It's Homebrew Time!

SAMUEL ADAMS ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF THE 2008 SAMUEL ADAMS® AMERICAN HOMBREW CONTEST®
Winning Brews Available in Samuel Adams® LongShot® Variety Six-Pack Nationwide April 2009

Boston, MA – America's interest in homebrewing and craft beer is at an all time high, making the 2008 Samuel Adams® American Homebrew Contest® more competitive than ever. Samuel Adams is proud to announce that California-resident Alex Drobshoff’s Traditional Bock bested more than 1,300 consumer entries to be chosen as the winning consumer brew in the 2008 contest.

Alex’s beer will be joined in the LongShot six-pack by California-resident Mike McDole’s Double IPA and Samuel Adams Employee Carissa Sweigart’s Cranberry Wit. Mike’s Double IPA won acclaim from the judges in 2007, but due to the worldwide hops shortage and a desire to preserve the integrity of the beer's recipe, calling for seven hop varieties, Mike elected to delay the brewing of his beer for the 2009 LongShot package. All three winning homebrewers will have the opportunity to brew alongside the Samuel Adams brewers in Boston. Their bragging rights will also include having their recipes bottled and available nationally in the 2009 Samuel Adams LongShot Variety Package, hitting shelves in April.

Samuel Adams employees compete in an annual homebrew competition. This company tradition, started in 2001, encourages passion and knowledge for craft beer while paying tribute to Jim Koch’s first batch of Samuel Adams Boston Lager®, homebrewed in his kitchen in 1984. Jim and the other brewers at Samuel Adams choose three finalists from all of the employee entries. These three employee homebrewers attend the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) and ask festival goers to taste and vote on their favorite. 2008 GABF goers chose Carissa Sweigart’s brew to be featured in the 2009 LongShot variety pack alongside the winning consumer brews.

"The number and quality of entries submitted to the Samuel Adams American Homebrew Contest and our annual employee contest continues to increase year after year," said Jim Koch, founder and brewer of Samuel Adams®. "As a homebrewer for more than 25 years, I’m proud to see that passion for great beer is passed on to our employees. The brewing creativity and innovation in both the employee and consumers homebrews is more impressive every year. Alex's bock, Mike's IPA, and Carissa’s Cranberry Wit are all exceptional brews that push the limits and demonstrate the endless boundaries of big flavor and the infinite ingredients available to today’s craft brewer.”

A panel of industry judges including William Brand of The Oakland Tribune, Tony Forder of Ale Street News and Marty Nachel, author of Homebrewing for Dummies, joined Jim Koch in selecting the 2008 consumer winners. Together, they determined the final winning consumer recipe based on the American Homebrewers Association Beer Judge Certificate Program guidelines. Each beer was carefully evaluated by style category and judged on how well the style characteristics and flavors were exhibited.

The 2009 Samuel Adams LongShot variety six-pack will be available nationwide in select retail stores beginning April 2009 for a suggested retail price of $9.99. The variety pack will include two bottles each of Alex Drobshoff's Traditional Bock, Mike McDole's Double IPA and Carissa Sweigart’s Cranberry Wit.

ABOUT THE WINNERS AND 2009 CONTEST

Alex Drobshoff’s Traditional Bock is a bright copper German inspired bock with a complex, full bodied mouthfeel. Underlying notes in the brew include hints of rich plum and cherry aromas paired with a toasty, malt flavor. He was inspired to create his Traditional Bock after listening to his friends travel encounters that described German beer as something that only could be experienced in Germany. Alex was up to the challenge and set out to replicate an authentic German bock right at home in California. The two year attempt to create this brew resulted in an award winning German inspired bock with a complex, full bodied mouthfeel. Alex's beer features hints of rich plum and cherry aromas paired with its toasty, malt flavor make this a great beer to linger over on a cool evening

Mike McDole’s Double IPA was inspired by the brewer’s own deep appreciation for hops. Known in his West Coast Homebrewing community as having an affinity for hoppy beers, Mike used over six pounds and seven different varieties of American hops per barrel for his Double IPA. An intense beer that explodes the senses, Mike’s brew is pale orange in color but makes up for it in a robust and malty taste. A full-bodied pale ale with strong spicy, floral and citrus aromas, this Double IPA is a hop-lovers' dream come true.

Carissa Sweigart, a national sales representative for Samuel Adams currently based in Colorado, chose her own hometown ingredients from Cape Cod as the inspiration for her winning Cranberry Wit. A delicious blend of cinnamon, orange peel, coriander and grains of paradise with hints of cranberry, Carissa’s brew is bright, fruity and refreshing. The perfect beer to sip on a chilly day, this crisp brew is flavorful and well rounded.

2009 AMERICAN HOMEBREW CONTEST

Aspiring homebrewers have another shot at fame by entering the 2009 Samuel Adams® American Homebrew Contest®. Interested beer drinkers can check online at www.SamuelAdams.com in February for contest rules, regulations and information on purchasing a homebrewing kit. In addition, they can download Jim Koch’s video, “The Art of Homebrewing” offering his personal tips on making a successful homebrew. Entries must be received between April 15 and May 1 and the winners will be announced at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival.

The Samuel Adams® American Homebrew Contest® continues the tradition first established with the 1996 Samuel Adams American Homebrew Contest and is a natural link to the company’s roots. Jim Koch knows first hand the challenges and the personal rewards of creating a quality homebrew. He brewed the first batch of Samuel Adams Boston Lager in his kitchen in 1984. More than 20 years later, Koch is a recognized pioneer of the U.S. craft-brewing revival, and he continues to push the boundaries of brewing and follow his passion for elevating the craft beer-drinking experience.