Samuel Adams Belgian Session

A crisp, refreshing version of a traditional Belgian beer. Fruity, slightly spicy flavors from the Belgian yeast are balanced by toffee and caramel notes from our blend of malts. The hops provide a citrus character that rounds out this enjoyable brew.

3.2

453 reviews

Boston, United States

Community reviews

2.6 An ok American attempt at a Belgian beer. Aroma was ok. Typical Belgian yeast with orange peel and Juicy Fruit gum. Pour was a neat clear medium gold with a one finger white head. Taste was light and weird. This is where you tell this isn’t truly from Belgium. Tastes like it was sweetened with artificial sweetener with the Juicy Fruit, yeast and mild spices in the background. Mild carbonation. Could use a lot more bubbles to help hide that ridiculous sweetness.

3.0 This is something of a light saisson. There are the various spice notes: bitter orange, coriander and such - all mild. The malt base is thin and the palate is light. The taste is good but unremarkable and unassertive. Mystic is totally dominating Sam Adams in the Belgian department in Boston.

3.5 This stuff is pretty decent. It’s a perfectly clear beer with a wisp of creamy head. There is very much focuses on fruity banana yeast w/ a hint of sweetness that gives it a juicy quality w/o being too heavy. It finishes w/ a nice dollop of bitterness which keeps things crisp. This is definitely worth checking out if you like lighter Belgians.

3.1 Pours a golden amber color with minimal fizzy head. Aromas of citrus, coriander, and some yeasty notes. Flavor is candi sugar, sweet malts, coriander.

3.2 12oz bottle from variety pack. Pours clear amber with minimal head and enduring white lacing. A lot of fruity aroma, a tiny hint of (english walnut?) very pleasant. Taste starts slightly sweet with pepper and malt, finishes more bitter and more citrus (oranges and lemons). More complex than I’d expected, goes well with a wide variety of "bar snacks". Would buy again.

3.4 12oz bottle from variety pack - nose is belgian candi upfront and I was like woah, this smells better than I expected. Second nose is bubblegum/banana. Sip adds pepper and caramel. More of a weizen for me. goes down easily. Sweet in the finish but a tad bitter upfront.

3.2 Pours clear light amber, minimal head. Has that typical Belgian fruity/funky/metallic/earthy/yeasty/spicy character. Well balanced flavor - light bitter, medium sweet, medium sour. Good drinkability. Spice notes, cinnamon, clove, pine, orange, bubblegum, slight vegetal. Toasted and caramel notes. Delivers what it promises, complex and Belgian-ey, combined with easy drinking-ness.

2.7 Light orange and crystal clear. Mild smokey aroma. Overall OK, but not a stand out.

3.0 12 ounce bottle. Dark orange pour. Wheat yeasty sort of Belgian style with low malt and abv. Not much here for me outside of strong yeast flavor.

3.6 bottle @ Whitey’s / Lawrenceburg IN --- Aroma of malt and tropical fruit. Clear medium/light amber, white head that drops quickly to a cover, light streaks of lace. Taste is caramel malt with light fruit and coriander. Minimal hops in a long semi-sweet finish. I’m surprised that so many raters don’t like this - for light Belgianophiles, this brew works exceedingly well, especially considering the low abv. Solid light Belgian.

3.4 Bottle. Golden color. Some fruit esters and some spices up front with a malt finish.

3.5 Yeasty aroma, crystal clear with a lace head. Lots of carbonation. Yeast and light but balanced malty taste. Foamy mouthfeel, clean aftertaste in but a tiny bit sticky

2.8 Bottle from Shaw’s, packaged September 2015. Pours a clear effervescent gold, thin head with some lacing. Strong pine aroma. Decent malt and nutty notes. A thin Belgian, but I guess that’s what they are going for. It’s just OK.

2.6 12-ounce bottles served in a pint glass. Part of a Sam Adams Summer pack. A little thin, but it IS a session lager. Somewhat disappointing coming from this brewery, but not bad by any means.

