Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Samuel Adams Boston Lager was introduced in 1985 by Jim Koch and his partners in Boston Massachusetts. They called their new brewing company The Boston Brewing Company, and this new beer quickly gained notoriety, winning the "best beer in America" award at the Great American Beer Festival that same year. By 1989 Boston Lager was enjoying production of 63,000 barrels per year. For the first two decades of its life, Boston Brewing relied almost solely on contract brewing for its production, although today this is not as important, as the company does own brewing facilities of its own. Miller Brewing was the predominant contract brewer over the years. Contract brewing with major producers probably helped ensure quality control and consistency for Samuel Adams Boston Lager, a feature that is not always associated with other craft-brewed beers.

Although Boston Brewing is noted for rolling out an incessant variety of beer brands, often on a limited or one-off basis, their Boston Lager remains the company's flagship brand. This beer, at 4.9% alcohol, is classed as a Vienna lager, being darker, maltier, and more bitter than typical American-style lagers. Also, it is not made with corn or rice adjuncts, and this fact, while causing the price of the beer to be elevated, relative to other mass-produced American lagers, has earned Samuel Adams accolades for taste and quality. The beer uses gourmet hop varieties (Hallertau Mittelfrueh and Tettnang Tettnanger), which enhance its flavor and aroma.

Today, Samuel Adams is quite common and can be found in all areas of the United States. Over 2.5 million barrels of the company's various beer brands are produced as of 2012. It is hoped that Samuel Adams Boston Lager will continue to be sold and enjoyed for many years to come.