(Boston, MA) – Alex Drobshoff’s winning entry in the Samuel Adams Longshot Competition at the 2008 Great American Beer Festival just got label approval this week. The entry, a Traditional Bock, beat over 1,300 others (according to Liquorous) to win the competition meaning that it will be brewed by Boston Beer Co. and packaged as Samuel Adams Longshot Traditional Bock in April of next year. Drobshoff is a member of the California-based Mad Zymurgists Homebrew Club.

Here is a brief summary of the Traditional Bock’s history from the BJCP guide: “Originated in the Northern German city of Einbeck, which was a brewing center and popular exporter in the days of the Hanseatic League (14th to 17th century). Recreated in Munich starting in the 17th century. The name ‘bock’ is based on a corruption of the name ‘Einbeck’ in the Bavarian dialect, and was thus only used after the beer came to Munich. ‘Bock’ also means ‘billy-goat’ in German, and is often used in logos and advertisements.”

Despite German traditions, a lot of the top-rated beers in the style are brewed right here in the USA (not unlike other styles).