E-Malt.com News article: 2432

USA: Boston Beer Co. Inc., maker of Sam Adams lager, will host a series of Sam Adams Light beer tastings in New York City to raise money for a foundation started by comedian Denis Leary, a Worcester native, Boston Business Journal posted on March 29. Boston Beer's goal is to challenge 10,000 New Yorkers in light-beer taste-offs in bars throughout New York City, starting with 100 bars on April 1 and continuing through the end of June.

All beer drinkers will have the opportunity to donate at least $1 in the name of the Leary Firefighters Foundation, to perform blind taste tests of Sam Adams Light against other light-beer contenders. All proceeds raised through the tasting events will be matched by Boston Beer, and then presented in July to the Leary Firefighters Foundation.

The kickoff for the three-month-long fund-raising event will take place at McGee's Pub in New York City, where Jim Koch and Denis Leary will pour the first consumer taste test.

Leary founded the Leary Firefighters Foundation in 2000 in response to the Worcester firefighter tragedy in 1999. Leary's cousin and childhood friend were two of the six firefighters killed in the blaze. To date, the foundation has distributed more than $1 million to Worcester-area fire departments for the purpose of improving equipment and training facilities.


02 April, 2004