BOSTON, Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ — Since 2005 the brewers at Samuel Adams have been offering drinkers a voice in choosing one of the new beers they will introduce in the coming year. Last year, voters in the 5th annual Samuel Adams® Beer Lover’s Choice® contest were decisive in choosing Samuel Adams Noble Pils, a hoppy pilsner beer brewed with a recipe that calls for all five varieties of Noble Hops.
The voters’ response to the new Noble Pils was so enthusiastic that the brewers have decided to make Samuel Adams Noble Pils the new spring seasonal brew. It joins Samuel Adams® Summer Ale, Samuel Adams® OctoberFest and Samuel Adams® Winter Lager in the brewery’s year round seasonal line-up.
“I love the complex layers of hoppiness of this beer,” said Brewer and Founder Jim Koch. “But what makes our Samuel Adams Noble Pils a great beer is that the spicy bitterness of the hops is perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the Bohemian Pilsner malt, which adds a honeyed malt character and full body to the brew.
“We know that Samuel Adams’ drinkers look forward to each season’s new arrival. Samuel Adams Noble Pils is an excellent beer to help people get from winter’s chill to the warming weather with a crisp and spicy beer for spring,” Koch added.
This beer is special because of the quality and quantity of the hops in the recipe. Of the 100 plus hop varieties in the world only five are judged “Noble hops”, and this beer uses all five. Four are from Germany and one from the Czech Republic. The German hop varieties in Noble Pils are: Hallertau Mittelfrueh, Tettnang Tettnanger, Spalt Spalter, and Hersbrucker Hersbrucker. The Noble hop variety from Bohemia in the Czech Republic is Saaz.
The Hallertau and Tettnang hops are the hops used in Boston Beer’s flagship style, Samuel Adams Boston Lager®.
Last summer, the Beer Lover’s Choice program had the highest number of tasters in its five year history, with more than 68,000 votes cast during more than 1,300 tasting events held across the country. The other beer in competition this year was an IPA. Voters rated the beers on five characteristics: color, aroma, taste, mouth-feel and finish. The Noble Pils garnered 55% (or 37,855) of the total votes.
Samuel Adams Noble Pils will be available nationwide beginning in mid-January and replaces Samuel Adams® White Ale as the spring seasonal offering. Samuel Adams White Ale will be available as one of six styles in the 2010 Samuel Adams® Winter Classics variety pack. Samuel Adams Noble Pils has a suggested retail price of $7.99–$8.99 per six-pack and $13.99–$15.99 per 12-pack.
THE BOSTON BEER COMPANY BACKGROUND:
The Boston Beer Company began in 1984 with a generations-old family recipe that Founder and Brewer Jim Koch uncovered in his father’s attic. After bringing the recipe to life in his kitchen, Jim brought it to bars in Boston with the belief that drinkers would appreciate a complex, full-flavored beer, brewed fresh in America. That beer was Samuel Adams Boston Lager®, and it helped catalyze what became known as the American craft beer revolution.
Today, the Company brews more than 21 styles of beer. The Company uses the traditional four vessel brewing process and often takes extra steps like dry-hopping and a secondary fermentation known as krausening. It passionately pursues the development of new styles and the perfection of its classic beers by constantly searching for the world’s finest ingredients. While resurrecting traditional brewing methods, the Company has earned a reputation as a pioneer in another revolution, the “extreme beer” movement, where it seeks to challenge drinkers’ perceptions of what beer can be. The Boston Beer Company strives to elevate the image of American craft beer by entering festivals and competitions the world over, and in the past five years it has won more awards in international beer competitions than any other brewery in the world. The Company remains independent, and brewing quality beer remains its single focus. While Samuel Adams is the country’s largest-selling craft beer, it accounts for less than one percent of the U.S. beer market. For more information, please visit www.samueladams.com.
this is great news. We were lamenting the discontinuation of the Sam Adams Imperial Hallertaur PIlsner. Looking forward with enthusiasim to Koch’s newest creation.
I am pissed about this. White ale was one beer I really look forward to all year and now its gone.
James, have you tried Allagash White? A bit pricier but still pretty damn good in my opinion and widely available in beer stores.
