In 1984, Sam Adams founder Jim Koch made his first batch of Boston Lager where brewers had honed their skills for centuries: the kitchen. While Sam Adams has long since moved on to fancier digs, every year the company goes back where it began for its Longshot American Homebrew Contest. The competition invites home brewers to create and bottle their best work for a chance to be distributed nationwide by Sam Adams in the Longshot six-pack. On the shelves now are 2009’s winners: Michael Robinson’s Old Ben Ale, Ben Miller’s Mile High Barley Wine and, my personal favorite, Jeremy White’s Lemon Pepper Saison—a little something the Sam Adams IT guy whipped up in his spare time. Nevadan Alixandra Peters’ beer is one of 2010’s four finalists from among 800 submitted brews. Who’s the longshot now?