Samuel Adams Founder and Brewer Jim Koch to be Inducted Into Punxsutawney Phil's Inner Circle This Groundhog Day

BOSTON, Feb. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- On February 2, Samuel Adams Founder and Brewer Jim Koch will be sworn in as an honorary member of Punxsutawney Phil's Inner Circle, a group of tuxedo-clad keepers sworn to uphold the grand tradition of Groundhog Day.  As part of the Groundhog Day festivities, Jim and the Punxsutawney crew will toast Phil, the iconic weather-predicting groundhog on his 125th birthday.

"Phil and the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club are without a doubt the most symbolic representation of the transition from winter to spring, and I am thrilled to become an honorary inductee into the Inner Circle," said Jim Koch.  "For the brewers at Samuel Adams, we've made it our mission to brew a beer reflective of each season, and have created four distinct styles that give beer lovers something to look forward to as the seasons change.  Even if we're in for a long winter this year, our spring seasonal Noble Pils reminds hibernating beer lovers that spring is just around the corner."

Every year on February 2, Punxsutawney Phil emerges from his burrow, squints at the sunlight and forecasts his prediction to the Inner Circle President, the only person on earth who understands Phil's language of "Groundhogese."   Phil's proclamation is then translated to the world: If Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather; if he does not see his shadow, spring will arrive early.

"We've teamed up with Samuel Adams because they are passionate about the seasonal changes just like we are," said Mike Johnston, Inner Circle Vice President. "They are experts at pairing each season with the perfect brew. That's why we're very proud to induct Jim into our Inner Circle as an honorary member and serve Samuel Adams Noble Pils as the official beer of Groundhog Day."

Samuel Adams spring seasonal Noble Pils is a great transition brew, taking drinkers from the heavier winter brews to the lighter more citrusy brews of summer.  Noble Pils is brewed with a blend of all five Noble Hop varieties from each of the world's only remaining Noble Hop growing regions.  This crisp and spicy brew is available January through mid-April for a suggested retail price of $7.99 per 6-pack.  

THE BOSTON BEER COMPANY BACKGROUND:

The Boston Beer Company began in 1984 with a generations-old family recipe that Founder and Brewer Jim Koch uncovered in his father's attic. After bringing the recipe to life in his kitchen, Jim brought it to bars in Boston with the belief that drinkers would appreciate a complex, full-flavored beer, brewed fresh in America. That beer was Samuel Adams Boston Lager®, and it helped catalyze what became known as the American craft beer revolution.  

Today, the Company brews more than 21 styles of beer.  The Company uses the traditional four vessel brewing process and often takes extra steps like dry-hopping and a secondary fermentation known as krausening. It passionately pursues the development of new styles and the perfection of its classic beers by constantly searching for the world's finest ingredients. While resurrecting traditional brewing methods, the Company has earned a reputation as a pioneer in another revolution, the "extreme beer" movement, where it seeks to challenge drinkers' perceptions of what beer can be. The Boston Beer Company strives to elevate the image of American craft beer by entering festivals and competitions the world over, and in the past five years it has won more awards in international beer competitions than any other brewery in the world. The Company remains independent, and brewing quality beer remains its single focus. While Samuel Adams is the country's largest-selling craft beer, it accounts for less than one percent of the U.S. beer market. For more information, please visit www.samueladams.com.

GROUNDHOG DAY BACKGROUND:

Each year on February 2, thousands of revelers travel to Gobblers Knob in Punxsutawney, PA, (north central part of the state) to witness the prediction of Punxsutawney Phil, a groundhog with the mythical ability of forecasting either an early spring or lengthier winter. With the help of his keepers and protectors, the tuxedo-clad members of the Inner Circle, Phil shares that prediction with the world.  If Phil sees his shadow, he predicts six more weeks of winter and returns to his burrow. If he does not see his shadow, spring is just around the corner.  This year, Phil celebrates 125 years of prognosticating.

SOURCE Samuel Adams