Mike McDole's Longshot Winner Pliny Clone will NOT be brewed by Sam Adams

[fifelee]

I think you should all listen to what Mike says about it on the BN. It sounds kind of legit to me. He admits SA would need 2500 POUNDS EACH of Warrior, Centennial, Cascade, and Simcoe. Thats a LOT of hops that as mentioned before, SA probably doesn't have contracted for this year. SA has committed to producing the beer in next years LongShot. Also, about it beinga a clone, I don't think that matters at all. People enter and win competitions all the time with beer kits from HBShops. Its not about the recipe, its about the brewing process and the details that make it spectacular. If all of us brewed the same Pliny clone, each of us would have a different beer and none would score the same in competition. They would probably all be distinct from the original Pliny produced by RR as well. People seem to put a lot of stake in what Jamil Z. tends to say, and I know that he feels recipe is not very importatnt to beer quality and is not really important in winning comps. I think its totally legit to win a comp. with a clone recipe or a beer kit and if you think otherwise I think you're putting WAY too much stock in recipe formulation.

Agreed. I just listened to episode and SA even offered to brew the beer with different hops. They even spent the time to formulate a recipe with available hops. McDole choose to wait until next year and do it with the correct hop schedule. Sound to me like Jim Koch made every effort to make it right. Think i'll have an Boston Lager tonight.

 

[Soulive]

Quoted from Mike's posting on Beeradvocate;

"I may not have been clear enough with my announcement on the Brewing Network show last night. Samuel Adams would have paid ANY price for the hops had they been available. This is absolutely NOT a case of SA pulling out of the deal. They sincerely wanted to make my recipe and they went way above and beyond to try and make it happen. Jim gave me the choice between an alternate hop bill or brewing the beer next year for release in the February 2009 Longshot six-pack. He and I both agreed that it would be a far better solution to wait and brew the beer with the original hops. Believe me, they really love the beer. From what I understand, the leftovers from the pilot batch are a hot commodity around the BBC.

Mike McDole"

 

[howlinowl]

If McDole's ok with it, that's all that matters. Afterall, it is his beer that won.

Sammys (or would it be "Sammies???) for everyone.

Allan

 

[EdWort]

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/sundayarchive.php it will come out in 2009.
Sorry I broke this news without official releases.

Oh, now you tell us. See, It's all your fault now!

I feel better after a good nights rest after a weekend of no beer.

It must have been the withdrawal symptoms.

 

[the_bird]

OK, that's great to hear. As always, my initial reaction was dead wrong!

Here's to Sam Adams!

 

[joshpooh]

I'm glad Sam Adam's isn't as much the bad guy as it seemed after reading the first couple of posts. If they backed out simply b/c of cost I would have been forced to stop drinking Sam Adams, and although their products aren't eactly the second coming of perfect beer like Jim Koch makes it sound in his commercials it is one of the best WIDELY AVAILABLE (meaning most bars actually have it not just stores) commercial beers out there. Plus it would have been sad if a company that promotes homebrewing as much as they do would have turned their back on homebrewing like that. Thankfully it was a misunderstanding and we can all drink Sam Adams.

 

[PseudoChef]

Oh, now you tell us. See, It's all your fault now!

I feel better after a good nights rest after a weekend of no beer.

It must have been the withdrawal symptoms.

Well, my first post did somewhat mention it.

They said that if things get back on track, it will be released next year instead.

 

[BierMuncher]

Me First...

 

[Brewpastor]

This hop shortage is huge and that is what I am concerned about. The cost is going through the roof and that is IF you can get them. As for SA, I am on the side of the fence that says, "That is too bad", but not on the side that says "burn them!" They have done a huge amount for homebrewers and micros and on my balance sheet they still come out way on the positive side.

 

[uglygoat]

didn't the contest rules state that the winner signs the recipe over to sa, and that they reserve the right to make any changes to it etc? or was that last years long shot.

i noticed the lhbs has upped the cost of hops, and i couldn't find any decent hallertau pellets or leaf, just crusty old plugs, for 3 dollars an oz....

so how does bog myrtle taste?

 

[EdWort]

OK, that's great to hear. As always, my initial reaction was dead wrong!

Yeah, It's good to know I'm not alone with this disorder.

 

[Cheesefood]

I wonder hw much Pliney they'll be able to make at a time in their vessels. That inceased hop bill is really going to clog up their tuns.

 

[SPLASTiK]

Speaking of the Grape Ale... I thought it was terrible when I tried it...

 

[brewt00l]

Koch speaks out on the issue:

http://beeradvocate.com/smack/archives/2007/11/1148174

 

[janzik]

Because they welched on a bet citing cost as the reason. (We're speculating that there's more to the story...but that's really beside the point)

That'd be like me hosting an HBT contest offering a free stirplate to the first guy who sends me a six-pack of homebrew, then refusing to hold up my end of the deal if the price of electronics doubled. I would likely be banned from this site for something like that.

