Sam Adams Longshot contest

[_CJ]

Looks like the Longshot contest is coming early this year. I sent them my Watermellon Wheat last year and got a T-shirt and three judges remarks back. One idiot accused me of using Jolly Rancher for flavor. Guess he spends too much time reading internet rumors about watermellon beer. Mine was all natural with one gallon of watermellon juice that I pressed myself from fresh Colorado mellons! The other two judges were much more positive, but I was nowhere near a perfect score. They want complexity, and most of my beers are very simple....because that's the way I like them.

All in all it was kind of fun and I plan to do it again. I have my Blizzard Ale (which is very complex) all bottled up and ready to go, but I may brew something else before the due date.

Anyone else going to enter?

[Snotty]

I might.

Will have to look for details on this. I was planning to enter my American Blonde in a BJCP competition, but it came out gold not yellow. So I am hesitant on sending it because I know it will get dinged just for that reason alone.

But, I have a Belgian Golden Strong that is very very good IMHO. So maybe that one? My Belgian is also going to go to another BJCP competition in April. I have high hopes for this one, but am prepared for the harsh comments as well...

[denverd0n]

One idiot accused me of using Jolly Rancher for flavor.
Yes, I've gotten those "you obviously..." comments before when I didn't do what ever they thought I "obviously" did and my reaction is, you're obviously an idiot!

They want complexity, and most of my beers are very simple....because that's the way I like them.
This is pretty much true of all competitions nowadays, it seems. And it's why I've pretty much given up on competitions. It doesn't matter how well you make it, or how good it tastes, if it doesn't have six different malts and four different varieties of hops then it's not going to score well. I've done some judging myself and got into heated arguments with others who would gladly acknowledge that a simple English bitter is not supposed to be a complex beer, but who would not give a good score to an English bitter because it didn't have enough complexity! ARRGGHHH!!!!

[Snotty]

lol, I think I have done only one simple beer so far. But that is because I cooked professionally for 8 years. The cook in me can't leave well enough alone.

However, from a beer judging POV, I can see where this is the worng way to go after something. Not that you can't have complex beers, and some styles are historically complex, others aren't. A true scottish beer is about as simple as you can get because of the ingrediants available at the time the style came into it's own. And I think some people forget that.

I want into a competition to get un-biased feed back. I had a beer that was horrible! And I mean horrible! But people didn't want to be mean because they know me, or didn't want to say it to my face that it was horrible. And I hate that! You can't improve on something if you don't get honest feed back.

And since someday my wife and I hope to be able to open a small brew pub (retirement plan or activity if you will), I need to know what works and what doesn't, and still make the recipes mine.

[Jeepindog]

Sam Adams is only going to pick beers that they can actually brew and sell. Anything with much interest is not going to sell to the general public, so be sure to enter a beer that has either a lot of maltiness (and is still balanced) or a lot of nothing special. Last year's winners did not look like very complex beers.

[denverd0n]

Well, I think that's kind of what makes the Longshot competition a longshot.

They want something that will sell well with the public, which means nothing too hoppy, nothing too malty, nothing with any particular too-dominant flavors. And yet, at the same time, they've already got the simple, basic beers covered with their Boston Lager and Boston Ale, so you aren't going to win with a variation on one of those.

So what are they really looking for? Something that has complexity, but a very subtle complexity. Something that pushes the envelope of a simple, basic beer, but only pushes it a little bit. Something that tastes "different," but definitely not TOO different.

In the end, they'll get thousands upon thousands of entries, and the winner will get there are much by luck as by creating the perfect beer.

[_CJ]

They want something that will sell well with the public, which means nothing too hoppy, nothing too malty, nothing with any particular too-dominant flavors. .

A few people have commented on the blandness of Sam Adams, but I really think as far as mass market beer goes they are at the top of the game. If I'm ever out and I find the beer selection lacking, but they have Sam Adams, that's what I order. Have you had Sam Adams Light? Without a doubt it the best "light" beer I've had, and it's even better than most non-light macro-brews.

the winner will get there are much by luck as by creating the perfect beer.

Couldn't agree more!

[Jeepindog]

Have you had Sam Adams Light?

Would you drink "light scotch?" How about "light wine?" "Light tequila, or light Jager?" Why do people drink light beer? There's really not that much LESS of anything in a light beer except flavor, taste, and good ingredients. You owe it to yourself to drink REAL BEER. Would you wipe with "light toilet paper?" :D :flipoff2: :beer:

[_CJ]

Would you drink "light scotch?" How about "light wine?" "Light tequila, or light Jager?" Why do people drink light beer? There's really not that much LESS of anything in a light beer except flavor, taste, and good ingredients. You owe it to yourself to drink REAL BEER. Would you wipe with "light toilet paper?" :D :flipoff2: :beer:

Actually, there are fewer carbs and calories in light beer. Less body and taste do not always go hand in hand with "light". Ever had a Guiness? It's a light beer by definition, but everyone thinks it's "like motor oil". I never would have tried a Sam Adams Light if some girls hadn't brought it to my house, but I was impressed. I would say it's pretty comparable in appeance, body, and taste to several popular micros produced in the area.

[denverd0n]

Ever had a Guiness? It's a light beer by definition, but everyone thinks it's "like motor oil".
Good point. Guiness draft has about the same alcohol content as your average light beer. Not sure about carbs and calories, but since most of the calories in beer come from the alcohol it certainly makes sense that Guiness would be a low-calorie beer.

[Jeepindog]

If you like it, drink it. If you want to call it a light beer, call it a light beer. I do not want to drink light beer, so I don't. There are too many great beers in the world to intentionally seek out a light beer. I am not concerned with ingesting 20 fewer calories per serving. Then again, I don't quaff 8 or 12 beers at a time, so that probably factors in. For someone who wants to drink a 6- or 12-pack per outing, I'm sure it's an alternative. Here's my point: if that is the case, (no pun intended) then you're not drinking beer for the taste, texture, complexity, flavor, etc. You're simply drinking beer for the sake of drinking a lot of beer. Drinking eight 120 calorie beers You could drink 5 200 calorie beers with a lot more enjoyment and end up about the same. So once again I ask: Why do people drink light beer?

[Snotty]

Less Filling... :flipoff2:

[_CJ]

So once again I ask: Why do people drink light beer?

For me....I only drink Sam Adams Light when the only other choice is some sort of pissy macro-brew. As I said before, it's a light beer but has far more character, taste, complexity, etc. than most macro-brews I'm aware of. Negro Medolo being a notable exception.

For others....Some people have to stick to a low carb diet for reasons other than following the latest diet trend. If a person is limited to 15-20 carbs a day, but wants to enjoy A beer....it gives them an option.

I don't know about you, but when it 90+ degrees out and I'm working around the yard, or come home from a long bike ride, I often enjoy lighter bodied beer. New Belgium's Loft was a favorite of mine a couple summers ago. Last year I brewed a watermellon wheat that had a light body and really hit the spot on those hot summer afternoons.....and I could drink more than one or two without getting loopy.

[_CJ]

Would you drink "light scotch?"
You mean like Scotch and water? That's a very popular drink, or at least used to be.
"Light tequila?
Marguaria anyone?
or light Jager?" ?
You mean like Jager and Red Bull? or Jager and coke/sprite/etc?

:flipoff2: :flipoff2: :flipoff2: