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.