Tasty Longshot Double IPA

[Bellmer]

Nice going, Tasty! Congrats on the release!

Finally got some here in the desert. It's a punch in the old tastebuds, for sure. It seems well supported by the toffee, caramel malt profile - much more so than S.A. Imperial Pils - which is all hops. The 9% alcohol gives a nice, lingering licorice sweetness in the finish. How did Jim source the dog hair for the mash, I wonder?



Mylo

Merv is sporting nothing but a Brazilian for summer, if you know what I mean. Plenty of hair to go around.

[kmudrick]

The recipe is here http://www.maltosefalcons.com/recipes/20060504.php. That's what I brewed for the Longshot and that's exactly what I gave Sam Adams. I brewed a batch so that it would be ready at the same time as the Longshot release. I had it at my homebrew club meeting tonight and I see why I never change it.

Tasty,

Not sure if you covered this elsewhere - but how well/similar do you think the Sam Adams released version tastes compared to your homebrewed version?

[Thirsty Mallard]

I made a special trip to the downtown Houston location of Specs Liquor just to get my hands on this beast.

Tonight I opened it...

Immediately after popping the cap, I could smell hops.

Taste time... ::heavens open up:: ::angels sing:: ::meaning of life suddenly clear::

Holy mother of all that is sweet and holy this beer is fantastic! I'm no BJCP judge, so I can't give the full rundown... but I know what I like! It's like I'm drinking happiness...

Well done Tasty!

[miniguyverona]

Is there any word on turning either of these into perm. or seasonal beers for Sam Adams. If they only brewed 1600 barrels each, then you can't really judge the overall market potential until you sell them individually. I'd guess that Tasty's and the Bock could make it, that really is a pretty darn good bock, having been to bockfest this year and having maybe 20 different ones, this would be top 3 at least. The DIPA could sell well too, but the price would probably be much higher for a 6 or 4 pack, I pay $6.99 per sixer now for all 3 longshot beers. Normally these (Hopstoopid, 3floyds big DIPA's) sell for $8.99 to $10.99 per bomber, so you're talking at least $14-$18 for a full six for Tasty's and probably something slightly less for the bock, just parity so no big deal, and the demand is most likely there for it. Sam Adam's have a huge number of national pub/rest accounts, kegging would be really help in that market, and in my kegerator.

Samies should retire some of there beers, they have lots that don't very well, and devote the capacity to both higher quality and higher margin beers. And lighten up on the Grains of Paradise for gods sake. Plus write Tasty a royalty check for every beer sold. IPA's are the new "It" beer, so better to make the money now

[TastyMcD]

The Longshot is a homebrew competition and one of the most generous gestures ever made to homebrewers. It's not a source of recipes or beer ideas for Sam Adams. Believe me, they're fully aware of all the beer styles and can make them all. They may have had a severe headache sourcing the hops for my recipe but it was clear throughout they had a lot of fun making the beer. The brewers, including their most "senior" brewer, were very interested in the hops and getting to use them. I expect a Double IPA is somewhere in the future for Sam Adams. It won't be mine but I will rationalize it was inspired by mine. No one else should make such a rationalization.

Good luck to all those who entered this year.

Tasty

[Brew Engineer]

but I will rationalize it was inspired by mine.
Tasty

Of course it will hav ebeen inspired by your recipe. Hell, All my beers are inspired in some way by your IIPA.

If just "I wish I could brew a beer as good as Tasty"

[Bellmer]

Is there any word on turning either of these into perm. or seasonal beers for Sam Adams. If they only brewed 1600 barrels each, then you can't really judge the overall market potential until you sell them individually. I'd guess that Tasty's and the Bock could make it, that really is a pretty darn good bock, having been to bockfest this year and having maybe 20 different ones, this would be top 3 at least. The DIPA could sell well too, but the price would probably be much higher for a 6 or 4 pack, I pay $6.99 per sixer now for all 3 longshot beers. Normally these (Hopstoopid, 3floyds big DIPA's) sell for $8.99 to $10.99 per bomber, so you're talking at least $14-$18 for a full six for Tasty's and probably something slightly less for the bock, just parity so no big deal, and the demand is most likely there for it. Sam Adam's have a huge number of national pub/rest accounts, kegging would be really help in that market, and in my kegerator.

Samies should retire some of there beers, they have lots that don't very well, and devote the capacity to both higher quality and higher margin beers. And lighten up on the Grains of Paradise for gods sake. Plus write Tasty a royalty check for every beer sold. IPA's are the new "It" beer, so better to make the money now

I am amazed at how whacky your pricing is compared to here in AZ. Everyone else is paying $8.99 to $9.99 for the Longshot sixer from what I've heard. If you can seriously get it for $6.99, buy it and arbitrage like a mofo. Even at $9.99 I wouldn't be surprised if they were losing money on it. Your bombers are crazy expensive too. Maybe it's just because I'm close to California, but our bombers of Hop Stoopid are $3.29 at Sprouts grocery stores (this is seriously low compared to others though). Usually we pay about $5.99 or $6.99 for a big DIPA, but definitely not $10.99. Ah, the magic of distribution channels and market differences.

I would happily pay $14.99 for a six pack of Tasty's DIPA every once in awhile. It is stupendous. The bock I doubt would cost more than $8 or $9 at most in stores. And I wouldn't pay that. It was pretty good, but a little boring.

Onto the matter of Sam Adams selling a DIPA. I doubt it. That just isn't their style; Jim Koch has been rather vocal about his distaste for the style, that anyone can cram more hops in a beer. IPA's aren't the new 'it' beer. They were the 'it' beer in the 90's and DIPAs started coming around early 2000's when Vinnie began cranking them out. If a brewery were going to "make the money now" off of IPA's based on their novelty, that train has long since passed. They might make one as part of their Imperial Series, but I still kind of doubt it based on Jim Koch's views. If they do, I hope it replaces the Wit (blech!).

[Chupa LaHomebrew]

Tasty, that was an effing great IIPA! I had it recently, so I think it may have been fading ever so slightly in the hop presence already. I did think it had a little too much sweetness, and I wish they had stuck with your recipe and used a little sugar.

I was absolutely stunned by the bock! It was bready, slightly sweet and full of richness, but still highly poundable. I'd drink 3 in a row, no problem.

The wit...can't say I liked it. Sorry, don't mean to be negative, but it just seemed to be a barrage of flavors that didn't do anything nice for me.