An important lesson regarding beer temp and Cherry Wheat Beer
We had another one of those impromptu bbq’s at work today. Fortune, or possibly misfortune, was smiling upon me as I noticed another Sam Adams Cherry Wheat was in the beer bin. I arrived to the bbq early, so the beer hadn’t had long to steep in the ice.
Now I see where some other people people got wildly different experiences from the Cherry Wheat than I did after my first taste of it. My first taste of the stuff was when it was VERY cold and it tasted wonderful. Today, it was just slightly cold and tasted of “cough syrup cherry flavoring”.
I was disappointed that the mere change in temp could affect this beer so drastically. I finished the beer, but the experience knocked a few points off of my previous rating.
I am thankful I wasn’t able to find this stuff sold by the case and didn’t end up saddled with lots of warmish beer flavored cough syrup.
Moral of the story: drink this shtuff cold or don’t drink it at all!
Smyguy, and 
Frosty 11:44 pm on August 3, 2007 Permalink
Ack! I wonder if the semi-warmness had an effect on the taste of the OBF beer too. Thanks for the update, looks like I’ll be spending my hard earned dollar on the Schlitz Malt Liqour instead.
Smyguy 11:05 am on September 17, 2009 Permalink
I enjoyed reading your post and I’m sorry you had a bad experience with the Cherry Wheat at your BBQ. However, I would like to make a clarifying statement about temperature in relationship to beer. As you may have experienced already after drinking Miller Lite, Bud, MGD, Coors or any other of those macrobrewery “crap” beers there is no flavor. Look at how they market it and dispense it…”frost brewed” and chilled for your enjoyment. While this campaign might fool the general public and someone who knows nothing about beer it does not fool me. Have you ever been poured a glass of beer in a frosted mug or glass. Refuse it! The cold temperature inhibits the taste and flavor of the beer. In addition, frost brewing beer and storing it at 32 degrees greatly effects the flavor profile of the beer. So if you like bland, watery, cold beer by all means drink it cold. On the other hand, you can develop a taste for new flavors and complexity if you allow a beer to warm up a little as you drink. I love Cherry Wheat and it is not because of the “cough syrup” cherry flavor. It is becaues if the bready wheat notes that make up the backbone for the beer. I usually pour a cold beer, have a few sips and then gradually sip away while it gets warm. You’ll be suprised at how a beer changes in character as you let it sit out. In the end the last sip of mine is a nice medley of flavor from all parts and ingredience of the beer.
SwillJockey 11:52 am on September 17, 2009 Permalink
Yes, you’re right about the temp vs. flavor equation, but nothing can overcome the cough-syrupyness of this stuff when it warms up, even if a decent malt or hop profile manages to sneak its way in a higher temps.
I can’t get to the front-bone if the back-bone doesn’t taste good to me. There’s too much good beer out there to drink something twice that you don’t like.