samuel adams boston lager

With the average beer drinker becoming more health-conscious, we also request to know more about how our beer is made and what exactly is in it. Luckily, we have dedicated this post to the number of calories of all Samuel Adams beers, so you’ll know exactly what you’re drinking. In a nutshell:

Samuel Adams Boston Lager has 175 calories per 12 fl. oz, whereas Summer Ale has 170, Just The Haze 98, Cherry Wheat 176, and Porch Rocker has 140 calories. The Wicked IPAs range between 126 – 246 calories, and Samuel Adams Utopia has 175 calories.

However, there is more to know about the nutrition facts of these beers. Please continue reading to learn more about these beers’ calories and ingredients, as well as how many carbs, fat, and protein they have. We’ll also compare the beers to their counterparts if you’re looking to find the best beer for you.

Samuel Adams Boston Lager (5% ABV)

This Vienna lager has 175 calories, 18 grams of carbs, 0 grams of fat, and 2 grams of protein per 12 fl. oz serving. A 16 fl. oz serving has 230 calories, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fat, and 3 grams of protein.

These calories, however, cannot be compared with domestic beer, such as Budweiser, because it is not mass-produced. This means more time is spent on the taste, and it is not watered down. This leaves you with a more robust flavor.

Samuel Adams also does not use corn (syrup) or rice, as you would see with light beers; they only use 100% malted barley and heirloom Bavarian hops, as is required by the German Beer Purity Law. As a result, it is a more flavorful beer with more calories and carbs, despite having the same ABV of 4.6 – 5% as domestic beers.

However, compared to other traditional lager craft beers, Samuel Adams Boston Lager is average in terms of calories, carbs, and ABV. Yuengling, the most successful craft brewery in the US, offers a lager with 141 calories, 12 grams of carbs, and an ABV of 4.5%. Sierra Nevada, the third most successful craft brewery, sells their Oktoberfest lager with 190 calories, 15.4 grams of carbs, and 5.5% ABV.

I would say Samuel Adams Boston Lager has a normal amount of calories

Samuel Adams Summer Ale (5.3% ABV)

Samuel Adams Summer Ale has 170 calories. 14 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fat, and 2 grams of protein per 12 fl. oz. The 16 fl. oz version has 220 calories, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fat, 3 grams of protein.

As a citrus American wheat ale, this beer is lighter than the Boston Lager and adds a refreshing blend of orange, lime, and lemon. It also has a peppery flavor due to the added grains of paradise. As expected from Samuel Adams, no sugars are added to this ale, which is great for the calorie and carb count. 

Samuel Adams Just The Haze IPA (<0.5% ABV)

This alcohol-free beer has 98 calories, 22 grams of carbs, 0 grams of fat, and 1.5 grams of protein per 12 fl. oz.  If we compare this to other alcohol-free beers, we see that this is significantly higher. Different beers range from 41-69 calories.

What might be surprising is that this (and often other alcohol-free beers, too) beer has 4 more grams of carbs, even though it does not have any alcohol in it.

The reason for this is, is that the carbohydrates added in the form of hops and malts do not ferment into alcohol. As a result, these are left for you to drink once bottled.

Important to note is that some alcohol-free beers add sugar to make up for the flavor, but Samuel Adams does not. What this Just The Haze beer does have is more of a citrus flavor, so you’d have to enjoy that to enjoy this beer.

Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat (5.3% ABV)

As opposed to Samuel Adams’ Boston Lager, the Cherry Wheat beer is actually an ale. Although ales generally have fewer calories than lagers, this isn’t the case for Sam Adams’ Cherry Wheat Ale.

Although it is an ale, the Cherry Wheat beer has added honey, fruit, and a higher ABV than the original Sam Adams lager. This leaves this beer with 176 calories and 2 more grams of carbs: 16 grams total per 12 fl. oz.

If we compare this to another one of Sam Adams’ ales, Summer Ale, they have the same ABV, but the Cherry Wheat variety has a slightly higher calorie count (176 compared to 170) and 2 grams more carbs (16 vs. 14 grams) per 12 fl. oz.

Samuel Adams Utopia (28% ABV)

Samuel Adams Utopia has 175 calories, which is, just like all other Samuel Adams beers, higher than its counterparts. American strong ales generally have 150 calories per 12 fl. oz.

However, strong American ales generally have an ABV of 7-25%. This beer goes beyond that, with 28% ABV. It is therefore unsurprising that this beer also has a staggering 58g of net carbohydrates per 12 fl. oz. Other American strong ales have about 31 grams of carbohydrates.

Although it is higher in calories, the significantly higher ABV also means you probably won’t be drinking as much of it as you would other beers.

However, this high-calorie count won’t be a problem if you live in any of the states this beer is illegal as a result of its high ABV; Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia.

Porch Rocker (4.5% ABV)

Porch Rocker is Samuel Adams’ take on Radler beer; beer mixed with lemonade. The beer has 140 calories per 12 fl. oz. This consists of 10 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fat, and 0 grams of protein.

Samuel Adams Wicked (4.7 – 8.3% ABV)

All three Wicked beers are IPAs, each with different added flavors. There are 3 varieties total: Wicked Hazy (6.8% ABV), Wicked Easy (4.7% ABV), and Wicked Double (8.3 % ABV).

Wicked Easy is your best bet if you’re looking for the IPA with the least amount of calories. This is also the beer with the least amount of carbohydrates.

With Wicked Easy, Sam Adams shows its love for citrus-flavored beer again; think orange, mango, and pineapple. This beer has the least amount of alcohol out of all Wicked beers, so unsurprisingly, it is also the one with the least amount of calories. There are 126 calories per 12 fl. oz, consisting of 7.4 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fat, and 1.2 grams of protein.

Wicked Double receives its name from the high ABV of 8.3%. It has notes of red fruit, melon, and banana. Regarding nutrition facts, this beer has 246 calories, with 19 grams of carbs, 0 grams of fat, and protein.

Lastly is Wicked Hazy, with peach, pineapple, and mango notes. The beer has 210 calories, consisting of 16.7 grams of carbs, 0 grams of fat, and 2.2 grams of protein.

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