By Linsey B. Knerl

The only thing worse than that last little bit of warm beer in the bottom of your bottle is that same warm beer -- with shards of broken glass in it. Thanks to a recent recall by the Boston Beer Company (the makers of Samuel Adams), beer drinkers will need to be extra careful when indulging in their favorite ales. According to the Samuel Adams consumer website, the “defect” in the bottles was discovered during a routine quality control inspection and could possibly affect the product from one of five bottle plants. The problem, confirmed on Friday (according to the Boston Globe), could take form as small, sand-like grains of glass or possibly larger shards.

Samuel Adams alerts consumers to the possibility of injury due to biting or swallowing a piece of glass in the recalled bottles (although no injuries have been reported at this time.) They also speculate that less than 1% of bottles recalled will actually contain glass. While not a big deal to the 99%, if you are unlucky enough to drink from an affected bottle, you are obviously instructed to see a physician immediately.

How can you know if you may be at risk for drinking glass? Check the bottom edge of the glass bottle for a raised letter and number. Recalled bottles will have “N35” followed by “OI” printed on them. If you do see these characters on your bottle, don't drink it! Then head over to the Samuel Adams website to report it. There will a place to enter you product code and instructions on obtaining a refund. (The website address is http://consumerinfo.samadams.com/cidefault.htm)

So where's the media coverage on this recall? Lead toys seem to get all the attention these days, but what about our beer-drinking buddies? Don't they deserve a fair warning before possibly sucking down a glass-filled brew? I have yet to see anything on my local major metro news reports, although more “lager-friendly” markets may be all over it.

Check your fridge for any of the recalled beer, and be wary of beer that may be served or sold in restaurants or bars. Retailers are given specific instructions on how to handle the recall, but as we have seen in the past with the improper handling of some food and household product recalls, it is best to assume some responsibility for the safety of your own drinks. Note that all draft beer, Twisted Tea, 24-ounce bottled beers, and Triple Bock is NOT affected by the recall. The main focus of the scare is 12 ounce bottles that have been manufactured in the one specific factory.

Samuel Adams has expressed its dismay in the situation, the first recall for the company.