Samuel Adams is an American brand of beer brewed by the Boston Beer Company and its associated contract brewers. The company was founded in 1984 by Jim Koch, Harry M. Rubin, and Lorenzo Lamadrid in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The brand name of Samuel Adams , was chosen in honor of Samuel Adams, an American patriot famous for his role in the American Revolution and the Boston Tea Party. According to tradition, he was also a brewer. Based on sales in 2011, the Boston Beer Company is tied with Yuengling for the largest American-owned beermaker.