Likewise, I am banning SA from my fridge.

Sorry, that's a bad analogy.
If you were building a large quantity (not 'offering a free') of said stirplates for the public to purchase (not one, to one winner), and electronic parts became sparse or unavailable (not specifically doubled in cost, but just not being able to make a responsible amount of products as assumed by what would be considered a (limited edition) production line, then maybe it's relative.

For the record, I picked up a 6 of Winter and a 6 of Pale and enjoyed drinking it last night. Jim Koch, et all, didn't kick a homeless person, or molest any children, or used a racial epithet. They just can't get enough of ingredients to make the beer.

Maybe, they could've brewed a small batch of it, but they apparently felt that it wouldn't have done the winner any justice(?). I wouldn't rule out seeing it in the future...

(edit: Not trying to flame here... I just love Sam Adams)

 

[brewt00l]

Maybe, they could've brewed a small batch of it, but they apparently felt that it wouldn't have done the winner any justice(?). I wouldn't rule out seeing it in the future...

(edit: Not trying to flame here... I just love Sam Adams)

Why guess when you can read Koch's own words in the link I provided above?

 

[the_bird]

Yeah, It's good to know I'm not alone with this disorder.

Is that Michael Stipe?

 

[Dude]

Koch speaks out on the issue:

http://beeradvocate.com/smack/archives/2007/11/1148174

Boy, that Todd Alstrom is a prick. His words seriously have me reconsidering supporting anything he does in the future--inclding resubscribing to his magazine.

I'll go on record now that the complete story is out, that I won't be boycotting SA. The initial reports were wrong, and that is what I went on--the available info given to me.

 

[Boston]

The mob mentality of this forum never ceases to amaze me. "Let's harass the lesbian turkey fryer lady, let's boycott Samuel Adams." On & on & on.
Perhaps some of you should get the real facts before jumping on bandwagon with torches & pitchforks. You look very foolish.

 

[BierMuncher]

...Perhaps some of you should get the real facts before jumping on bandwagon with torches & pitchforks. You look very foolish.

But where's the fun in that...?

 

[EdWort]

The mob mentality of this forum never ceases to amaze me. "Let's harass the lesbian turkey fryer lady, let's boycott Samuel Adams." On & on & on.
Perhaps some of you should get the real facts before jumping on bandwagon with torches & pitchforks. You look very foolish.

Thanks for letting us know. We didn't realize that.

/sarc off


Nothing like whining about our mentality without reading the the whole thread to see how folks have admitted they were wrong/foolish/etc.

You look just as foolish, so welcome to the club.

 

[lustreking]

Is that Michael Stipe?

That's funny, I thought it was Moby...

 

[the_bird]

That's funny, I thought it was Moby...

Maybe it was Moby's foot...

 

[Boston]

Thanks for letting us know. We didn't realize that.

/sarc off


Nothing like whining about our mentality without reading the the whole thread to see how folks have admitted they were wrong/foolish/etc.

You look just as foolish, so welcome to the club.

I did read the whole thread and I got a good laugh. The douchbaggery was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

 

[PseudoChef]

The initial reports were wrong, and that is what I went on--the available info given to me.

There was nothing really wrong about what I said, if that's what you're referring to as the initial report.

People immediately jumped around with accusations. All along, I said it was availability, not cost, and that they would likely produce the beer next year. I also stated the information about Vinnie being fine with the project, despite contradictory opinions from others in the thread.

 

[Dude]

There was nothing really wrong about what I said, if that's what you're referring to as the initial report.

People immediately jumped around with accusations. All along, I said it was availability, not cost, and that they would likely produce the beer next year. I also stated the information about Vinnie being fine with the project, despite contradictory opinions from others in the thread.

No, I wasn't referring to what you said in particular. Just the general initial reports that Jim Koch was balking on spending the money to actually brew it. They never said anything about hop availablity, at least the thread didn't initially state that.

And Boston, chill.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

GEEZ! EVERYONE, PLEASE CHILL!

Most of us who jumped to conclusions have admitted that we were wrong. The correct information has been presented, and I think we all understand the reasoning behind SA's inability to produce Mike's beer this year. Accusing each other of "*********gery" and pointing fingers won't help on any level. Let's all try and take the high road on this situation from here on out.

 

[olllllo]

Oh wait... He's already been shot.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=45616

 

[Boston]

My M-I-L is in town for Thanksgiving. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

GEEZ! EVERYONE, PLEASE CHILL!

Most of us who jumped to conclusions have admitted that we were wrong. The correct information has been presented, and I think we all understand the reasoning behind SA's inability to produce Mike's beer this year. Accusing each other of "*********gery" and pointing fingers won't help on any level. Let's all try and take the high road on this situation from here on out.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

My M-I-L is in town for Thanksgiving. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

My house is a self-proclaimed M-I-L safe zone (at least for this holiday). I've got a few friends who are probably going to drink me out of homebrew this weekend because they are seeking sanctuary from the in-laws.