There’s something about September that makes fall feel just around the corner. The days may still be warm, but football season is underway, leaves are beginning to change, and seasonal flavors are making their way onto menus at bars and restaurants throughout New England.

Here at On The Corner Grill in Derry, New Hampshire, we can’t help but get excited about the return of fall favorites, including seasonal beers from Samuel Adams.

Before we raise a glass to the season, though, we thought it would be fun to go for a little stroll down memory lane and explore the history behind one of America’s most recognizable craft beer brands and the long history of beer brewing in Boston.

Raise A Glass to Boston’s Brewing History

Because of the living conditions, early colonists considered beer safer than their untreated water. Brewing also provided a practical way to preserve grains and create a drink that could be stored and consumed over time.

Boston eventually became home to a thriving brewing industry. However, the local brewery landscape changed dramatically during the 20th century.

After World War II, improvements in refrigeration, pasteurization, transportation, and large-scale production helped national breweries distribute inexpensive beer nationwide. Smaller regional breweries often struggled to compete with the production capacity and economies of scale of larger companies.

Boston was no exception. Breweries once central to the city’s identity gradually disappeared. By the mid-20th century, Boston’s historic brewing industry had been significantly diminished.

Then, in the 1980s, a new generation of American brewers began bringing attention back to locally produced, full-flavored beer.

One of those brewers was Jim Koch.

From an Old Family Recipe to a Boston Beer Revival

The story of Samuel Adams began in 1984, when Jim Koch stumbled upon his great-great-grandfather Louis Koch’s recipe abandoned in the attic of their Cincinnati family home.

Koch left his career as a management consultant and returned to his family’s brewing roots. Along with Rhonda Kallman, he founded the Boston Beer Company in 1984.

The company’s first beer was based on the family recipe but wasn’t simply copied from the past. Koch made his own refinements during brewing, creating the beer that would eventually become Samuel Adams Boston Lager.

When it came to choosing a name, Jim Koch wanted it to reflect a proud Bostonian identity. The beer was named after Samuel Adams, a Boston patriot with historical significance and a personal connection to the city’s colonial brewing and malting industry through his family.

On April 15, 1985, Boston Lager debuted at several Boston-area establishments.

Samuel Adams Boston Lager swiftly gained attention, and the Boston Beer Company continued to grow. The brewery’s success became part of the larger American craft beer movement, which helped renew interest in independent and regional brewing.

When Seasonal Beers Took the Stage

Boston Beer Company didn’t stop with Boston Lager.

The brewery introduced Samuel Adams Double Bock in 1988, followed by Samuel Adams OctoberFest in 1989. OctoberFest became one of the company’s best-known seasonal offerings and a familiar sign that fall had arrived.

Over the years, Samuel Adams expanded its lineup of seasonal and limited-release beers, giving drinkers something different to look forward to as the calendar changed.

And that’s part of what makes seasonal beer so much fun.

Unlike a beer that’s available year-round, a seasonal release can become something people anticipate. Its return can signal a change in the weather, the beginning of a holiday season, or simply an excuse to get together with friends at one of your favorite bars.

Brewing More Than Beer: Supporting Small Businesses

The Boston Beer Company has also invested in programs designed to support entrepreneurs in the food, beverage, and brewing industries.

In 2008, Jim Koch launched Brewing the American Dream, a program intended to provide small-business owners with resources such as coaching, mentoring, and access to financing.

The program reflects one of the larger themes behind the American craft beer movement: beer isn’t just about what’s in the glass. It’s also about the breweries, restaurants, bars, distributors, employees, and entrepreneurs who help create the communities surrounding it.

The Leaves May Fall, But the Bars Stay Open

September may technically still be early in the fall, but New England knows what’s coming.

Soon, the leaves will change color, sweaters will come out of the closet, and seasonal beers will make their way onto beer lists at bars and restaurants throughout the region.

At On The Corner Grill in Derry, we’re looking forward to enjoying the flavors that make this time of year special. If you’re ready to find your next fall favorite, check out the Libations section of our menu and see what catches your eye.

Whether you’re stopping in for a seasonal beer, meeting friends for a drink, or merely looking for a place to unwind as summer gives way to fall, there’s always a reason to raise a glass.

Here’s to the season!