Pingback: Samuel Adams Noble Pils - Page 2
Pingback: Punxsutawney Phil brings spring beer to winter prediction | Lager Heads | STLtoday
Pingback: Samuel Adams Noble Pils (Sampling Spring Brews) « Boa Beer Blog
Pingback: Sip With Us Saturday | Sam Adams Noble Pils | Thank Heaven for Beer
Pingback: Samuel Adams Noble Pils | Thoughts on Beer
This is so upsetting! The White Ale is my favorite Sam Adams brew (and maybe my favorite beer, period). ARGHHHHH
Pingback: Beer of the week: Samuel Adams Noble Pils | Birmingham Weekly
WTF? Why would they mess with a great seasonal brew like white ale? I don’t doubt that noble pils is good but I look forward to White Ale all year long at the start of spring. I may have to boycott Sam Adams for awhile while I get my head around this.
Lets just move onto summer and cancel spring! Thanks Sam Adams.
Aside from the 2 earthquakes this year, this is the most disappointing news yet! Sam Adams White Ale was one of my favorite beers of all time next to Guinness Breo (a white ale produced by Guinness which was discontinued in 1999). I live in PA which means I can only buy beer by the case, now I have to wait for this winter variety pack, which means I’ll get maximally 4 white ales a case 🙁 Noble Pils is decent but in no way replaces White Ale! I’m disappointed, looks like Sam Adams will not be getting much of my money this year!
I agree also BRING BACK WHITE ALE, tried Noble ok, but not what you wait all year for, next their probally going to ruin Octoberfest with Nobelfest, or Sumbelfale, ot Winterbel, leave good thing alone, Mike
I ordered a “Sam Seasonal” at a restaurant, as is my habit. They handed me this swill & I sent it back, assuming it had been a mistake. I later learned that it was not a mistake, that Sam Adams had replaced a very good beer with this urine. My faith in Sam Adams is shaken. I have never had a beer I found undrinkable until now. It tastes like a skunked Coors Lite. I actually find it quite upsetting.
This is absolutely crap. I have been checking with the liquor store regularly so I can stock up on my White Ale which to me is the best beer ever made. I want to start a protest. BRING BACK WHITE ALE, BRING BACK WHITE ALE, BRING BACK WHITE ALE!!! Who’s with me????
For those of you lamenting the loss of Samuel Adams White Ale, I recommend trying Allagash White Ale. Pretty decent alternative though a bit more on the expensive side. I very well could have left this comment on this post already but it deserves repeating.
Wow!!! I miss Sam Adams White Ale already… I tried to give Noble Pils a chance but it was like drinking skunky old beer you found hidden in a ditch when you were a kid growing up in the 70’s. My boycott is officially underway, I will not be giving Mr. Koch any more of my hard earned money for this swill. At the very least consider the loyal customers who enjoyed White Ale and make it available to us at some point in the year aside from being relegated to a “Collection” where we can only get a couple along with several we don’t want. I find it hard to believe that it was selling badly either as I know many fans of White Ale. Totally disappointed… EPIC FAIL.
This is absolutely absurd. White Ale was Spring. What better way to welcome warm weather than a citrusy, light beer. I agree waiting to buy a case in winter for 4 bottles of something you really want. What a MAJOR mistake this is. What’s worse is that the replacement for White Ale is on the opposite end of the spectrum. It is heavy, and full and sour-tasting. What a shame!!
Noble pils is trash!!! Coastal wheat is decent but still not good enough to replace white ale…Sam Adams really f**ked this up!!! We want white ale back year round!!!
The Noble Pils is excellent. Nice addition to the lineup. Beer enjoyment is what you make of it… some like the same thing all the time, but I like to keep meandering and finding new beers to enjoy. This beer has an amazing hop profile. I love the delicious aroma, too!
I agree, this Noble Pils is the wrong beer for spring and it tastes like someone set out to see what a ruined Heineken would be like. I wait for spring to arrive just to get my hands on some White Ale. Sam pretty much told us White Ale lovers to go take a hike, because we don’t matter. A lot of brewers have a Belgian White version but they don’t compare to Sam’s take on it. I am done with Sam Adams, they took their best beer out of the lineup. Maybe we should start a petition?
That’s right some people do like drinking the same thing all the time and have discriminating taste. They know what they want and wait through the long winter months just to have it made available only for a short time. Not this year though, we get a big slap in the face and kick in the teeth with no White Ale in sight and Sammy couldn’t care less. I think the White Ale is right up there with Hoegaarden and it deserves and has enough loyal drinkers that it should be made available year round. This is pure B.S. and the Noble Pils is a really poor replacement I drank half the bottle and gave the other half to my kitchen sink. Come on Koch give us back our White Ale, just look at these posts… the Noble Pils looks like a big mistake and tastes even worse. I think you have been snuffing too many varieties of hops up your nose.
