Embrace your community. Boston Beer holds contests, attends festivals, and shares its own knowledge and hops with other brewers. In return, the craft-beer community embraces its largest member.
Constantly invent new products. Founder Jim Koch has used ingredients including chocolate, lemon zest, tamarind, and anise to create new beers.
Work closely with retailers. A sales team helps educate bartenders, who are in the best position to recommend beers to customers.
Stay small—or at least maintain the perception that you're small. Even as it has grown into the largest American-owned producer of beer, Boston Beer holds on tightly to its image as a tiny brewer.
Tap into consumers' mood. Koch launched his company just as Americans were becoming familiar with hoppier, European brews and were thirsty for higher-end beer at home.
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Byron of TX 3:24PM December 05, 2008