Billionaire Sam Adams Founder on How He Helped Spark the Craft-Beer Revolution

By Richard Feloni

When Jim Koch left a successful career at Boston Consulting Group in 1984 to start Boston Beer Co., the idea of making an impression in a beer market dominated by domestics such as Budweiser and imports including Heineken seemed outlandish.

But with his flagship product, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Koch has become a prominent figure in the industry, and his company produces an estimated 1% of all beer in the US.

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Boston Beer Co. had a record 2014, bringing in $903 million in revenue and selling 4.1 million barrels of beer and cider in all 50 states and about 30 countries.

We spoke with Koch about his career, the evolution of the American beer industry, and how he approaches leadership and management.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.