Jim Koch, co-founder of Boston-based beer company Samuel Adams, praised President Trump’s tax cut plan during a New Jersey dinner last week when he said that the tax cut plan has allowed his company to compete with other foreign breweries.
Jim Koch co-founded Samuel Adams in 1984 and was one of 13 executives who met with President Trump on August 7th. Among the executives who met with Trump were top leaders from FedEx and PepsiCo, reported Fox Business.
“When I started Sam Adams, American beer was a joke, and it pissed me off. And now, American brewers make the best beer in the world. And the tax reform was a very big deal for all of us, because 85 percent of the beer made in the United States is owned by foreign companies. I mean, Americans — I’m the largest American-owned brewery at 2 percent market share. We were paying 38-percent taxes … and competing against people who were paying 20,” said Koch according to the White House transcript.
Joseph Curtatone, mayor of Mayor of Somerville, Massachusetts, is now boycotting Samuel Adams following the statements by Koch. Samuel Adams is one of America’s largest microbrewers. If the boycott becomes a trend it could financially devastate the company.
Curtatone then took to Twitter to express his sentiments.
I will never drink Sam Adam's beer again! https://t.co/UCywb9I7xE
— Joseph A. Curtatone (@JoeCurtatone) August 12, 2018
We need to hold these complicit profiteers of Trump's white nationalist agenda accountable ! https://t.co/UCywb9I7xE
— Joseph A. Curtatone (@JoeCurtatone) August 12, 2018
Hey Jim Koch! While you were thanking Trump for your tax break, did you happen to express any concern for the families separated under his cruel and inhumane immigration enforcement policy? @SamuelAdamsBeer https://t.co/UCywb9I7xE
— Joseph A. Curtatone (@JoeCurtatone) August 12, 2018
The response on Twitter was mixed.
My husband gave up his Sam several years ago when Jim Koch railed about his consumers. Welcome to the club, Joe!
— viewstitch (@viewstitch) August 13, 2018
Glad I’m not only one boycotting Sam Adams beer. How much of his tax cut did he pass on to his employees?
— Margot (@TanzMargot) August 13, 2018
Well after seeing this, I’m going to start buying Sam Adams exclusively for my poker games, BY THE CASE! Anything to help piss off as many liberals as possible. Do you by any chance know who won the 2016 presidential election? ??
— Ben Thompson (@ChefBenT) August 14, 2018
What a brave stance mayor! So I assume you will no longer frequent establishments that serve Sam Adams or a liquor store that sells Sam Adams as well? It would be hypocritical otherwise. #whatasquid
— Kirk (@kirkbuggy) August 13, 2018
The Mayor of Somerville really shouldn't be pretending to champion "the little guy" at the bottom. How many people have been forced out of town because they can no longer afford housing, cost of living?
— Patrick Logan (@LoganBoston) August 13, 2018
"A representative for Mayor Curtatone’s office told Boston.com he was out of the country, and would not be providing further comment," reported Fox News on Tuesday.
Mayor Curatone responded Tuesday with a tweet.
Got some people insisting they're going to make Sam Adams their beer of choice now because of something I tweeted. No, they won't.
— Joseph A. Curtatone (@JoeCurtatone) August 14, 2018