Have you ever taken a shot at something at life, given it
your all, and actually succeeded? Massachusetts homebrewer Bruce Stott did,
and now his homebrew recipe for a German inspired Dortmunder Export Style
Lager has been chosen as one of the three LongShot selections being
sold by Boston Beer of Samuel Adams fame.
Last year, Boston Beer ran a contest for homebrewers, and announced that
three winners would be selected for the 2007 LongShot line. Bruce, a
homebrewer for 13 years, got his smiling visage on the label of his beer as
a reward.
Kudos to Boston Beer for releasing the Longshot line in single six-packs
containing two bottles each of the three beers, as well. This makes it easy
for beer enthusiasts to enjoy these inspired recipes in one fell swoop.
Homebrewing, of course, is a noble pastime and a great way to enjoy truly
fresh beer. And it’s always a plus when friends are wowed by your creations
and you can tell them, “I made that”. Most who enjoy the hobby don’t engage
in it for the savings realized. Quite the contrary, since the specialized
equipment and quality ingredients frequently ratchet up the cost of your
brew. And of course, extra credit to Bruce for making a lager. Lagers are
more difficult to make at home than ales, after all.
Do you homebrew? If you do, it’s not too late to enter your recipe for the
2008 LongShot line. Just head on over to www.samueladams.com for details. In
the meantime, should you need some inspiration, we’ll just pop the cap on a
bottle of Bruce’s beer.
Longshot Dortmunder Style Export pours to a pale golden color with a
soapy head of foam and softly pronounced notes of grassy hops in the nose. A
fine layer of Brussels lace clings to the sides of my glass as the liquid
descends. Your first sip reveals a dangerously drinkable beer with a
delightfully smooth malty body. The beer is packed with fresh, biscuity malt
character. But rather than being crisp like, say, a pilsner, it’s creamy
like a Munich Helles. I get a slight touch of butteriness, too.
Where the beer is like a pilsner, though, is in the finish, where a gentle
hop bitterness pokes through and lingers a bit on the tongue. Not as hoppy
as some of the more extreme German style pilsners, mind you, but you can
tell they’re there. And that’s what I like so much about a good Dortmunder
Export: plenty of malt and hops; the best of both worlds.
And this is a good Dortmunder Export. Hurry up and try it though, because
you’ve only got one shot to try it. When it’s gone, it’s gone.
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