dispute such instructions.

If you’ve been playing along with the home version of mybeerbuzz, you’ll remember that we just announced that Samuel Adams Rebel Raw 2016 is coming to Pennsylvania & more.  Where you ask, how about this from the PR: 

Rebel Raw Double IPA will be on shelves in: Denver, CO; Hartford, CT; Chicago, IL; MN; Long Island & NYC, NY; Raleigh, NC; Cincinnati & Cleveland, OH; Pittsburg & Philly, PA; Dallas, TX, RI and in MA. A list of where you can find Rebel Raw will be available at http://blog.samueladams.com/.

If that’s not enough fun, Rebel Raw is now updated with a different hop profile and it’s a pretty complex schedule:

· Polaris (kettle): Fruity and intensely floral with notes of fresh mint 

· Galaxy (kettle): Citrusy, spicy and herbal with hints of green fruit and red berries

· Amarillo (kettle): Orange, grapefruit and tangerine notes with slight fruit sweetness

· Zeus (kettle): Earthy and spicy with hints of citrus  

· Centennial (dry-hopping): Medium citrus, intensely floral with hints of wood

· Cascade (dry-hopping): Floral, spicy citrus and grapefruit with hints of red berries

· Simcoe (dry-hopping):  Intense pine, with aromas of passionfruit and apricot

With over 7-pounds of hops per barrel, I knew we were in for a sampling treat….so off we go.

Samuel Adams Rebel Raw has hoppy aroma hitting you in the kisser before you even start pouring.  Just open the 16oz can (YES! 16oz cans) and the dankness grabs your nose and doesn’t let go even after you finish the beer.  The aroma is citrusy, resinous, floral with even a touch of earthy spice and the flavor follows that same path.  Notes of resinous pine, lots of citrus and passionfruit and a pleasant big hoppy and dank finish.  You can’t miss the hops in this beer and you won’t want to.

At 10%-AbV and 100 IBU, and with the package being a 16oz can, this beer will get your attention in a lot of ways.  Samuel Adams STRONGLY recommends you drink this fresh.  Don’t save it for later; it has a 35-day shelf life (the shortest ever for a Samuel Adams beer)….and I actually dare you to try to not just drink all of it as soon as you get it home.

Samuel Adams Rebel Raw is packaged in 16oz 4-packs and it is coming in May so don’t delay.   Try this beer for yourself, and when you do, be sure to let us know what YOU think.