Press Release: Samuel Adams

Sam Adam's

BOSTON – New Hampshire homebrewer Jim Prucha scored big, beating entries from all six New England states to win the fourth annual Samuel Adams Patriot Homebrew Contest™.  His winning brew, a Baltic Porter, will be served and sold at Gillette Stadium during the upcoming New England Patriots season. Hailing from Londonderry, New Hampshire, Prucha has been an active homebrewer for 13 years.  This was his third time entering the Samuel Adams Patriot Homebrew Contest.

“Prucha brewed a really impressive Baltic Porter and wowed all of the judges in the tasting room,” said Jim Koch, founder and brewer of Samuel Adams. “The malty and very smooth brew with sweet, dark fruit and chocolate notes will be a great choice for those cool fall evenings and snowy football games we enjoy here in New England.” 

Along with bragging rights, Prucha’s prize includes the opportunity to come to the Samuel Adams Boston Brewery and brew his winning beer with support from the Samuel Adams team of brewers.   Prucha’s Baltic Porter will be served alongside the traditional Samuel Adams beers at the Samuel Adams Brewhouse® in Gillette Stadium during the entire 2011-2012 football season. 

“I’ve been to the Masters Championship of Amateur Brewing and have medaled six times, but this is by far my most exciting win as a homebrewer!” Prucha said.  This marks the third year in a row that a member of the homebrew club Brew Free or Die out of New Hampshire has won the competition. “I credit my fellow homebrew club members for helping me take home the trophy; a lot of what I’ve learned about homebrewing has come from them."

The Baltic Porter style originated in the Baltic states of Latvia, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, and Russia in the 18th century.  While the style was derived from English porters, the higher alcohol content and sweet malty character were influenced by robust Russian Imperial Stouts.

Twenty seven years ago, Jim Koch brewed the first batch of Samuel Adams Boston Lager® in his kitchen.  At a time when high-quality, flavorful beer was unavailable in the Boston area, Jim dreamed of bringing fresh, flavorful beer to local beer lovers.  That first brew, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, went on to help start the craft beer revolution.  Over the years, Jim has helped other aspiring homebrewers realize their brewing dreams through the brewery’s nationwide homebrew contest, Samuel Adams® American Homebrew Contest® and locally through the Samuel Adams Patriot Homebrew Contest, giving a nod to the Company’s Boston roots.   “I’m looking forward to working with Jim and brewing his recipe at our Boston Brewery,” said Jim Koch. “Over the last four years, we’ve had the opportunity to introduce thousands of football fans to some really unique and enjoyable beers like Jim’s Baltic Porter through the Patriot Homebrew Contest.  If fans get to watch a really great game too, well that’s a bonus.”

The Samuel Adams Patriot Homebrew Contest, now in its fourth year, kicked off in August 2007 encouraging New England football fans to brew their own beers and submit them for judging.  The preliminary judging took place at Gillette Stadium on January 29, where five finalists advanced to the final round.  The final judging was hosted by Jim Koch at the Samuel Adams Boston Brewery on February 17. The judging included the fine beer palates of notable beer tasters Mike Adams of WEEI-AM, , Brian Bell and Wally Brine of WROR-FM, Kerry Byrne of the Boston Herald, Gail Ciampa of The Providence Journal,  and Norman Miller of the MetroWest Daily News.