Feedback for Samuel Adams (Fall Variety Pack)...

So three of the four can be purchased individually? I remember when these variety packs were on my ‘must try list’. Seems I’ve already tried most of this one.

 

The last couple years worth of seasonal packs have been like this for me and I think it's getting worse. I used to look forward to them like many others but now its like "Greatest Hits meets Latest Shits" packs are coming out instead. That may sound harsh but they've been using these packs to bleed out dying inventory for a long time and too many times I've found beers within that were close to their best by date not in alignment with the rest of the dates of the other beers.

 

I believe all 4 can. I'm pretty sure I saw 6 packs of the sour.

 

These seasonal mixpacks aren't aimed at Beer Advocates. Their aimed at Joe sixpack or special occasion drinkers. That's why their 2 best sellers are in the pack. It's aimed at catching non SA drinkers and trying to convert them.

 

I won't be buying this pack because it has nothing I want and a couple of things I don't.

 

Amen to that, @Squire

 

I really fear for the future of Boston Ale, I love that beer over Boston Lager, family history with that the BL recipe be forgotten.

 

Yes, I saw the Kosmic Sour in standalone packs a few days ago.

 

Saw this last night as well... hard pass...what an uninspiring lineup... I get that they are pushing the 76 but I wish that beer would go away... love BL and I like the O'fest but the other 2 selections are a definite no go. Here's hoping they will use better judgment with the Winter pack....

 

Eh variety packs. A few beers that are seasonal, a few decent beers, stuff they can’t give away. All in one neat take home box, no thanks. This applies to every variety pack I’ve ever seen

 

Yup. I once bought a variety pack because one beer was a style I couldn't otherwise find in my all-style goal (Sahti). I had a couple of the others just to tick reviews, but the rest were later dumped. I have gotten maybe one variety pack I ever liked and it was a 4-pack of four different BA dark beers.

 

I've learned to just buy 12-packs of Boston Lager when they're on sale. It is a beer that takes me back in time. It is still a very good beer, ya'll.

 

I used look forward to all the SA variety packs. Seems like they had hard to find brews in there at one time, at least for me. But its been a few years since I purchased one for all the reasons shared above, ergo they suck donkey balls. Damn shame if you ask me.

 

The other night I accidentally ordered a SA Octoberfest when I meant to order the Sierra Nevada Octoberfest. So I got both at the same time. SN was definitely better. This pack will be a pass for me too. (A sour???) I've always enjoyed the Winter Pack the most of all the seasonals. Here's hoping it's great!...

 

This is a pretty lame lineup for a Fall Seasonal 12pk.

Like others have already said, I'm fine with them including Boston Lager and their Oktoberfest. Those are staples and I have always enjoyed both. I understand why they include these beers as a means to draw more attention to their flagship brands. The last two beers rounding out this pack are a problem although they aren't even the biggest issue.

Why have they strayed from six different beers to only four? There is NOTHING exclusive to this pack as all four are also available in 6pks. The whole appeal of these 12pks has always been the 2-3 limited releases that you could only get if you bought the variety pack.

I do like Sam Adams and always looked forward to these Fall/Winter 12pks because it allowed me to revisit some classics and also try a few new beers that fit the season. The 6:2 ratio is the way to go especially if they're so insistent on including a bunch of year-round SKUs. This release gets two thumbs down from me. I'll pick up an Oktoberfest 6pk for sure and that'll be it.

 

I may have a SA Boston Lager or their '76 ale 1-2x a year at best. They are always enjoyable albeit somewhat pedestrian. I think what SA is doing is trying to get people drinking these 2 flagships more regularly, through repetition/brainwashing methods like sticking them in variety packs, on taps wherever possible, so more of the general population (not targeting hardcore craft beer geeks) will walk into a store on autopilot mode and grab and go these options without much thought. Also have a hunch alot of the decision is production efficiencies as well, much more time/cost effective on a mass scale, to go with what 2 beers already coming off the line vs. replacing with 2 new ones to brew. So in summary, classic manipulation of the human mind combined with business operations efficiencies. I wish them the best.

 

Maybe they figure that too many new beers at this point just leads to people demanding even more new beers, the oft noted "what else ya got?" mentality, a game which Boston Beer company can't really play since they no doubt want to achieve consistent and stable volumes (hard as it is to achieve) suitable for their scale. By offering mostly the variety they already have in their portfolio they put more focus on those beers, that can hopefully translate into regular 6 pack or 12 pack purchases of the individual brands (with Octoberfest being a seasonal offering of course). As the maker of those beers they must view their own beers as worth buying and drinking not just once a year, but over and over like people drink brands of light and regular beer, the trick is to convince beer drinkers of that, of forgoing ticking/sampling and sticking to their beers.

 

The Venn diagram of the things people are complaining about in this thread and the things Sam Adams actually cares about are two circles that aren't even located in the same time zone. I mean, just the fact that everyone in this thread has already formed an opinion on '76... that's the exact type of customer Sam Adams cares the least about. The whole point is to put that stuff in the hands of drinkers who know/trust the SA brand, but haven't ever heard of it or tried a beer like it before. That population is, what, a thousand times bigger than the "bring back Noble Pils!" crowd?

 

I completely agree with the OP, this was a sad and disappointing fall pack...

Admittedly I bought one because what the hell it's $11.99 and the Sour slightly intrigued me. Now I enjoy Lager, 76', and Octoberfest, but that is not a good fall lineup. And the sour while not an awful beer was a pretty uninspired and "safe" effort. (I expected that though) Past years I typically ended up buying multiple fall packs for the once good variety and always excellent value. This year however, it's a one and done...