Samuel Adams has announced the winners of it’s The Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream program that was instated to give small business owners the tools that they need to succeed — or as some may call it, realize the American Dream. The first ever recipients were Jim Woods of MateVeza out of San Francisco, CA and Chris Spinelli & Jon Mervine of Roc Brewing Co out of Rochester, NY. They will travel to Samuel Adams in Boston, MA to meet with employees about various topics including brewing and business. The goal of the program is to help start up brewers overcome the same challenges that Jim Koch faced as he was starting Sam Adams.
Jim Koch never forgot the hurdles that he faced in the beginning. After being turned down for several loans, he brewed his first batch of Boston Lager in his kitchen, bottled it, and hand delivered it. Jim will mentor Jim, Chris, and Jon as they begin to grow their breweries through this Experienceship. He will provide assistance in not only the brewing side of things but also the business side — ie. marketing, labeling, distribution, creative, legal, etc. All parties involved are very excited about the program. Jim Woods of MateVeza said, . “The greatest thing about the craft beer movement is the people behind it. This is a complicated industry, and gaining the tools and expertise necessary to bring MateVeza to the masses is truly a dream come true.”
