(Boston, MA) – We appear to be in the midst of the New England Imperial Renaissance. Earlier this year there was Harpoon Brewery, followed by Long Trail Brewing and Otter Creek Brewing. And now the top American brewery (and #1 craft brewery), Boston Beer Co., could position itself to join the club next year with its own new line of “Imperial Series” beers.
Samuel Adams Imperial White looks like a new offering, most likely a bigger version of Samuel Adams White. The new beer measures out to 8.3% compared to its counterpart at 5.2%. Then there is Samuel Adams Double Bock though this seems to be a repackaging of the existing Samuel Adams Bock carrying an 8.8% ABV. The beers will be sold in 12 oz. bottles but the type of packaging is unknown; I would wager that where will be a 4-pack similar to how the Imperial Pilsners is set up.
What makes this interesting are the potential implications down the road.
Boston Beer Co. is no stranger to big beers; the brewery’s Utopias is just one example of it pushing boundaries. But there is still room in this ‘extreme beer’ area. To my knowledge, the brewery doesn’t have an imperial stout yet. Might one arise as a result of this series?
As for Bock, the way that it was packaged before didn’t really do enough to differentiate it enough from BBC’s other brands even though it is a considerably bigger beer. With the new branding and alignment with the big beer trend, I imagine that the changes will make this an easier sell depending on how hard BBC chooses to promotes the line.
Lastly, Boston Beer Co. sticking an Imperial Series mark on its labels could lend credence to all of the other craft breweries that have been doing it…at least in the eyes of beer drinkers on the fringe of the craft beer scene. In other words, these could turn out to be ‘gateway’ beers for a lot of the stuff you see written about here.
I think this is a good addition to the Sam Adams lineup. However, I am unsure about adding existing beers to this series. Sam Adams is known for quality, consistent, accessible beer. Adding the Double Bock to this lineup could steer people who fear bigger beers in a different direction. While it makes sense for the new series with its high ABV, I wonder if it would prevent newcomers from buying it.
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I think Sam Adams has shown a renewed commitment to both craft and homebrewing the last few years and I applaud anything the wish to do to further it, considering their current place in the industry.
I am not a huge fan of moniker “imperial” or “double this double that” other than for what they really were meant for, but that is just picky me.
I have to say, I disagree that moving the label on Sam Adams Double Bock (just call it a doppel bock already) is going to steer anyone who drinks it away.
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I think this is exciting news from Sam Adams. I think they need to brew more ‘bigger’ beers and by doing so will open up a new market for those who have never tried anything but a Sam Lager/Light. I’m a fan of ST Heavy Weizen, so I’m curious about this Imperial White.
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Imperial stout is on the way – surprised that you can’t find a label on the cola site since labels have been made up.
I presume that 4 packs of these will be sold for about $9.99 like the Imperial Pilsner which would increase the price of the Double Bock. 🙁
Unless they brewed it with orange juice and simcoe hops, I’ll be passing on the Imperial Wit.
While I do like the idea of a bigger wit beer from Boston Beer Company I hope it is nothing like the spring offering that they currently release. It does also annoy me that I was able to get a 6 pack of the dopplebock last year for $8.99 now the same beer in a four pack with new packaging will run $10.00. Unfortulately, the four pack revolution is here to stay.
I have been waiting on the Double Bock for a whole year! Bring it back! Bring it back!
i love the double bock, but to sell it in 4 packs for 10 bucks (when it used to be in 6 packs for the same price as boston lager) is just a big rip-off
c’mon now people… Get your pants on and drink some real beers!
Sam Adams IS a stranger to the ‘extreme beer’ category as mainstream. They’ve gone really far on accessible slash flavorful brews, but many of their brewmaster’s select series are just ‘safe’ interpretations. Now they’ve gone big, and its not surprising most people can’t handle…
#1 The new dopplebock is not ‘the same as the old’ bock they offered. It’s higher in ABV, and quite different in complexity.
#2 The ‘Imperial White’ is more than a beefed-up version of their White Ale for spring. It’s kind of like what alot of other (micro) brewers have been doing these last 9 or so years: taking a regular recipe, and amping it up to as far as it can go. It’s not a Witbier or a White. It’s a new style, aka Imperial White.
#3 I look forward to trying this whole new lineup because the Boston Beer Company has done it right. They’ve gotten people to drink better beer, and now they are challenging their base to try something new, big, and flavorful. They might be 5 years behind some others who came out doing this, but this is proof positive of BBC’s commitment to you, the drinker, and beer, the craft.
How’d you get to try these? Were you on the BA tour? I’ll consider forking over money if they are affordable but will wait to see what people think. Another imp stout and imp wit don’t intrigue me all that much, no offense to BBC.
I am more likely to put money into Bigfoot right now which I know I can get for $9/sixer.
I just saw the Imperial series at the store today and thought it was interesting but then realized that as others have said it’s now $10 for a 4 pack of the Double Bock. Now is not the time to to try and impress with expensive 4 packs. Sam Adams is established well enough to offer these “Imperial” beers in affordable 6 packs. The true craft beer drinkers will pass these over for a 6 pack of a lesser known and equally or better tasting beer at a more reasonable price.
So now BBC adds the word “Imperial” to the double bock that has been brewed for the last, oh I don’t know, 10 years and now it will drop from a 6-Pack to a 4-pack. My guess is the 4-pack will sell at a premium to last year’s 6-pack. I think that SUCKS!
The Imperial White is actually 10.3% ABV
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