I’m always amazed when I talk to beer people, how many of them have such a limited view of home brewing and home brews in general. On my radio show we just featured our local homebrewers, and we make a point every time they visit to say that home brewed beer can be every bit as good as professionally made beer, and in some cases it’s even better.
I guess people think they’re not very good or not very well designed…but I’m here to say not only are many home brews VERY good, but the art iis clearly alive and kicking. For 2016 Samuel Adams will celebrate the 20th Anniversary of their
LongShot American Homebrew Contest
, so I’m excited to get a chance to taste the winners of the 2015 contest )hitting shelves now). These beers are available in a variety pack and it includes T
im’s Raspberry Berliner Weisse, Kevin’s Belgian Golden Ale, and Colin’s Neighborino Flanders Red Ale…so lets get to tasting.
We started with
T
im’s Raspberry Berliner Weisse and you can’t miss the raspberry aromas and effervescent head when you first pour. The nose is pleasant and the flavors are tart and loaded with more berry presence. The beer is drinkable with a clean finish and at 4%-AbV this will be a great summer beer if you can save it that long (hint: drink it now!).
Next we cracked into Kevin’s Belgian Golden Ale and I was pleasantly surprised at how nice the aroma delivered the fruity and slightly spicy notes. This beer had lots of malty sweetness and a somewhat dry peppery finish. It’s really complex and drinkable, but at 9.1%-AbV this is a sipper for sure.
Finally we hit Colin’s Neighborino Flanders Red Ale. This was the Samuel Adams employee winner and it is a blend of a young and wood-aged beer. This beer has some interesting notes form the wild yeast in the aroma and I really enjoyed the tartness and fruity flavors imparted from the Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus. The finish is pleasantly acidic and this beer hits 6.3%-AbV. 
As a bonus, Samuel Adams included some 2016 Summer Ale in bottles and the perfect package for this beer, 12oz Sam cans. This American Wheat ale is perfect for summer and it is loaded with lemony and spicy notes in the aroma and flavors. You can pick out the Belgian yeast in the aroma and the finish is clean and very drinkable.
If you want to burst your bubble about home brewed beers, get out there and try out the Samuel Adams LongShot variety pack, and as the weather gets warmer, be sure to sample Samuel Adams Summer Ale 2016 as well….and as always, when you do, be sure ot let us know what YOU think..
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