It's part of the well-known legend of Samuel Adams beer that founder Jim Koch began brewing the Boston lager in his kitchen in 1984 from an old family recipe he found in his attic, become a pioneer in the US craft-brewing revival, and proved that the sometimes even a little guy can become an industry powerhouse.

Never forgetting his home-brew roots, Koch has been giving a shot to other craft-brewers with his Samuel Adams American Homebrew Contest since 1996. Every year, brewers of bathtub-sized batches of beer compete for a chance to have their unique recipes produced on a large scale, with nationwide distribution in the LongShot six-pack. The 2007 winning brews are available now, giving you a chance to enjoy two great beers you wouldn't otherwise have the ability to experience.

The first winning beer is a complex Weizenbock brewed by Illinois resident Rodney Kibzey. It's a traditional Bavarian style beer, a hybrid of a rich and malty bock balanced by the fruity and spicy notes of weiss beers. Underlying flavor notes include raisins, molasses, figs and sherry.

Also in this year's LongShot six-pack is Lili Hess’ Grape Pale Ale. Lili lives in Honolulu and is the winner of the Samuel Adams employee division. (I think someone's getting a raise.) She created her pale ale by adding a special combination of ingredients including juice from grapes and maple syrup.

A third winner, California resident Mike McDole’s Double IPA, could not be included in the six-pack due to a world-wide shortage of hops. (Sorry about that. It was a long tailgating season.) His beer will be included in the 2008 collection.

The LongShot six-pack is available at retailers nationwide and you'll pay around $7.99-$8.99 for it. Not a bad deal to try some unusual, limited edition brews.

Entries for the 2008 contest are being accepted from April 15 - May 1.
You can get details, rules, tips from Jim, and even info on purchasing a homebrew kit, online at www.samueladams.com