2019 Samuel Adams Summer Pack

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by johnnybgood1999, Mar 25, 2019.

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Do you like the inclusion of Sam 76 with Boston Lager?

  1. Yes

    13 vote(s)
    29.5%

  2. No

    31 vote(s)
    70.5%
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  1. johnnybgood1999

    johnnybgood1999 Savant (1,000) Oct 31, 2008 Virginia

    Just saw this out at Kroger and noticed it is a 4 beer format with Porch Rocker, Summer Ale, Sam 76, and Boston Lager.

    I'm not a fan of this. Sam 76.....again? The only beer not available separately is the Porch Rocker. My sampler pack selection at the local supermarket is not good. First Sierra Nevada quit making seasonal sampler packs and now Sam Adams has changed the make up of their packs to include 2 year round beers yet again. I don't hate Sam 76, but seasonal samplers that are distributed nationwide look to be fading fast. Thoughts?
     
    #1 johnnybgood1999, Mar 25, 2019
  2. scootercrabb

    scootercrabb Savant (1,083) May 2, 2007 Illinois

    I like 76 and Boston Lager but the other two not a fan i will pass on this
     
    #2 scootercrabb, Mar 26, 2019
  3. Tilley4

    Tilley4 Pooh-Bah (2,811) Nov 13, 2007 Tennessee
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    No go for me... I like Boston Lager and drink it fairly regularly... when it's the best beer in the sampler...? Nope....
     
    #3 Tilley4, Mar 26, 2019
    Ericness, keithmurray and Milktoast75 like this.
  4. EmperorBatman

    EmperorBatman Zealot (741) Mar 16, 2018 Tennessee

    I thought the best thing Sam Adams had going for them was the seasonal samplers.

    Otherwise, I'm not a particular fan of any of those. Boston Lager is alright every now and then, but the rest? Sam 76 is like all the other new blonde beers that taste like lemon, Porch Rocker is a mediocre shandy when I can get Stiegl, and I've always found Summer Ale to just simply be gross.
     
    #4 EmperorBatman, Mar 26, 2019
    pro100 and PatrickCT like this.
  5. johnnybgood1999

    johnnybgood1999 Savant (1,000) Oct 31, 2008 Virginia

    I tend to agree that seasonal samplers were the most anticipated items from them. They had a run of pretty epic widely available packs between them and Sierra Nevada. The current situation is pretty sad. It was a kind of nostalgic comfort to be able to walk into a grocery store in anywhere USA and pick up a quality seasonal mix by either of them.
     
    #5 johnnybgood1999, Mar 26, 2019
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  6. NYRunner

    NYRunner Crusader (420) Nov 5, 2018 New York

    I'm not a huge Sam Adams customer, but their Summer Ale ("Sam Summer" we used to call it) was sort of a "gateway" beer into tastes other than lagers.

    So I'll always think of it fondly.
     
    #6 NYRunner, Mar 26, 2019
  7. jbertsch

    jbertsch Pooh-Bah (2,874) Dec 14, 2008 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Wow this might be the most uninspired Sam seasonal variety pack I've ever seen.
     
    #7 jbertsch, Mar 26, 2019
    kuhndog, scootercrabb, johnnybgood1999 and 1 other person like this.
  8. Justonemore91

    Justonemore91 Initiate (0) Nov 24, 2018 New York
    Trader

    They keep trying to force that 76 down our throats.. Why is everyone trying to get in the miller, coors, and bud business?
     
    #8 Justonemore91, Mar 26, 2019
  9. Hoos78

    Hoos78 Maven (1,327) Mar 3, 2015 Ohio

    If you are trying to equate Sam ‘76 to BMC, you’re way off. It is nothing like those.
     
    #9 Hoos78, Mar 26, 2019
    drtth, BruChef, scootercrabb and 1 other person like this.
  10. eldoctorador

    eldoctorador Pooh-Bah (2,096) Dec 12, 2014 Chile
    Pooh-Bah

    Agreed, pretty uninspired pack. I bet they have their analytics department backing up this decision though.
     
    #10 eldoctorador, Mar 26, 2019
    johnnybgood1999 likes this.
  11. Justonemore91

    Justonemore91 Initiate (0) Nov 24, 2018 New York
    Trader

    Its being advertised as a low cal light lager..
     
    #11 Justonemore91, Mar 26, 2019
    Jasonja1474 likes this.
  12. jbertsch

    jbertsch Pooh-Bah (2,874) Dec 14, 2008 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    It definitely feels like a pure "business decision" pack. I'm just used to there being 1 or 2 interesting new options thrown in for fun. Maybe they're going for a lean cost-cutting approach this time.

