Samuel Adams

[BigB]

Ok, maybe I am stupid, or just really slow. But I just discovered that this company is a big supporter of home brewing. Granted, I'm sure a big portion of the support is just marketing,... but I say so what- at least they support us. They make good beer as it is (which is what prompted me to go to their web site) but now they have a new fan. Heck, a commercial brewer who supports those that make their own, rather than buy it. But they at least get it- we still buy commercial beer when we go out and sometimes just because.... Now for me, that choice is Sam Adams. Maybe Jim Koch really is unique and simply hasn't lost touch with his home brewing roots.

 

[DFoster]

Always good to know for future purchases.

 

[GunnerMan]

Yeah Jim, I think is a good guy. You should watch Beer Wars if you get the chance. A pretty fun look at how the commercial beer industry works.

 

[TomRep]

selling their extra hops during the hop shortage, using pop top bottles that have lables that can be removed with straight up water quite easily (which for some reason I don't think is a coincidence), homebrew challenges, personalized letters and e-mails regarding questions/problems with their beers. I stand behind SA 100%. Sure every beer they make isn't a winner IMO, but every beer I make isn't a winner either!
tom

 

[scrambledegg81]

Good people, so-so brews. Their noble pils doesn't taste much different than your run-of-the-mill Miller High Life (don't ask how I came to this comparison). After trying almost every seasonal they released last year, I haven't been impressed with their stuff in a while.

 

[nicknoty]

good stuff, very much in every packy and on tap at every local pub in the northeast. i favor the boston lager and the cream stout, their sumer ale is ok but i like the magic hat version better

 

[bknifefight]

I think they get all of their employees into homebrewing as well, even marketing or sales people.

 

[remilard]

Their noble pils doesn't taste much different than your run-of-the-mill Miller High Life (don't ask how I came to this comparison).

Seriously?

 

[elkdog]

Stone and Deschutes stand out as others that are very homebrew friendly as well.

I love SA's Octoberfest, and have been to many places where a Boston Lager was the premium beer. I won't complain about that. The American beer scene is much better for having them around.

 

[wildwest450]

Their noble pils doesn't taste much different than your run-of-the-mill Miller High Life (don't ask how I came to this comparison).

Quite possibly the most uninformed statement in the history of brewing.

Maybe not, but damn close. If you can't taste the difference you need a taste bud transplant.

 

[the_bird]

Their noble pils doesn't taste much different than your run-of-the-mill Miller High Life (don't ask how I came to this comparison).

Noble Pils is a real nice beer. Not over-the-top by any strecth, but one of the nicer Sam Adams beers I've had. Nothing at all like High Life.

 

[AnOldUR]

Their noble pils doesn't taste much different than your run-of-the-mill Miller High Life (don't ask how I came to this comparison).

Couldn't disagree more with this.
How did you come up with that comparison?

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

Noble Pils is a real nice beer. Not over-the-top by any strecth, but one of the nicer Sam Adams beers I've had. Nothing at all like High Life.

Yep, I was really happy that they replaced their last spring seasonal with the Noble Pils. Not the #1 beer of all time, but I sure do enjoy being able to get it on tap pretty much anywhere in town!

 

[MBasile]

It seems that the larger breweries know we don't pose a threat, but the smaller ones are still cautious, which is kind of understandable I guess.

Has anyone had anything from their Imperial series yet?

 

[jmkratt]

Their noble pils doesn't taste much different than your run-of-the-mill Miller High Life (don't ask how I came to this comparison).

Wow, I guess I respectfully disagree 100%

 

[remilard]

I've never known any commercial brewery to consider homebrewers a threat, most are very friendly to homebrewers although perhaps not as visibly as Boston Brewing Company (via Longshot)

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

It seems that the larger breweries know we don't pose a threat, but the smaller ones are still cautious, which is kind of understandable I guess.

Has anyone had anything from their Imperial series yet?

Yes, Had their double bock and the imperial white. I had to get the beer store guy to special order them! Both are good, and I think represent the styles well. Worth trying if you can find them!

 

[Sigafoos]

It seems that the larger breweries know we don't pose a threat, but the smaller ones are still cautious, which is kind of understandable I guess.

Every brewery I've been to has been more than hospitable with me. If you mean in terms of giving out hops and so on, they just don't have the resources. But on my trip to Chicago I sent Metro Brewing a message on Twitter asking if I could stop by and was allowed to come hang out, given a tour, beer, etc. Then they said I should call Half Acre and on nothing but 'Uh, I like beer, and I'm in the neighborhood' I was allowed to come over, taste all their stuff, even watch the damn beer boil while they took phone calls. And they let me keep the glass I had been drinking out of

Brewers, whether home or commercial, are the friendliest goddamn people on the planet.

 

[BrewDocND]

You've got to admire a guy like Jim Koch, whose been wildly successful in the craft that he loves. He also sounds really down-to-earth in interviews. (Boston Lager is the first good beer I had, so I have a soft spot.) Not to mention the Longshot contest, which I don't know the details of, but is an awesome shout out to people producing great beer at home.

 

[Bert1097]

Every brewery I've been to has been more than hospitable with me. If you mean in terms of giving out hops and so on, they just don't have the resources. But on my trip to Chicago I sent Metro Brewing a message on Twitter asking if I could stop by and was allowed to come hang out, given a tour, beer, etc. Then they said I should call Half Acre and on nothing but 'Uh, I like beer, and I'm in the neighborhood' I was allowed to come over, taste all their stuff, even watch the damn beer boil while they took phone calls. And they let me keep the glass I had been drinking out of

Brewers, whether home or commercial, are the friendliest goddamn people on the planet.

