Samuel Adams is giving its winter variety pack a sweeter edge this season. The new addition is Cherry Chocolate Stout, a 6% ABV beer that joins the brand’s annual winter mixed pack starting October 26.
What is new in this year’s winter pack
The headline change is the Cherry Chocolate Stout, which Samuel Adams is releasing only in this year’s Winter Variety Pack. Men’s Journal, citing company information distributed through Yahoo, reported that the beer blends chocolate, cherry, and vanilla flavors with a dark malt roast. The outlet also reported that the stout comes in at 6% ABV and is positioned as a limited-time winter release.
That flavor profile gives the pack a more dessert-leaning option than the usual cold-weather spice and malt lineup. The same report described the beer as reminiscent of a holiday chocolate box, which helps explain why this launch stands out from a more traditional winter lager mix.
The pack itself remains a four-beer assortment. According to Men’s Journal, the other three beers are returning selections: Winter Lager, Winter White Ale, and Old Fezziwig. That means shoppers looking for the familiar seasonal staples will still find them, but with one new can aimed at drinkers who like richer, sweeter flavors in colder months.
The returning beers and how the lineup fits the season
Samuel Adams’ winter mixed packs have long leaned on spiced and darker beer styles, and this year’s lineup keeps that pattern intact. Men’s Journal described Winter Lager as the classic entry in the pack, with hints of cinnamon and ginger. It also identified Old Fezziwig as a spiced brown ale with caramel and toffee notes.
Winter White Ale rounds out the pack. Men’s Journal reported that it is the brand’s strongest-selling winter seasonal beer, with nearly double the sales of any other winter seasonal in the lineup. That gives Samuel Adams a blend of profiles in one box: a spiced lager, a lighter winter ale, a malty brown ale, and now a stout built around cherry and chocolate notes.
Older Samuel Adams product listings also show the brand has used winter variety packs to introduce exclusive flavors before, including a Cold Brew Coffee Stout in a prior Winter Break pack. That context makes the Cherry Chocolate Stout feel less like a one-off experiment and more like an ongoing strategy for giving shoppers one pack-exclusive beer each season.
When shoppers can find it
The new winter pack became available on Monday, October 26, according to Men’s Journal. Samuel Adams’ own beer finder also lists a seasonal variety pack option, which suggests shoppers will need to check local availability rather than expect every store to carry it at once.
One point worth noting is the pack name. Samuel Adams has used “Winter Break Variety Pack” on its own site and in retail listings, while recent coverage also refers to the brand’s winter variety pack more generally. Based on the available sourcing, the key consumer takeaway is the same: Cherry Chocolate Stout is exclusive to this season’s winter mixed pack, not a standalone six-pack release.
For home shoppers planning holiday gatherings, that matters because the only way to try the new stout is to buy the seasonal assortment. If the cherry-and-chocolate profile sounds like a fit for dessert boards, cookies, or after-dinner pours, this is the Sam Adams winter box to watch for as stores roll out holiday beer sets.
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