This weekend was the 5th annual Extreme Beer Fest in Boston. I couldn’t go, seeing as how I’m living 3,000 miles away now, but I remember fondly the last time I attended what could only be described as a huge, nerd-filled drinking contest. It was two years ago, and I drove up to Bristol, Rhode Island, where my friend Ian attended law school. I described the entire weekend in detail here on the blog, but I’m sure it wasn’t my finest moment as a writer seeing as how I was intoxicated pretty much from the moment I arrived on Friday until several hours after I left work the following Monday evening. Oh, the beers that were consumed that weekend. Sam Adams Millenium, Dogfish Head World Wide Stout…we got even drunker at the Sam Adams brewery before even venturing over to the Extreme Beer Fest. Once there, we had our fill of brews likes Boston Beer Works Peanut Butter Porter, Sam Adams Utopias ($100 per bottle — for a beer), Dogfish Head Fort and Festina Lente, Avery Brewing Co’s “The Reverend,” “The Kaiser” and “The Czar”. Founders Brewing Co’s “Kentucky Breakfast” and “Breakfast Stout”. Even that weird Stone Coast Sunsplash Golden Ale with the jalepeno peppers in each can. That one was fucking weird. To end the evening, Dogfish Head founder (and Muhlenberg College alum) Sam Calagione gave a prepared speech called “Fuck Wine.” I don’t remember what it was about, but I remember him crawling through the crowd pouring lots and lots of free, high ABV beers for everyone who was there.
Anyway, Ian said this weekend wasn’t as good as the last, so I don’t feel like I missed anything. One of the more interesting speeches this year came from Jim Koch, the man who founded the Boston Beer Company (brand name Samuel Adams). Although Ian didn’t attend the afternoon session of the festival, I imagine Koch took a moment to discuss the email he sent to Brewers Associate members last Thursday. Apparently he has decided to respond to the large hops shortage that has plagued craft brewers and home brewers this year by sharing his own company’s stash with brewers who are struggling to find hops this year. Talk about a totally unselfish move. The guy runs one a gigantic public company, his beers are about as easy to find as Bud or Coors, and he’s decided to offer 20,000 pounds of hops to small brewers…at cost. I think that’s pretty noble and quite awesome. You can read all the Hops Sharing Program on the Samuel Adams website, or you can do what I’m going to do, which is go out and buy some Sam Adams. I might not be able to find bottles of Chocolate Bock out here in California, but I sure as hell can find enough of his beers to reward Mr. Koch’s selflessness while drinking a beer that doesn’t taste like complete shit. So, I implore you, if you find yourself at a bar this week and your only options are Bud, Miller, Coors, or Sam…drink the Sam.
