Sam Adams Long Shot

[hoffie38]

Who has tried the new Long Shot beers from Sam Adams? Three styles brewed from the winning recipes of their annual home brew compitition, which includes an old ale, German alt and boysenberry wheat. I believe all of these are incredible brews and the old ale, which weighs in at 10.1%, in my opinion, is better than the Bell's Third Coast Old Ale at 10.2%. The Long Shot Old Ale has a great malty sweetness back up by a firm but certainly not overpowering hop presence. Excellent ballance in all. Buy all you can while it lasts.

 

[2nd Street Brewery]

I remember when the competition was running but haven't seen them out in the beer stores yet. Are they selling them seperately or in a combo 12 pack?

 

[the_bird]

Somebody picked it up not too long ago, but I haven't seen it yet. I was kinda disappointed...

 

[magno]

I just found a six pack this afternoon. I had the Dortmunder and the Old Ale. I didnt realize that it was 10%+... that explains the nap afterwards. They were both great beers. I will try the wheat later.

- magno

 

[hoffie38]

So far I've only seen them in six packs. I live in the Dallas area and found them at specialty grocer called Central Market. They have a great beer selection, but still don't come close to the midwest in beer availability. The midwest is pumping out some great micros, unfortunately, the limited production volumes prohibit the availabillity of them in the south. I was lucky to have worked in a liquor store in a Big Ten city when I was in college. We carried over 300 domestic and imported beers.

 

[Desert_Sky]

I saw one of the winners resumes out the other day. He is wanting to go pro now.

 

[magno]

I saw them at Central Market in Dallas too. I couldnt find any in Austin when I looked, although I didnt look everywhere. I only saw the six packs.

Im drinking the wheat now. All three are good beers, but the old ale is the best. I would buy those alone.

 

[Petedadink]

The maker of the Old Ale ,Don Oliver. He is a member of the Modesto Mashers HBC. We got to try his beer before it was announced and we had samples of the beer from SA. All I can say is that they treated Don like the good person he is. A super friendly cool all around guy!
The samples we had according to Don were spot on what he had done.
BTW We had nothing to do with his sucess except encouragment and we drank his beer.

 

[c.n.budz]

I saw the 12 pk sampler at the store tonight, ended up going with the Rock Art Brewery sampler instead (not bad overall, really good porter) but I guess the Sam will have to be next.....

 

[Torchiest]

So they're doing another competition for 2007. Does anyone have any plans to enter it? It's very intriguing; I wonder how many entries they get.

 

[robnog]

I was lucky to have worked in a liquor store in a Big Ten city when I was in college. We carried over 300 domestic and imported beers.

Was it John's Grocery in Iowa City?

 

[Fiery Sword]

I picked up two 6ers at the Kappy's on Route 1 in Saugus a week or two back. I have to say, I was bummed.

The boisenberry (sp?) have an offensive, soapy/sweet/fruity fragrance and was completely over-the-top in the fruit flavor profile. The "beer" was trempled underfoot.

The old ale was similarly heavy-handed - WAY too "big" and klunky, over alcohol'd, over malted, under hopped.

The export was OK, but had a bit too much of a metallic taste to it. Somewhat acceptable to style, but still not well executed.

Overall, I think these beers represent most brewers tendencies to go over the top as opposed to doing defined, traditional styles well. Not my bag.

 

[the_bird]

The export was OK, but had a bit too much of a metallic taste to it. Somewhat acceptable to style, but still not well executed.

See, this is interesting, because you would generally think of a metallic off-flavor as indicitive of a manufacturing flaw, not a problem with the recipe itself (unless the secret ingredient was aluminum shavings). I should try and find a sixer of this tonight.

 

[Fiery Sword]

See, this is interesting, because you would generally think of a metallic off-flavor as indicitive of a manufacturing flaw, not a problem with the recipe itself (unless the secret ingredient was aluminum shavings). I should try and find a sixer of this tonight.

I think it has a lot to do with the water profile used. I would not be surprised at all if there were a high level of carbonates allowed/desired in this brew....as well as some iron or something. It just tasted "off" to me in a harsh, sharp, metallic kind of way. Some german pils type beers give me a little of this flavor and when properly balanced with hops it is actually good - but with this one it was just way too pronounced.....in the same way the other 2 beers were so exagerated. Definitely a bummer.

EDIT: Maybe Sam Adams used big, giant aluminum fermenters than they previously used oxy-clean on then scratched them up with brillo pads!??!!!!

 

[Rhoobarb]

I really want to try that old ale. It sounds right up my alley!

