Last night as I sat at home sipping a delicious Samuel Adams Boston Lager, a cosmic link was closed as a commercial for Samuel Adams came on TV. I nodded solemnly, enjoying my brew, long after the commercial had finished its 30 second run. I nodded like that for hours, long after Mrs. Beer gave up on me and went to sleep, rife with bewilderment. Or something. Much of that happened.

The fact is, ubiquitous or no, the most common release from Sam Adams—their lager—is a very good beer and deserves mention. So let’s do it. Strap on your Mention Helmets…

This brew is to lager what Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale is to pales: a flagship.

The Boston Beer Company brews it up right, using 2 row barley for the malt. There are 2 strains of German, Noble hops used in the wort’s boil, and then a little more used for dry hopping. A 2 stage fermentation with (of course) bottom-fermenting lager yeasts render a crisp, semi-clear, wonderful beverage for you and me, and then me again, then Chuck, then me, then you, then Pvt. Pilsner… etc.

The aroma is full of floral hops but not overly assertive. The color is a lovely amber. The flavor… is good brau*, buddy. The malt character is light—grainy and a bit of bread with very slight toasty flavors—but so good. It’s balanced nicely by the assertive, crisp hops—floral like in the aroma and almost piney. Hops define the beer, malt keeps them in check. It is crisp and refreshing. You can sip one slowly; as it warms and the carbonation dissipates, it becomes more molasses-sweet. You can mow the lawn, come inside hot n bothered and slam 2 back for refreshment. Or you could just holler. Holler all day until the hollerin’s done.

*from the German for “dwarfish.”