VIDEO: Sam Adams Founder Describes New Marathon Brew

Boston Athletic Association members along with Olympic gold medalist were given the first taste of a new Samuel Adams beer created to mark the 2012 Boston Marathon at a tasting held Thursday, March 22 at the BAA offices in Boston.

The “26.2 Brew” has a slightly lower alcohol level and lighter body than other Samuel Adams’ products and will be sold at race events and at select pubs and restaurants along the marathon route and around Boston on April 16.

At the tasting, Samuel Adams founder Jim Koch explained how he created the new brew, calling it “the perfect beer” for marathoners because it provides the three essentials for long-distance runners: carbo-loading, calories and hydration.

The style also is brewed with salt, which, along with giving the beer an “interesting minerality,” helps replace electrolytes lost during a run, according to Koch.

In his presentation, Koch jokingly compared his new brew to Gatorade, which along with Sam Adams is a sponsor of the 2012 Boston Marathon.

“This does what Gatorade does, but it makes you feel good,” Koch said. “I don’t know. I guess runners will have their choice, but I think we’re going to get more people having a beer.”