    Regardless, you all should buy it to help my BBC stock shares :stuck_out_tongue:
     
    #12 jbertsch, Mar 26, 2019
    eldoctorador likes this.
  13. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Because they are catering to the non-BA beer market?
    I am willing to bet that you are happy Boston Beer Company is producing (and selling well?) non-beer beverages: Angry Orchards Ciders, True Spiked & Sparkling Hard Seltzers,...

    I wonder when Boston Beer Company will 'transform' to producing more non-beer beverages by volume vs. beer?

    Cheers!
     
    #13 JackHorzempa, Mar 26, 2019
    Tilley4 likes this.
  14. jbertsch

    jbertsch Pooh-Bah (2,874) Dec 14, 2008 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Of course, to a degree. They've often tried to appeal to everyone which can be their strength and downfall. Haven't their variety packs always had the feeling of being 85% business decision, 15% fun experiment? And I'm glossing over terms, I'd argue the experiments can be a numbers decision as well for different reasons.
     
    #14 jbertsch, Mar 26, 2019
  15. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    I will have to take your word for it here since I am not a regular purchaser of Sam Adams variety pack. I can't claim that what I am about to state is fact but I think the last variety pack I purchased from Sam Adams was the
    Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA Deconstructed 12 Pack. The same IPA but each brewed solely with differing hops.

    https://brewpublic.com/uncategorized/samuel-adams-latitude-48-ipa-deconstructed-12-pack/

    It was an 'interesting' exercise but unfortunately the base beer was too caramelly to permit the hop flavor/aroma to properly come out.

    Cheers!

    P.S. I was visiting my sister in Texas last fall and she purchased the Beers of Fall 2018 variety pack. The ‘leftovers’ (i.e., beers she wouldn’t drink) were Black Lager and Spruce Tip Lager. I happily drank the Black Lager (I really wish they would bring this beer back as a year-round beer). I was curious to drink the Spruce Tip Lager since I homebrew my own Spruce Tip Ale (I wrote an article about this beer which was published in the AHA magazine – Zymurgy May/June 2018). I personally did not pick up any qualities/flavors of spruce tip in that beer. Maybe they tossed one spruce tip into the kettle for that beer?:confused:

    Cheers!
     
    #15 JackHorzempa, Mar 26, 2019
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2019
    meefmoff likes this.
  16. AZBeerDude72

    AZBeerDude72 Initiate (0) Jun 10, 2016 Arizona

    Not a bad pack for summer time, this will go over well with a lot of folks. I probably will pass though, with so much out there this is just not on my radar.
    Cheers
     
    #16 AZBeerDude72, Mar 26, 2019
  17. johnnybgood1999

    johnnybgood1999 Savant (1,000) Oct 31, 2008 Virginia

    I am curious, did you purchase Sierra Nevada's seasonal samplers? I've been incorporating both into this thread, as the two biggest breweries that were making them nationwide. Does Sierra Nevada discontinuing their pack have an effect on you in any way?
     
    #17 johnnybgood1999, Mar 27, 2019
  18. johnnybgood1999

    johnnybgood1999 Savant (1,000) Oct 31, 2008 Virginia

    They have tried to appeal to everyone, beer geeks included. I get the feeling with this pack there was no attempt to appeal to a lot of craft enthusiasts. I grabbed one Spring pack to try the Bavarian Lager, which I thought was decent. Seems like the new format is 3 beers you can get anywhere and one more unique brew....unfortunately Porch Rocker for the Summer. Whatever, a miss doesn't bother me at times. I don't expect every beer to be one I like, though it would be nice.
     
    #18 johnnybgood1999, Mar 27, 2019
  19. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Last year (2018) I did buy one Sierra Nevada variety pack which I believe they marketed as “Party Pack”. The main reason I bought it was to drink the Kolsch which was good but I was surprised after the fact they brewed this batch in a non-traditional manner (e.g., they used Loral hops). I discussed this particular beer in a New Beer Sunday thread:

    https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-beer-sunday-week-694.577051/#post-6055530

    It is my understanding that Sierra Nevada will not be producing seasonal variety packs. Do you know something different here?

    Cheers!
     
    #19 JackHorzempa, Mar 27, 2019
  20. Amendm

    Amendm Pooh-Bah (2,589) Jun 7, 2018 Rhode Island
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Porch Rocker and Summer Ale rate on the low side.
    ‘76 and Boston lager are substantial value beers, if these were matched with Hoppy Red and Downtime Pilsner or other choices in the 3.6 to 3.7 range I’d be interested.
     
    #20 Amendm, Mar 27, 2019
    scootercrabb likes this.
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