Sam Adams hopes to gather 100,000 signatures during American Beer Month
The Boston Beer Co. has written a Samuel Adams Beer Drinker’s Bill of Rights and hopes to get 100,000 beer drinkers nationwide to sign the document during American Beer Month.
Boston Beer, which brews Samuel Adams beer, is celebrating American Beer Month – a celebration of the brewing, diversity and flavor of American beer – by traveling across the country campaigning for quality beer and encouraging beer drinkers to “exercise their right” to enjoy it. Throughout the campaign, the company hopes to enlist more than 100,000 beer drinkers nationwide to show their support by signing the Beer Drinker’s Bill of Rights. Supporters can also sign the Bill of Rights online by visiting the Sam Adams website.
“At Samuel Adams, we believe that all beer drinkers deserve the right to great taste, all-natural ingredients and the pursuit of high-quality beer,” said Boston Beer founder Jim Koch. “And what better way for beer drinkers to demand quality beer than by signing the Beer Drinker’s Bill of Rights?”
The campaign kicked off in Philadelphia. From Philadelphia, it will make stops across the country throughout July and August. In these cities, Samuel Adams will host “Town Hall” events where beer drinkers are encouraged to showcase their pride for quality beer by signing the Beer Drinker’s Bill of Rights and competing in “The Great American Beer Challenge,” a beer trivia contest. Top scorers of the trivia contest will advance to their local “Caucus” event where they’ll be judged on their beer knowledge, including naming the classic beer ingredients, describing the traditional four-vessel brewing process and the ability to identify different styles of beer. The winner of the “Caucus” event will become the Samuel Adams Beer Delegate for their city.
At the end of the campaign, the Beer Delegates will travel to the Samuel Adams’ Brewery in Boston to participate in the Samuel Adams National Beer Convention, a weekend of experiencing and learning about quality American beer.
The Beer Drinker’s Bill of Rights (written by Samuel Adams Brewers):
We the Brewers of Samuel Adams, in order to create the perfect beer, declare the following truths to be self-evident:
I. All beer drinkers are guaranteed a right to enjoy the highest quality beer.
II. Beer shall be brewed employing only the four classic beer ingredients; water, yeast, malt and hops.
III. Use of adjuncts such as corn syrup, rice or corn grits is strictly prohibited as it lightens the true character of a fine brew.
IV. Beer shall be brewed over a length of time to maximize flavor, not a shorter time to maximize production.
V. The color of the bottle is essential to the quality of the beer; hence, bottling shall occur only in brown bottles to safeguard the beer from the damaging effects of light. No skunky beer.
VI. Beer shall be offered in bottles, not cans, so that no brew is jeopardized with the taste of metal.
VII. Beer shall be savored and enjoyed responsibly.
VIII. Beer shall be served at 35 (degrees) – 42 (degrees) F for maximum flavor.
IX. Light beers have equal right to flavor and body, as do all styles of beer.
X. Freshness of beer shall be considered of the utmost importance to all citizens.
“II. Beer shall be brewed employing only the four classic beer ingredients; water, yeast, malt and hops.”
I reckon there goes my Irish Dry Stout made with Flaked and Black Barley…….. :confused:
“VIII. Beer shall be served at 35 (degrees) – 42 (degrees) F for maximum flavor.”
Well……….there goes my favorite 55F cask beers as well…….. 😮
I have to disagree with number VI. Anyone that knows anything about the cans of today knows that they are lined with a waterbased vinyl, so the beer never actually comes in contact with the metal. The only way you’re going to get a metallic taste is if you chew through the can.
Looks like Sam Adams is just as guilty of marketing as any of the big guys. I thought Boston Brewing was above that type of marketing. With this bill of rights they have eliminated many kinds of quality beers that use ingredients other than the four listed and certainly many good ales are served above 42 degrees…
Also… That thing about cans contaminating the beer with metal. There was a study done by the Ball corporation (world’s largest can supplier) that stated that kegs contaminate beer with metal more than do today’s modern lined cans. I wish I could only remember where I saw that study. So you think Sam Adams will quit selling draft?? HAHA
……….They’ve also eliminated some of their own beer styles! Wasn’t there a “Milk Stout” out there that had lactose added? You don’t get that consistancy from sour mashing.
Ahhhhh……………Brewers who work in glass Breweries should never throw stones………… :rolleyes:
Sam Adams Cream Stout immediately came to my mind, too. Got nothing against their intent, though.
That’s the Stout I meant, BrewerTL. Your memory is far better than mine.
What grouses me more is that they are trying to sell an incorrect image to the public just to keep their name in the public eye. Now, everyone who signs that will think, “This isn’t quality beer…….it’s served at 55F!” or some other impression.
I’ve got nothing against SA………in fact, if I’m in an area of unknown beverages with no small Brewery around, I reach for them……….
Ya’ll stole my thunder
Well not really but close. It’s apparent this is a straight attack at big brewers but certain things are oviously flawed in their bill as others have pointed out and I’ll add to them. They also take the risk of alienating craft brewers who use adjuncts and othe non-four classic ingredients for specialty beers. The last thing I need is a customers who has recently read this bill asking me why I would want to dishonor beer by putting coriander in my Belgian ale or oats in my stout.
Temperature also made me laugh because on their own website they recommend that one of their “extreme” beers be served at 60 F. Oh and by the way, another one of their “extreme” beers is warm and flat. Also I was told by brewery reps that this was the type of beer that will improve greatly with age, so freshness isn’t an issue. Interestingly enough their first ever “extreme” beer was packaged in a blue bottle.
The statement about cans is hilarious, because I stated about a year ago that Sam Adams would be available in cans within 18 months, because I thought they were too smart of a company not to see the opportunity they could take advantage of in the marketplace to get their product in where glass wasn’t allowed or favored.
This whole Bill is such a Koch oops, er I mean crock!
The “extreme” “beer” also has maple syrup in it. They do brew a “light” I am unsure as to the grain bill, but something makes it light eh. This is just another chapter in Sammy A’s ad war on the big boys, remember when Sam made less beer than the big guys spilled enery year.
So not to beat the dead horse but after viewing the Samuel Adams website I found these beers that had more than the four clasic ingredients or the different serving temperatures…
White Ale –> Brewed with wheat, orange and lemon peel, dried plum, grains of paradise, coriander, anise, hibiscus, rose hips, tamarind, & vanilla
Old Fezziwig Ale –> Brewed with cinnamon, ginger, & orange peel
Winter Lager –> Brewed with cinnamon, ginger, & orange peel
Cranberry Lambic –> Cranberries
Cherry Wheat –> Michigan cherries, honey, & wheat
Hefeweizen –> Malted & unmalted wheat
Chocolate Bock –> Cocoa Beans
Millenium –> Suggested Serving Temperature- 60 F
Triple Bock –> Suggested Serving Temperature – Room Temp.