To keep things simple we’ll just refer to the company as Sam Adams which is how they are known to most of the beer drinking public anyway. Sam Adams was founded by Jim Koch back in 1985 in Boston, Massachusetts. He named the beer after the famous American patriot from the Revolutionary War by the same name Samuel Adams who happened to have also been a brewer of beer. You could also say that Jim Koch is famous in many ways also. Most importantly his timing.
You see Jim Koch founded Sam Adams at a very inauspicious time. Sam Adams began operation just as the U.S. Craft Brewery Movement was exploding within the United States. Within ten years of the founding of Sam Adams there were over 600 other craft brewery companies otherwise known as microbreweries operating within the U.S. and Sam Adams was at the front of the movement.
So where did the recipe for Sam Adams Boston Lager originate? The recipe itself was actually developed in 1860 by Louis Koch, Jim Koch’s great-great grandfather. He sold the beer under the name Louis Koch Lager until the prohibition years and then again during the 1950’s. Eventually the recipe was handed down to Jim Koch who then with the help of Joseph Owades the man who is given credit for inventing the light beer reformulated the recipe. When they were done the Boston Lager was born.
By 1989 Sam Adams was selling 63,000 barrels of beer annually with demand rising every year. During the 1980’s they won numerous awards being voted the “Best Beer in American” at the “Great American Beer Festival”. By 2008 what had started as a beer company with one Lager had developed into a beer brewer with 20 different kinds of beer. Over the years they have experimented with a number of seasonal beers and specialty brews.
Today Sam Adams is a company as well known as any beer company in America. And they are at the forefront in experimenting with new ways to tantalize the taste buds. They capitalize on the American spirit of patriotism while still honoring our founding fathers who would’ve enjoyed a Sam Adams beer as much as the rest of us. Jim Koch in building up the Sam Adams brewery helped to change the tastes of Americans for beer. He showed the public that something better could be had and helped lead a new American Revolution in the process.
So whatever it is that your company does or will do don’t be afraid to be different and stand out. Being lost in the crowd will not get you anywhere. Whatever it is you do you should strive to be the best and stand out from the rest.
Cash Miller is an experienced entrepreneur and speaker who has spent over a decade as a small business owner. His years of experience in small business cover a variety of topics. If you are looking for more small business help please check out smallbusinessdelivered.com