Here it is November and I’m finally getting to the last of this year’s Samuel Adams Longshot sampler for 2014, which features the beers of the winning brews in the 2013 competition. I bought the six-pack back in the spring, and although I almost immediately tried the Longshot Gratzer and Longshot Pineapple IPA, for some reason the two bottles of Samuel Adams Longshot American Stout sat in my beer fridge until now.

I’m not sure why I waited so long, but I will say that this beer is giving the Grazter a run for its money as the best of the bunch.  The Pineapple IPA was the least appealing to me, although still a solid brew that I would certainly enjoy again. All in all, the 2014 Longshot release was an excellent run.

Longshot American Stout is the recipe of homebrewer Russ Brunner. This is potent stout indeed at 7.2% alcohol by volume. According to the bottle label, Columbus and Cascade hops are used to make it. My bottle has a best by date of September 2014 notched, though I went a few months over that and it is still perfect. I did keep it refrigerated however. I paid $9.99 for the 6-pack which is about what it has run for the past several years.

Samuel Adams Longshot American Stout pours to a jet black color with a thick creamy tan head and a big licorice and chocolate nose. Taking a sip, this is immediately delicious: thick and full in the body, simply bursting with rich licorice flavor, dark bittersweet chocolate, and roasty espresso. The finish is roasty bitter with a gentle dry grassy hoppiness as well.

Half way between stout and imperial stout, this beer is delicious all the way. It does lean towards the flavor profile of an imperial stout, and if you recall good old Bert Grant used to put out the very wonderful Grant’s Imperial Stout of just 6% by volume. In my book, Samuel Adams Longshot American Stout is closest to an imperial stout in style.

Update 2/11/2016: Drinking the last bottle I have of Longshot American Stout tonight and I have to say with a few more years of age this beer is truly wonderful indeed. Big and roasty and packed with licorice, I'm enjoying the hell out of it yet sad I'll never get to drink it again. At the very least, I got to use the beer to break in my Longshot shaker pint glass freshly acquired on Ebay.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft



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