I just found this out!!! Went looking for White Ale and could not find ANY!!! AAAAARRRRRGGGGG!!! What gives? This is my favorite brew why would they do this? I am on board for a petition. From what I am hearing I will not even give Noble Pils a try because it sounds like its nasty. White Ale people it’s time to unite!!! We demand bring it back. No Samuel Adams White Ale = no more buisness from us.
Now I know how Tennessee felt in Zombieland. He just wanted some Twinkies and could only find those damn Snowballs. I just want some Sam’s White and all I can find is that eurotrash inspired Pils that tastes like stagnant skeeter water out of an old tire in a junkyard.
I cant think of a time that I have been more disapointed until now.No white ale? My face is quivering,If my wife wasnt home to see me I would be tearing up.Noble pils is the worst Sam Adams beer ive ever had.I waited and waited.When the summer ale came out with no sign of the White Ale,I knew something was horribly wrong.How can I protest this? Please help.Matt in Florida
This is really sad, the Noble Pils is nothing but a hard Pil to swallow. I can’t stand this garbage, they actually decided to replace White Ale with this crap?! People overwhelmingly voted for this sour pus sack of suds?! I’m done with Samual Adam’s just because of this. I looked high and low for the ONLY great beer they brew and it’s no longer available. My local beer joint told me it was replaced by this garbage Noble Pils and they also mentioned it’s not selling all that well and a few people have requested their money back after having a bottle or two!!! Duh tu duh way to go Koch, all my money and loyalty to White Ale really paid off. You are the typical businessman take my money and run and give me a poor substitute in the process. Yeah really stop sniffing hops up your nose it has ruined your sense of smell and taste.
People of the beer world! Sam Adams White is coming back as part of a future mixed pack. Stay tuned!
Why would they discontinue this? I guarantee the sales were much less this year for this average noble pils compared to White Ale. I to look forward to White Ale when winter is getting to be a bit too long. I normally buy 20-30 12 packs of White Ale during its run but only one of Noble Pils. Horrible decision and everyone needs to complain about it so hopefully they will bring it back…by the way, pils is way better suited for the summer anyway.
Pingback: Samuel Adams: Noble Pils - The Bar
I found a bottle of White Ale in the back of my fridge in the garage yesterday and it was pure liquid gold satisfaction. So I decided to run out and grab a few twelve packs because it should be about time for the White Ale right? Wrong it is nowhere to be found and has been REPLACED with some pond scum called noble pils… WTF is going on in that brewery that they would stop making the best beer going? Bye Bye Sam Adams you just lost a loyal customer due to this blunder.
My friend asked me the other day, “Chase, has Sam White come out yet?” It was like a child asking why there were no presents under the tree on Christmas morning, only to find out that Santa had quit his job altogether. I sincerely gave Noble Pils despite my frustration with Samuel Adams brewing. It wasn’t a Keystone Light, but it wasn’t exactly great. I wasn’t even all that good. I wonder how Koch did with this seasonal disaster, hopefully he’ll come to his senses, lick his wounds, and brew a beer that people truly want to drink…
Pingback: Mendocino Brewing reveals Imperial Series, hints at new seasonals | Beernews.org
I tried the Noble Pils and it was really BAD. I don’t know who is in charge of things like this but I gotta tell you it was certainly a blunder on Sam’s part. I like the White Ale alot and found it to be quite refreshing it’s the best take on the Wit beers that America is brewing. This is a real BUMMER that we can’t find any White Ale. I feel betrayed by Samuel Adams after spending my hard earned money for years on White Ale only to have it dropped. Noble Pils does not taste like a “skunked coors lite” however, it is much much worse! It’s more like a skunked Milwaukee’s Beast.
So let me get this straight. Koch replaced a beer style (White Ale/Belgian White) that was up in sales 58% last year with a style (Noble Pils/Skunk Urine) that was down 27%. Great reverse bizarre psychological marketing strategy… confuse and confound them into drinking Noble Pils!!! At that rate you might need some of that government bailout money. Sounds like you have a great future in politics Mr. Koch, giving people what they don’t want regardless, although figures and the adamant voice of the people indicate otherwise. You will get none of my money until White Ale comes back.
Noble Pils is horrible, it tastes like mass produced swill beer. Where are the signature noble hop flavor and aromas from these hops? Maybe the Boston Brewery should start having commercials like Miller Lite’s triple hops brewed.
How can you replace my favorite White Ale with this garbage? Really?