 

[ayrton]

So they're doing another competition for 2007. Does anyone have any plans to enter it? It's very intriguing; I wonder how many entries they get.

I'll give it a shot, sure. If nothing else, I'll get a score card out of it that tells me why my beer sucks.

 

[the_bird]

It seems, on its face, that they may have been giving a greater weight to entrants in more-unusual categories. No IPAs or porters among the finalists, they were all styles that generally don't receive a lot of attention.

Incidentally, it appears that the deadline for the 2007 contest is not that far away

The four bottles of your brew along with the entry form must be received at the appropriate site between Sunday, April 15, 2007 and 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1, 2007.

 

[Schlenkerla]

How many of you that tasted these straight out of the bottle?

I was drinking Bass on Sunday. Popped the top on number one, drank about 3-4 sipps straight from the bottle and wasn't too pleased. I grabbed a pint glass poured the rest into it with a good headed pour. At least 1" Let the CO2 out....

It tasted much better. Mind you, this was my first of the day and my palate was not yet influenced by the food at the party.

Just curious if any of you have noticed this before....

 

[Fiery Sword]

I drank them all in a glass, I was actually splitting them with my buddy for analysis. I like most beers out of glasses, with a few exceptions. Namely Bud, which I like out of an old cross country running shoe.

 

[peggjam]

For those of you who are even thinking of entering this contest you should first READ all the rules, including those under the subheading Prizes: which in a nutshell states that you give up ALL rights to your winning reciepe, and the use of your likeness to Sam Adams Brewing Co. Which means that should you win this contest you will:

Recieve $5000 and a trip to CO:

BUT: you give up all rights to your winning reciepe, and your ability to market your winning reciepe. So, for $5000 dollars you basicly sell your reciepe to Sam Adams for them to market and make a profit on........I would think twice before entering this, and GIVING AWAY your reciepe.

 

[the_bird]

What else are you going to do with it, though? 99% of us harbor no illusions of ever turning our brewing into a profit-making venture, and even if we did - it takes a lot more than one recipe to be successful.

EDIT: In fact, I would posit that the specific beer recipe is probably the LEAST important element in running a successful brewpup, or microbrewery, or any other beer-related venture. With enough time and experimentation, any of us could develop many kick-ass recipes; the keys are distribution and marketing.

 

[Orfy]

Hey, if any one wants to give me $5k for a recipe of mine they can have it and all my brew gear AND I'll brew them a batch.

Any offers?

 

[peggjam]

Yup, easy to say that now, win the contest, and then share your feelings after they made 5 million on your reciepe.

The time to bargin is before you sign on the dotted line.

 

[uwmgdman]

Yup, easy to say that now, win the contest, and then share your feelings after they made 5 million on your reciepe.

The time to bargin is before you sign on the dotted line.

I guess if that bothers you a lot, don't enter. Like people have said, I don't think most of us really care. I could use $5K, would I love to have the capital to start my own micro and make the recipe myself, sure, but I'll never go through with it, so I'll take the $5K I didn't have before and a hell of a fun trip.

 

[the_bird]

Yup, easy to say that now, win the contest, and then share your feelings after they made 5 million on your reciepe.

The time to bargin is before you sign on the dotted line.

There's a new member, someone who signed up the other day, who is buddies with one of the winners. I would be interested in hearing whether or not he has any regrets (and would be willing to wager that the answer is "none")

Welcome to the forum, BTW. Not trying to be argumentative (well, a little), just disagreeing.

 

[Fiery Sword]

It's their contest!!!! Of course they'd own the rights to the recipe!!! If you are simply a contest participant, you have no upper hand to make any demands...you are simply 4 bottles among thousands. If I had a functioning micro that was about to take the world by storm with a particular recipe, then I wouldn't enter. But selling a recipe for $5000 in a spare-change basement operation/hobby? NO BRAINER!!!!! I'm with Orfy.....

(Oh an welcome also.....got any good recipes to share? )

 

[peggjam]

I don't know of any contest that requires you to give up the rights to the design, reciepe, or content of an item entered.....other than this one. Remember the space vechile design contest......the winner did not give up their design as a part of participating in the contest. I'm quite sure that when one realizes what they have lost as a result of entering a contest and winning, there will be some internal whining.....sorry, I feel Sam Adams is screwing every winner by not including some profit sharing as part of this contest. But that's just my HO .

 

[Fiery Sword]

what about American Idol? the winner is Simon's bitch for years.

<exposed!>

 

[brewt00l]

http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?t=40877

Joining forums to gripe about the SA contest? Care to elaborate why?

 

[Fiery Sword]

Maybe he's a Harpoon guy?