3.0 Slightly Hazy Amber Color, Big Frothy Head That Did Not Last, Light String Of Lacing. Aroma of Belgian Yeast, Esters, Clove. Taste about the same: Belgian Yeast, Esters, Clove, semi sweet Malts, Light Bitter Finish. Over Carbonated and Bland Taste. Wish it was the other way Around - Less Carbonation and more pronounced Flavors. Drinkable. Just OK. Pass It...

3.2 Bottled. A hazy amber beer with a beige head. The aroma has notes of spices, malt, and yeast. The flavor is sweet with notes of spices, malt, and yeast, leading to a bitter finish.

3.1 12 oz. bottle. Pours clear and golden. Aroma of citrus and spices. Taste is malty and sweet.

2.8 clear orange, small white head. aroma is malty, mild hoppy note. flavor is belgian yeast, flowery notes, bordering citrussy, very strange beer.

3.3 Bottle at Yespr’s - golden aroma and taste with white head. Sweet fruity and malty aroma and taste, herbal and floral hoppy, some light citric spice, yeasty notes, overall pretty decent.

3.1 Bottle at yespr. Clear amber colored with a small white head. Sweet and fruity aroma of caramel and spices with notes of hops. Sweet and fruity flavor of caramel and spices. Sweet finish.

3.2 12 fl oz bottle. Pours clear and golden orange with a small white head. Aroma is mild fruity and mild citrusy. Mellow and light fruity. Toasted malty and light breadish. Bitter and light herbal finish.

3.0 Bottle. A: Semi-clear amber color with a lazy creme colored head. Lacing. N: Banana, clove, raisin, toffee, biscuit, some heather and honey. T: Sweetness that starts clean and then gets hit by astringency. M: Crisp carbonation, light body, alcohol burn at 4.2%? O: Solid beer and an appreciated attempt at a big style with a low cost. However, it doesn’t quite deliver.

2.9 July 8th, 2013 - My journey through the Samuel Adams seasonal box of beers, gridded for easy organizing, proceeds with the Belgian Session ale. It’s raises a thin, sudsy head, and in the body it’s a cold, misty looking brew with a dark, golden heart. The aroma is buttery, with touches of lightly simmered pear, and the the flavor is perceptibly weak - sudsy but bland, with no personality, save for a quiet mewling of Belgian yeast somewhere in the distance. This is likely going to be the last column/row I tackle in this seasonal box.

3.5 Poutred a hazy gold with a big white head and good lacing. Nodr of floral aned grassy hops with sone fruit. Medium body. Flavor is light fruit and nice hos. Good.

2.8 12oz bottle. Looks amber. Aroma of pale and caramel malts, some tin, light spices, and light floral hops. Flavor the same. Average texture. Not the best beer.

3.6 Aroma is citrus, orange and light clove. Slight banana. Taste is a smooth and sweet body with light clove and a well balanced bitterness that finishes crisply. Appearance is a clear and light orange and gold. The head is a thin pearl one that retains fairly well.

3.0 12oz bottle - Aroma - light fruity notes, cereal, surprisingly spicy Appearance - clear golden body, 3-finger white head, nice retention, average lacing. Mouthfeel - light-medium bodied, medium carbonation Flavor - centers around a crakery/bready base, light fruit notes and mild, very mild spice notes...a bit flabby maybe Overall - an easy drinker, perhaps a little over attenuated. A bit more sweetness could have filled this out a bit better, but overall not bad.

3.1 Dark crisp amber with nice froth. Kind of a apple pie spice scent. Drinkable light Belgian style beer. For the masses.

3.1 "Starts out with a nice fruity yeast ones, some melon. Not very deep or complex but it’s not supposed to be. Pretty nice for what it is but nothing I can get overly excited about. 2nd time aroma especially stands out a little more."

4.1 Belgian Session is a very good beer. form the first pour it has a strong golden color and aroma that is inviting for the first sip. That first sip is not going to disappoint. a crisp flavor that makes this a thoroughly enjoyable summer brew. I used a pint glass and it hung to the sides nicely. I would recommend this beer for any summer event and to go with a good old southern BAR BQ.