• by Tanya Gazdik , March 9, 2015

Sam Adams is hosting a contest to help the homebrewing community settle the score on who makes a better batch of beer -- those in the East or the West.

The 2015 LongShot American Homebrew Contest will for the first time feature a new battle of "East vs. West," with one creative homebrew chosen from each side of the Mississippi. Winners will be announced at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival in Denver, with the entries from two winning homebrewers, as well as one Samuel Adams employee winner, available in the Samuel Adams LongShot variety six-pack in 2016.

Those interested can go to www.samueladams.com/longshot for contest rules, regulations and information on purchasing a homebrewing kit. The homebrew submission window is May 1-16.

Jim Koch, founder and brewer of Samuel Adams, has hosted the annual LongShot homebrew contest for nearly 20 years to celebrate American homebrewers who create innovative, full-flavored brews and challenge the notion of what beer can be, just as Koch did in his kitchen over 30 years ago when he brewed the first batch of Samuel Adams Boston Lager in 1984.

Craft brewing has continued to gain momentum since then, with more than 3,000 brewers currently operating compared to about 50 in 1984. The steady growth of America's craft brewing community is thanks in large part to homebrewers, who are unafraid to challenge the status quo and passionate about pushing the limits of craft beer.

Although Samuel Adams is now a large company with more than 60 styles of beer, the brewer tries to maintain the image of a small craft brewer in its marketing.

Past LongShot American Homebrew Contest winners have gone on to become professional brewers, turning their homebrewing hobby into a full-time career. The most recent example is Cesar Marron, winner of the 2013 LongShot American Homebrew Contest, who opened Sketchbook Brewing Company in Evanston, IL following his win.

"There are more breweries currently operating in the U.S. than at almost any time in our country's history, and the Samuel Adams LongShot contest aims to recognize American homebrewers as the true driving force behind this growth," Koch says in a release. "Without the unrelenting innovation and creativity of homebrewers, our craft beer culture wouldn't be nearly as vibrant and exciting as it is today."

The Samuel Adams LongShot American Homebrew Contest variety six-pack with winning brews from the 2014 winners will be available nationwide in select retail stores this spring. The variety pack will include two bottles each of Greg Rasmussen's "Raspy's Robust Porter," Matthew Knott's "Smokehouse Rauchbier" and John Marra's"Dark Night in Brooklyn" Dunkelweiss.

Little did Jim know at the time that Samuel Adams Boston Lager would soon become a catalyst of the American craft beer revolution.

As an independent company, brewing quality beer remains its single focus. Although Samuel Adams beer is America's largest-selling craft beer, it accounts for only one percent of the U.S. beer market. The Boston Beer Company will continue its independently minded quest to brew great beer and to advocate for the growth of craft beer across America, according to Koch.