Samuel Adams Topples Imports In Blind Taste-offs
Sam knocks off Heineken, Corona, Bass and Guinnesss
August, 1999Boston (7/1/99): Samuel Adams lagers and ales resoundingly won blind taste-offs against worthy contenders Heineken, Corona, Bass and Guinness at eight "Liquid Lunches" hosted by Boston Beer Company founder and brewer Jim Koch in recent weeks. The lunches for consumers and journalists were held in New York<, Washington, DC, Minneapolis, Atlanta, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Denver.
In beer-to-beer blind tastings in each city, tasters were presented with unmarked glasses containing a Samuel Adams beer and its style equivalent in a leading import. ("These are all great beers," explained Koch.) Using ratings forms and procedures approved by the Association of Homebrewers, the beers were scored according to appearance, aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel, and were then given an overall impression. The judges in each city were a mixed lot of beer lovers and beer neophytes, but the results were remarkably consistent and one-sided.
The Results
In 30 out of 31 tastings, Samuel Adams beat the imported competition (Boston Ale and Bass Ale tied in Denver): Samuel Adams Boston Lager was preferred to Heineken by 197 drinkers; 21 picked Heineken. Samuel Adams Boston Ale beat Bass Ale 147 to 76; Samuel Adams Summer Ale was preferred to Corona 174 to 44; and Samuel Adams Cream Stout was chosen over Guinness 116 to 56. (In cases of a tie, each beer was given a point.)
Jim Koch was not surprised by the results. "I was proud that Sam Adams beers won over these great, world-class beers," he said. "But when you take away the fancy label and the big advertising budget, you lose the mystique of imported beer. When it comes down to the beer itself, beer drinkers prefer the flavor, balance, and complexity of Sam Adams over the imported beers, even ones from these excellent brewers."
Back to the Future
In his mission to educate and enlighten beer drinkers about the wonders of fresh, well-made American beer, Koch is going back to his roots. In 1986, in a very public taste-off, Koch went on PBS's McNeil-Lehrer News Hour in an experiment that could have sunk his tiny two-year-old company. On the nationally televised show, Boston bartenders sampled Samuel Adams Boston Lager and four imported beers in a blind tasting. Koch's confidence bore out: four to one, Sam Adams was preferred over the imports.
Koch's message is the same today as it was in 1985: "We've proven it again and again -- when beer drinkers understand what to look for in a beer -- flavor, complexity, and balance, they overwhelmingly select a great, fresh beer like Sam Adams, even over well-made beers from great foreign brewers."
