The Long Shot Review

Went to part-time Around the Keg contributor Greg's house this past Monday for some dinner. Every meal we don't have to cook is one more day of dishes that doesn't pile up around here. He grilled a mean burger that includes a 3:1 ratio of ground beef to Jimmy Dean's ground sausage. Nice.

Beside for minor condiments, I brought a 6-er of the Sam Adams Long Shot winners along with me so we could try them. This year, there were two: a Grape Pale Ale and a Weizenbock. Actually, the two winners were the Weizenbock and a DIPA, but Sam Adams can't brew the DIPA until the hops it needs are back in stock (damn shortage), which is expected in 2009. The second brew is actually the winner of the Sam Adams employee homebrew competition. Thus, given that there are 2 reviews, I will shorten them a bit.

Sammy A employee Lili Hess's Grape Pale Ale was chosen at the Great American Beer Fest last Fall. It poured a lovely bright copper color, picking up some golden straw when held up to light, and yielding a moderately thick eggshell-white head. It left a slight bit of lacing down the glass as I quaffed.

The aroma was so light it was hard to detect. I got some buscuity and caramel aromas, some grassy notes and "fruit" without being able to pin it specifically to grapes. The taste was much better than the aroma connoted. Great Pale Ale maltiness was backed up by floral hops...and grapes. Really pleasant, actually. The grapes came forward as the beer warmed but never over powered the beer like that awful, nearly unspeakable AB attempt at a blueberry lager. This was simply a hint of grape in the background that blended well with a solid if not great Pale Ale.

At the end of the day, I could drink a few of these, but wasn't blown away by it by any means. It is a basic, very good pale ale with an interesting twist that didn't get out of hand. That said, I liked it better than Dogfish Head's Red and White (witbier with red wine in it). It was, however, popular with the wives.

Rodney Kibzey's winning Weizenbock was a beer for the ages. This was an outstanding weizenbock. Mr. Kibzey hails from Illinois, but for some reason, Warren, MI was claiming him as a native son.

His beer poured a solid, cloudy brown with copper highlights. Beautiful, cloudy wheat beer with a nice, thick creamy head to it. Big spicy notes on the nose, with copious clove, cinnamon and a hint of banana.

The taste was everything that the aroma held and more. Along with the big spices, there was a hint of bubblegum but most astonishingly a gingerbread taste that really sent this beer over the top. It was full-bodied without being chewey (wheat beers are like that), deep but refreshing.

A special bonus: I drank it along with Mrs. Greg's apple pie. Ask Greg: I wept openly at the combo. This beer is a real pleasure and comes highly recommended. Especially with a good, cinnamon and sugar apple pie.