Sharing Samuel Adams

I spend a lot of time on this blog talking about Samuel Adams.  The reasons are simple.  One, I love their beer.  Two, I love the company.

For the record, as my Dad will attest, I didn't always love their beer.  In the early 90's I was in college and for one of my trips home my Dad tried to impress me by picking up a six pack of Samuel Adams Boston Lager.  Although he is not a big beer drinker, he was quick to inform me Samuel Adams was "The Best Beer in America."  It said so on the label.

At the time, I found it odd.  I was a proud Purdue Boilermaker and as far as I knew in Indiana, Bud Light longnecks were the best beer in America.  They had long necks and I could buy them in cases.  They were awesome.  Since when did people buy beer based on a history lesson and why did it have…taste?

Not surprisingly, my nonexistent tastebuds skipped quality for….well, I'm not sure what.  My friends still give me grief about it today. "Remember that time Mike scoffed at Sam Adams…"  It's one of those stories that will never leave me.  Ever.

Fast forward almost twenty years and you will find the exact opposite true.  So much so, a number of years ago, way before APP, I bought a few shares of stock in Boston Beer.  I believed, and still do, in putting my money where my mouth is.

Here in 2013, it's a sweet and malty convergence of interests.  I'm able to not only be a very, very, very small part of a company I truly respect, but also, through the hardwork of this blog, talk abut the latest and greatest from Boston Beer.  It is this great amount of respect I have for the company that inspired me to travel to Boston last week and attend the annual Boston Beer Stockholders meeting.

It's been a little over a year since we first traveled to Boston and toured the brewery.  Or, as I called it, visiting the promised land.  At the time, I knew a repeat trip was in order. I just didn't know when…fast forward a year.  

The shareholders meeting was set for 9 AM and having only arrived in Boston about 8 hours prior, I opted to Uber my way from downtown to the brewery.  You know how I love Uber.

Upon arrival at the brewery, I was handed a name tag, t-shirt, and tasting glass.  Yes, tasting glass.

Upon taking my seat, I found myself surrounded by a couple hundred fellow shareholders.  Although it was a mixed crowd of people, two words easily described the audience: beer lovers.

Although I've heard Jim Koch on TV, I had never seen him in person.  He was in short, brilliant.  As he made sure everyone knew, Boston Lager was his favorite Samuel Adams beer, as it should be.  It was his first.  For it was Boston Lager he made in his kitchen, long before the days of the expansive Boston Beer Company we know today.  Subsequently, his pint glass was full as he took the podium to address the group.

Jim was refreshing, funny, and engaged.  The meeting was part business, part questions, and then most importantly, part drinking.  He emphasized the last point, while encouraging a speedy trip through the first two points.

To this date, Jim holds the majority of shares of Boston Beer and still has veto power over the directions of the company.  Case in point, it took two years to get the Sam Can to production.  Jim's influence is everything.

After the voting part of the meeting, Jim moved to a recap of where the company has been over the last year.  He then took questions from the floor.  Did I mention how smart Boston Beer shareholders are? This wasn't some run-of-the-mill group of beer drinkers.  Almost every question posed to Jim was thoughtful, researched, and relevant.  I was impressed…and highly interested.  As Jim fleshed out his responses, several things  he said merited notes.

On the growth of the craft beer industry

There are 2 breweries opening a day in the US.  We are on our way to surpasing the number of breweries that have ever, in the US.  

How big will craft brewing get?

Jim equated craft brewing to Eve, and beer to Adam.  "Just how big is Eve going to get?"  Apparently she's putting on weight.

Will Samuel Adams make a non-alcoholic beer?

"Sure, go drink Diet Coke."

Some other tidbits…Samuel Adams is currently working in conjuncture with a whiskey maker in distilling 3 Samuel Adams styles; Boston Lager, Double Bock, and Cinder Bock.  They will be ready in 2015.

In 2012, Samuel Adams brewed 200 different types of beer.

By far, my absolute favorite quote?

"We've failed with a lot of things and they've led to success."

That last quote resonated with me.  It reminded me of a recent article I read.  Do you want to succeed at something?  Don't look at why things worked, look at why they didn't.

With the official business out of the way, the morning quickly turned towards "drinking."  All three tasting rooms where in full motion.  Honey Queen, New World Triple, Grumpy Monk, and 2012 Utopias were all being poured.  It was great.

As I worked my way though the crowd, I met up with some other great local Boston shareholders.  Each was interesting, most were local, and all were fun.  Most importantly, everyone shared a love of "great beer."

After my morning at the brewery, I spent some time by Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall.  The ability to disconnect and sit….on one bench for an hour with no interruptions...was awesome.

 It was also nice because it served as an intermission before I hooked up with my friend Todd from BostonSake.com.

Todd had a great evening planned, and it started off with a trip to the Cambridge Brewing Company where his beer/sake hybrid, Banryu Ichi, was on tap.

Todd has forwarded me a previous bottle, which I loved.  His current batch, on a limited tap at CBC, was even better.

My sake knowledge is limited, but I know what I like and I liked Banryu Ichi.

After the CBC, we hit Lordo Hobo in Cambridge and then ended up at the Citizen Public Houser and Oyster Bar in Boston. Everything was great: the beer, the food, the whiskey, and most importantly, the company.

Although I was only in Boston less than 48 hours, I maxed out every second of it. I can't say enough about everyone at Samuel Adams and look forward to the next night Todd and I can share drinks and dinner.

Boston is a great, historic city and I'm thrilled to have friends there. I can't wait to go back and perhaps, have a beer…or two.