Boston Beer Company started in Jim Koch’s kitchen in 1984, and Samuel Adams Boston Lager was the beer that made it. I’ve had that same lager on tap in dive bars in three different states, and it still tastes like the beer that helped kick off the American craft movement in the first place. This isn’t a brewery riding on one hit either. Forty-plus years in, Boston Beer still owns one of the widest lineups in American brewing, from the flagship lager to a genuinely good non-alcoholic hazy IPA.
A Recipe That Came From the Family, Not a Lab
Jim Koch didn’t invent the Boston Lager recipe himself. He used his great-great-grandfather Louis Koch’s recipe, a family document that had been sitting around for generations before Jim decided to actually brew it commercially in 1984. That detail matters because it separates Boston Beer’s origin story from most of the craft breweries that followed it, this wasn’t someone tinkering in a garage with hops they’d never tried before, it was someone with a business degree from Harvard deciding a family recipe was good enough to bet a career on. The company went public in 1995, and by then it had already proven that a beer without a giant marketing budget could out-brew the macro lagers on flavor alone.
I’d also point out that the company name itself is a little misleading. Boston Beer Company doesn’t actually own a brewery in Boston for most of its production anymore, most Samuel Adams beer is brewed at large company-owned facilities in Cincinnati, Breinigsville (Pennsylvania), and Fort Collins, alongside a small original brewery on Boston’s Germania Street kept mostly for pilot batches and tours.
How Boston Lager Actually Started
Boston Lager made its public debut in late 1984 at around 35 bars and restaurants in Boston’s Back Bay and downtown area. It didn’t stay a local secret for long. The beer went on to win “Best Beer in America” at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, and that early credibility is a big part of why Sam Adams became the brand other American craft breweries measured themselves against for the next decade. I still think it’s one of the more underrated true-to-style lagers on the shelf, a little more hop character than most macro lagers but still sessionable.
The Samuel Adams brand itself dates to 1984, and Boston Lager remains the company’s flagship. What’s changed is everything built around it. The Samuel Adams Seasonal program brought rotating styles into the lineup early on, and that habit of never sitting still is basically the company’s whole identity now.
The Lineup Worth Actually Knowing
Boston Beer Company’s Core and Notable Releases
| Beer | Style | ABV | Why It’s Worth Trying |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Lager | Vienna-style lager | ~4.9% | The original, still the benchmark |
| Octoberfest | Marzen | ~5.3% | One of the easiest-to-find Marzens in the US every fall |
| Boston Ale | American amber ale | ~5.0% | Malt-forward, a good cold-weather pick |
| Nitro Coffee Stout | Nitro stout | ~6.0% | Actual cold-brew coffee, creamy nitro pour |
| Double Bock | Doppelbock | ~9.5% | Heavier, rich, seasonal release |
| Utopias | Barrel-aged strong ale | ~28%+ | Not really a “drink one” beer, more a collector’s bottle |
| Just the Haze | Non-alcoholic hazy IPA | 0.5% or less | The one that actually made NA beer credible for hopheads |
The non-alcoholic side is the part most people miss. Just the Haze launched in early 2021 and Samuel Adams Golden followed in early 2023, and both have actually sold well, with combined NA dollar sales growing 84 percent in 2023 and another 27 percent in 2024. That’s a real signal that Boston Beer figured out how to make non-alcoholic beer that doesn’t taste like an afterthought, which ties into a question I get asked a lot, what’s actually the point of non-alcoholic beer in the first place.
What I’d Actually Buy
For anyone building a fall fridge, the Oktoberfest pricing situation this year is worth a look before you stock up, and I’d also point you at my breakdown of budget versus splurge Oktoberfest picks if Sam Adams isn’t the only Marzen on your list. If you’re pairing any of these with food, my backyard Oktoberfest party guide has the menu and playlist sorted already.
Where This Fits Next to Other American Lagers
If you’re comparing Boston Lager against the wider American lager field, it sits well above the macro-adjunct crowd but isn’t chasing the ultra-hoppy craft lager trend either. I’ve got a full list of the best fall beers this year from actual bar owners and buyers if you want more context on where it lands, and my non-alcoholic Oktoberfest roundup covers Sam Adams Golden alongside the rest of that growing category.
More Boston Beer Company Reviews
I have tasted more of the Boston Beer Company portfolio than what is covered above:
- Samuel Adams Octoberfest
- Samuel Adams Boston Ale
- Samuel Adams Just the Haze (Non-Alcoholic Hazy IPA)
- Twisted Tea Original
- Anchor Steam Beer
FAQs
Is Samuel Adams actually a craft beer?
Yes. Boston Beer Company is still classified as a craft brewer by the Brewers Association despite its size, since it’s independently owned and uses traditional brewing methods and ingredients.
What’s the strongest Boston Beer Company release?
Utopias, a barrel-aged strong ale that has been released at various strengths above 24 percent ABV over the years, well beyond a normal sessionable beer.
Does Boston Beer Company make non-alcoholic beer?
Yes, Just the Haze (a non-alcoholic hazy IPA released in 2021) and Samuel Adams Golden (a non-alcoholic golden lager released in 2023) are both part of the current lineup.
