There are few things more authentically Boston than the Patriots Day/Marathon Monday holiday. The holiday is really only celebrated in Boston, most of the city has the day off, the Red Sox have the only 11 AM game of the year and a bunch of overly motivated and/or crazy people run for 26.2 miles while spectators drink beer and cheer them on. The day has taken on even more meaning after the events of 2013, and the galvanizing effect that the attack had on the city. It makes sense that a quintessential brewery like Sam Adams would brew a beer in honor of the Boston marathon. Sam Adams has brewed 26.2, a gose with sea salt and coriander, since 2012, initially as a draft-only local release but now also available in bottles. Proceeds from the beer benefit the Greg Hill Foundation, which works to support survivors of the marathon attacks. The people at Sam Adams were nice enough to send me a few bottles along with a sweet glass.
Sam Adams 26.2 pours a clear light orange with a solid white head. The scent is mild, some bready malts and spice. This is a very refreshing and easy to drink beer without any overpowering flavors. The malts add notes of whole wheat bread, biscuits and grain. The spices are subtle, some salinity in the finish and a hint of coriander. The hops add touches of grass and lemon along with a crisp bite. Gose is traditionally a somewhat sour style (the acidity can very greatly, especially in American versions), but I get almost no tartness here. Sam Adams 26.2 is a solid beer, I could definitely put back a few after running a race (not a marathon, I’m not nearly crazy enough to try that), or even better while I am watching other people run the course from Hopkinton to Boston! Hoppy Boston score: 4.0/5.
Previous Sam Adams Reviews:
Sam Adams Hopscape and Fresh As Helles, Sam Adams Rebel Raw, Sam Adams Rebel Rouser, Sam Adams Double Bock, Sam Adams Cold Snap, Sam Adams Octoberfest
Hoppy Boston 