I can see many people here are just as disappointed as I am. Once I found out white ale was being replaced in favor of noble pils I figured it must be way better so I would give it a try. It is THE most horrible beer I have ever drank bar none. Noble pils is total garbage and white ale was a great beer, my favorite of all time. Get a clue Sam Adams you really tripped up on this one. Ha Ha Ha yea mabye you will need some bailout money after this dumb move.
Pingback: Boston Beer Company Nails It. Sam Adams Noble Pils Review. « Beer Epiphany
like others i waited all winter long for the appearance of sam adam white ale this spring. when i couldnt find it after several trips i asked the clerk at my favorite liquor store wheres the white ale? to my chagrin he said it was replaced with something called “noble pils”?
i bought it and my chagrin changed to disgust after i tasted it. has common sense left boston?who are these beer experts….? the closest i can come to describing the taste and smell would be to liken it to a half drained quart of schlitz or
natty lite left open in the fridge all nite after a college beer party. this DOES NOT take the place of the white ale!!!! bring back the white ale!!!!!!!!
I Agree with James – White Ale is the one beer I look forward to all year. I’m VERY disappointed with Sam Adams – and Oh the Noble Pils… tastes like Bud
If noble pils only tasted like Bud maybe I could stomach the rest of this six pack I bought. I had one beer and could not believe this was a Sam Adams product. I had to force myself to finish the first one and the second one I drank made it halfway and the rest was a pour into the drain. white ale was an excellent beer, noble pils is billy goat pee. Is this a long running april fools joke gone wrong?! No more Sam for me I am done with them, I will have to try some other white ales.
Looks like I am not the only one who thinks noble pils is nasty stuff as far as i am concerned its not even drinkable. I was a fan of the white ale but if i cant find it anywhere what is the point of supporting sam adams by buying cheap swill? What a crock, I will just stick to blue moon at least coors is trying to please its customers.
When you read all the wonderful things Koch has to say about Noble Pils it makes you want to go out and grab a case of this great new invention from the boys in Boston. Unfortunate however is the reality of this beer once it hits the palate and makes you want to retch it back up. There could not be a worse beer being produced right now by any company, so congrats on that feat! So this gut rot replaced White Ale? Someone on the post above put it perfectly… EPIC FAIL. The only complex notes I can detect are the ones for the extra dose of skunky and putrid taste. BRING BACK WHITE ALE!!!
Thanks for inspiring me Sam Adams, if you can brew Noble Pils and get paid for this vile tasting crap than I am going to get started brewing my own beer. I want my white ale BACK!
Please bring back white ale. I did give noble pils a chance but it just was not for me and was a big let down for a white ale replacement. I agree that it is not the right beer for spring and I am so used to getting through a tough winter to have a bottle or twenty of white ale. Please, please, please bring back my white ale.
I just spent part of my day hunting for a six pack of Noble Pils–couldn’t find it. On the first taste I wasn’t sure I liked it, but it grew on me. No bitterness, and a wonderful citrus twist to it without all of the objectionable qualities of any other Pils I have tried. It has layers of flavor that I like. It is perfect with the right kind of food and it’s light enough for the season. I’m sure you are not going to convert White Ale fans because that’s the particular beer they want–I’m new to seasonal beers and I think this one is just fine. From a Boston Lager regular drinker, who can’t stand wheat beer, and who finds some dark beers a little flat tasting. Good effort!
I tried noble pils and it was good for a single beer but I had to force down the last bit in the bottle. I do admit that I am a white ale fan and miss that beer terribly and do hope they bring it back soon cause this is not a proper stand in for white ale. I cant beleive someone could post that it was not bitter.. maybe he was drinking a different batch of pils than I got. I would have to give pils a grade of D though I am afraid.
I think White Ale should be brought back immediately-Noble Pils is sub par at best, Sam Adams really dropped the ball on that beer. Just think how you would be if your favorite beer was “replaced” with this slop-no longer a customer.
Grab some Hoegaarden, it’s the best White Ale going anyway. Noble Pils is utter trash and I would not waste any of my money on that crap-I only had one at a friends house and we both agreed it was garbage compared to white ale from Sam’s.
I liked the White Ale a lot, too bad it was killed off for this Noble Pils gunk. I don’t see the appeal of this pils, I just don’t know why but reviewers think it’s great and beer drinkers who have more than one think it sucks. It was a stupid mistake IMHO, it seems like white beers are where its at right now. I agree with Duke though Hoegaarden is probably the best white anyway but it’s nice to have some variety which White Ale provided nicely.