Samuel Adams Rings in 21st birthday of Summer Ale with Plea to Americans: We're the #1 Place to Relax with a Beer, Why Do We Fail at Taking Time Off?

BOSTON, June 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sam Adams Summer Ale, one of the most popular and highly anticipated beers of the summer season, is finally old enough to drink itself.  So what has 21 years of BBQs, camping trips, outdoor concerts, tailgating and shared memories with friends taught its brewers? That it's important to take a break and smell the hops! 

But don't just take their word for it.  According to a national survey released today in partnership with DC-based Project: Time Off (P:TO), when given a list of summertime activities to choose from if Americans had more time off, more than one-third of legal drinking age Americans would choose to go enjoy a beer.

Taking time off is actually GOOD for businesses as it boosts employee productivity (more below).  But for the employees themselves, time off is more than just hitting the recharge button; it's about creating memories that last longer and mean more than that daily grind ever can.  In 2016 alone – Americans failed to take 662 million vacation days - equal to approximately 1.3 billion hours of cornhole, 662 million sunsets, and 2 billion beers with friends.  That's where Sam Adams Summer Ale comes in.

Boston, Sam Adams' hometown, was named the 5^th worst city to top P:TO's list of places across America that don't use enough vacation time – missing out on 11.6 million days.  To address the devastating news, Sam Adams is taking matters into their own hands, by hosting an exclusive summer "Sam Summer Friday" party at its brewery in Boston for the offices around Boston who feel they most need a Summer Friday afternoon break. Bostonians can nominate their offices through Twitter using #SamSummerFriday to win an exclusive opportunity to attend the Sam Summer Friday party.

But Sam Adams didn't want to leave the other top offending cities on the vacation deprived naughty list stuck in the office either; #SamSummerFriday experiences will also be hosted in:

1. Washington, D.C. topped the list by failing to use 64% of their vacation days (totaling 17.3 million days)
2. San Francisco-Oakland, CA left 62% of vacation days (totaling 12.8 million days) unused
3. Tampa, FL workers left 62% of vacation days on the table (totaling 5.1 million days)
4. Los Angeles, CA also failed to take 62% of vacation days (totaling 32.5 million days)

For official rules including how to enter, visit www.samueladams.com/samsummerfridays.

Why Summer Fridays?  In the study by Project: Time Off, the majority of workers say they did not use all of their vacation time last year, but only 7% of workplaces offer some version of Summer Fridays at all, a perk that allows workers to leave a little early on Friday afternoons to recharge while enjoying the season.

"This summer season we're reminding people that everyone deserves a little break to boost productivity, keep the creative juices brewing and have some fun," said Jim Koch Brewer and Founder of Sam Adams. "In our brewery's hometown of Boston, summer is one of our favorite seasons and is of course best enjoyed with a Summer Ale in hand.  So, turn on your out of office email notification and go enjoy summer!"

Under-Vacationed Nation = #ProductivityFail

More than two-thirds of survey respondents (69%) feel more creative and productive after a few days off work for vacation or a long weekend, which is notably higher (78%) among 21-34 and 35-49 year olds.

The State of Summer Fridays

While Summer Fridays originated in the Northeast in the 1960s - where the perk is most common (10% vs. 7% nationally) -  the idea of longer weekends during the summer is welcome across the country. Nearly six in ten (57%) workers that don't currently have Summer Fridays wish their employer offered that afternoon time off. Among 21-34 year olds, 71% say they would welcome Summer Fridays.

Throughout the summer drinkers can check out the Sam Adams blog for inspiration on how to pursue a better summer Friday afternoon with an array of recipes, beer cocktails, etc.  To view the blog and for more information on where to find a Samuel Adams Summer Ale, visit www.samueladams.com.

Samuel Adams Summer Friday Survey Methodology:
On behalf of Samuel Adams and Project:Time Off, GfK conducted an online survey of 1003 American adults, ages 18 and older. For select questions that reference alcohol consumption, the survey is of 964 American adults, ages 21 and older. The survey was conducted May 12, 2016 using GfK's KnowledgePanel®, a large-scale online panel based on a representative random sample of the U.S. population. These data were weighted and scaled. Note: totals may not add up to 100% due to rounding or refusing response.

About Samuel Adams and The Boston Beer Company
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. Inspired and unafraid to challenge conventional thinking about beer, Jim brought the recipe to life in his kitchen. Pleased with the results of his work, Jim decided to sample his beer with bars in Boston in the hopes that drinkers would appreciate the complex, full-flavored beer he brewed fresh in America. That beer was aptly named Samuel Adams Boston Lager, in recognition of one of our nation's great founding fathers, a man of independent mind and spirit. Little did Jim know at the time, Samuel Adams Boston Lager would soon become a catalyst of the American craft beer revolution.

Today, The Boston Beer Company brews more than 60 styles of beer. It relentlessly pursues the development of new styles and the perfection of classic beers by searching the world for the finest ingredients. Using the traditional four vessel brewing process, the Company often takes extra steps like dry-hopping, barrel-aging and a secondary fermentation known as krausening. The Company has also pioneered another revolution, the 'extreme beer' movement, where it seeks to challenge drinker's perceptions of what beer can be. The Boston Beer Company has been committed to elevating the image of American craft beer by entering festivals and competitions around the globe, and is one of world's most awarded breweries at international beer competitions. As an independent company, brewing quality beer remains its primary focus. Although Samuel Adams beer is America's leading craft beer, it accounts for only one percent of the U.S. beer market. The Boston Beer Company will continue its independently-minded quest to brew great beer and to advocate for the growth of craft beer across America.

For more information, please visit www.samueladams.com.

SOURCE The Boston Beer Company