That's a cool little story

 

[DamianPollard]

I've never known any commercial brewery to consider homebrewers a threat, most are very friendly to homebrewers although perhaps not as visibly as Boston Brewing Company (via Longshot)

I remember back in the 90s Budweiser ran some anti-home-brewing radio adds.

 

[Yooper]

I've never known any commercial brewery to consider homebrewers a threat, most are very friendly to homebrewers although perhaps not as visibly as Boston Brewing Company (via Longshot)

Jim Koch is a heck of a nice guy. He's very supportive of homebrewers, and talks about his first attempts at homebrewing, which involved condensation peeling off his (first) wife's wallpaper. He's down to earth, and very entertaining when he speaks to a group. I met him at a National Homebrew Conference in 2008.

I don't love the beers, but I like them very much. My favorite is the Boston Ale, but it's very difficult for me to find. I'm not as crazy about the Boston Lager.

 

[the_bird]

You know, I heard from someone that works at A-B over the weekend that they're starting a homebrew competition. Not sure if it's an employee thing or open to the public (I don't know anything more than that).

 

[Cliff897]

Ok, maybe I am stupid, or just really slow. But I just discovered that this company is a big supporter of home brewing. Granted, I'm sure a big portion of the support is just marketing,.

Yipper skipper. Marketing genius.

They make good beer as it is

That's a matter of taste.
I can not tolerate anything they make. It's like Budweiser with hops.
But then, I think Stella sucks too, so there's your issue of taste.

we still buy commercial beer when we go out

I'm stuck with single malts & wine unless there's a micro brewery in house.
I like wine tho'

 

[bknifefight]

I remember back in the 90s Budweiser ran some anti-home-brewing radio adds.

I'd love to hear these.

 

[scrambledegg81]

Seriously?

Seriously.

 

[COLObrewer]

Seriously.

Wow, you need to go try a miller again, I wasn't impressed with noble pils but it deffinately isn't a miller. I like most of SA's darker brews.

 

[scrambledegg81]

Sorry, but the taste is what it is in my book, and has been throughout the entire 12 pack. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Clayton]

well its about 500% more bitter than a miller lite

they are nothing a like

 

[mximus11]

Some people stock their fridge with Bud for when non craft drinkers come over. I stock up on Boston Lager. Still a little crafty for the BMC drinkers but still good enough that they will drink it. I like a lot of Sam Adams although I think some is terrible. And a brewery that encourages people to brew their own is awesome imo.

 

[COLObrewer]

Sorry, but the taste is what it is in my book, and has been throughout the entire 12 pack. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

I reject your reality and substitute my own, LOL

 

[GNBrews]

Good people, so-so brews. Their noble pils doesn't taste much different than your run-of-the-mill Miller High Life (don't ask how I came to this comparison). After trying almost every seasonal they released last year, I haven't been impressed with their stuff in a while.

You got a bad/old case. I thought the same thing when my local tavern had it on tap a few months ago, but I recently tried it at another place and it was a completely different animal. It's a pilsner, so you've got that crisp flavor, but the hop aroma is very nice. Of all the hops, I really smell the Saaz the most. You're pouring it into a glass, right?

 

[beerjunky828]

Every brewery I've been to has been more than hospitable with me. If you mean in terms of giving out hops and so on, they just don't have the resources. But on my trip to Chicago I sent Metro Brewing a message on Twitter asking if I could stop by and was allowed to come hang out, given a tour, beer, etc. Then they said I should call Half Acre and on nothing but 'Uh, I like beer, and I'm in the neighborhood' I was allowed to come over, taste all their stuff, even watch the damn beer boil while they took phone calls. And they let me keep the glass I had been drinking out of

Brewers, whether home or commercial, are the friendliest goddamn people on the planet.

Yep. I stopped reading through the rest of the thread because this solves everything. And brewers are the most helpful and "friendliest goddamn people on the planet". I will sure as f$*k drink to that!!

 

[ArcaneXor]

Boston Beer makes some of the worst beer on the planet with the disgusting Cherry Wheat, which makes Budweiser 55 taste like a delight in comparison. Many of their beers are average, but the Noble Pils is awesome!

 

[GNBrews]

Boston Beer makes some of the worst beer on the planet with the disgusting Cherry Wheat, which makes Budweiser 55 taste like a delight in comparison. Many of their beers are average, but the Noble Pils is awesome!

I think you'll find a similar thread with all big breweries that make dozens of different styles. I agree with you on the Cherry Wheat, and also their Cranberry Lambic...yuk. Even my favorite local small brewery, Summit, makes one called Scandia which I loath; the rest are fantastic.

 

[bob1852]

I remember back in the 90s Budweiser ran some anti-home-brewing radio adds.

I'd love to hear these.

I found some references from 1997 where A-B had attacked Boston Beer...

(I guess it's ok for BMC to attack each other, but they can't attack the "little" guys?)

 

[osagedr]

good stuff, very much in every packy and on tap at every local pub in the northeast. i favor the boston lager and the cream stout, their sumer ale is ok but i like the magic hat version better

Isn't that a little politically incorrect?

 

[uechikid]

Seriously?

Exactly what I was thinking!!

 

[BigB]

Wow... My little off-hand comment about the company supporting home brewing has somehow morphed into a dispute about the quality of their beer. If you don't like their beer, fine.... matter of taste. Heck, I don't even like all of their brews. But you can't deny that they are still a decent company. My simple point was that I didn't realize they were supportive of HB and that they now have a new fan- ME.

 

[lackey2000]

Their noble pils doesn't taste much different than your run-of-the-mill Miller High Life (don't ask how I came to this comparison).

Perhaps you were expecting something a little more hop aggressive? I actually appreciate the more subtle approach.

+1 for Sam Adams and all the other homebrew supporting craft brewers. In my search for keggles, local craft brewers Oskar Blues, Avery Brewing and Great Divide were extremely supportive.