News Release Details

What More Could A Guy Ask For This Valentine's Day?

February 10, 2005 at 12:39 PM EST

Samuel Adams(R) Chocolate Bock - The Ultimate Combination of Two of Life's Greatest Pleasures: Beer and Chocolate

BOSTON, Feb. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- If the way to his heart is through his stomach, then men all over the country will certainly be falling in love this Valentine's Day. Now, thanks to the brewers at Samuel Adams, men will breathe a sigh of relief that this year's gift won't just be another pair of heart boxers. Just in time for February 14th, Samuel Adams is stocking the store shelves with Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock -- a rich, delicious chocolate beer --- that is sure to put the romance back into Valentine's Day. With 36 million boxes of chocolate sold for Valentine's Day annually, it's no doubt that men all over the country will be happily trading in their truffles for Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock.

"Beer and chocolate are two pleasures that should be enjoyed and savored. We knew that we were up to the challenge to create an unexpected brew that could perfectly complement a Valentine's Day meal or be given as a special gift," says Jim Koch, founder and brewer of Samuel Adams. "At Samuel Adams, we constantly strive to offer our drinkers something new that surprises their palates in the world of beer. With Chocolate Bock, we have reached our goal by creating the perfect gift for beer and chocolate lovers alike."

Samuel Adams teamed up with Scharffen Berger Chocolate to create this new brew. "U.S. consumers eat 2.8 billion pounds of chocolate annually, but when teaming up with Samuel Adams, we had to ask ourselves, how much do they drink?" said John Scharffenberger, president and co-founder of Scharffen Berger Chocolates. "While there are many chocolate beverages, there are none that please the palates of beer and chocolate connoisseurs and drinkers. We were thrilled to lend our expertise in chocolate to the talented brewers at Samuel Adams in the creation of such a truly unique product."

Made with an exclusive blend of chocolate, this dark beer has a big, malty character with a complex full-body taste and velvety finish. Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock includes the world's finest ingredients including cocoa beans from Ghana, which enhance its aroma and flavor. A hint of vanilla was also added to help meld the symphony of flavors together.

The beer is packaged in a 750 ml amber bottle with a specially embossed pewter label. Chocolate Bock is the perfect accompaniment to any Valentine's Day meal or can be served as a dessert by itself. It is especially good with roasted chicken, a chocolaty dessert like chocolate mousse or chocolate cheesecake, or even fresh fruit.

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock is a revolutionary masterpiece new to the beer world. Beer and chocolate have been combined to form a unique brew that is perfect for Valentine's Day. Having been the first to create the world's strongest beer, Samuel Adams Utopias(TM), these brewers have once again pushed the boundaries with the creation of Chocolate Bock.

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock is available in select off premise accounts in February 2005 for a suggested retail price of $14.99. Give your sweetie the sweetest gift around with Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock.

ABOUT THE CHOCOLATE

Long-time friends Robert Steinberg and John Scharffenberger founded Scharffen Berger(R) Chocolate in 1996, making it the first American chocolate manufacturer to be founded in 50 years. Their first batch of chocolate was created a year later in San Francisco and since then it has grown in popularity among renowned chefs and bakers like Julia Child and Todd English, as well as consumers. This chocolate is so unique because of its rare ingredients like Venezuelan Criollo Cacao beans as well as varieties from Madagascar, Trinidad, Ghana and Papua New Guinea. These hand-selected beans are roasted in small batches, producing a dense, concentrated flavor then ground with a large-crystal cane sugar and whole-bean Tahitian and Bourbon vanillas before being conched into lush liquid chocolate. For more information, visit the web-site at http://www.scharffenberger.com.

THE BOSTON BEER COMPANY BACKGROUND:

The Boston Beer Company is America's leading brewer of quality, flavorful beer. Using a sixth generation family recipe, brewer and founder Jim Koch brews Samuel Adams beers with only the world's finest ingredients. Samuel Adams eighteen distinctive, award-winning styles of beers range from light- bodied to bold, traditional to extreme. Samuel Adams Boston Lager(R) is the Company's flagship brand and is celebrated worldwide for its high quality, natural ingredients and traditional brewing techniques. The result is a beer renowned by drinkers for its full flavor, balance, complexity, and consistent quality. For more information visit http://www.samueladams.com.

SOURCE The Boston Beer Company

CONTACT: Melissa Eisberg,
+1-212-981-7993,
Melissa_Eisberg@deutschinc.com or
Sarina Fierman, +1-212-981-7899,
Sarina_Fierman@deutschinc.com,
both of Deutsch Inc., for The Boston Beer Company
(SAM)