I think it's pretty cool when breweries make a new beer, people like it, and the brewers say, "Let's put it in our regular rotation."

That's what happened with Schlafly AIPA, which earned rave reviews with local beer fans when the St. Louis Brewery poured it at a festival last summer. The brewery bottled the hoppy, American-style India pale ale in late May, making it the summer staple in Schlafly's Special Release Series.  

And that's what the Boston Beer Co. has done each of the past five years with its Samuel Adams Beer Lovers Choice contest. During the summer, brewery representatives fan out across the coutry to beer festivals and other places where Sam Adams is sold, giving drinkers the chance to taste two sample beers and vote for their favorite. 

Noble Pils won last year's contest, which received 68,000 votes. The pilsner beat an IPA, and it replaced White Ale as Sam Adams' spring seasonal release.

This year, the Beer Lovers Choice program pits a Belgian-style IPA against an American rye ale. Sam Adams reps will be coming to the St. Louis area soon with samples for you to vote on. The Wine and Cheese Place in Clayton has an Aug. 20 tasting scheduled; more dates are posted at samueladams.com*.

I received a bottle each of Sample A (the Belgian IPA) and Sample B (the rye ale) from the brewery's PR firm and tried them last night. I don't want to sway your vote, but, in my opinion, there was a clear winner. Don't read on if you don't want to know which it was.

Sample A is a golden-honey hue, and the good-size head gives off an aroma of piney, green hops. An initial sweet-spicy flavor from the Belgian yeast gives way to that distinct earthy-hop flavor that dominates Noble Pils.

Sample B is a dark reddish-copper color, maybe a notch-and-a-half darker than Sam Adams Boston Lager, with a nose of full, rich malts and a touch of hop citrus. The flavor alternated between sweet malts and bready rye spice. As it came up to temperature, the sweetness seemed to take over.

I was a big fan of Noble Pils, and Sample A reminded me of it in some ways. I wouldn't say Sample A screams "Belgian," but it introduces those familiar peppery, dry Belgian flavors in a delicate way. Mr. Adams, my ballot card's in the mail. Sample A has my vote this year.

*Thanks to reader SteveO for the link to the nearby Missouri tastings.