THE PUB CRAWL OF A LIFETIME

TALK ABOUT a devoted beer drinker. earlier this year, Massachusetts’ own Todd Ruggere embarked on nine-month long beer drinking journey across the Commonwealth to raise money for cancer research. He traveled thousands of miles to each of the state’s 351 cities and towns to drink a pint of beer – plus a few extras – to soak in some local flavors. Ruggere wrapped up his journey earlier in October at the Samuel Adams Brewery in Jamaica Plain, home to his favorite brew: Boston Lager. Through smiles and a few tears, the intrepid Ruggere, 38, thanked a small crowd for helping him raise approximately $4O,OOO for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Beginning in January, Ruggere bar-crawled his way through the Bay State, and he felt there was a necessary symbolism to finish the journey at the brewery where it all started, where he first pitched his idea to drink his way to donations. Nearly a year ago, Ruggere told Samuel Adams founder Jim Koch he wouldn’t drink just any beer for charity – he’d be drinking Sam Adams. “As much as I try other beers, I always end up back with the Boston Lager,” he said. To celebrate, family members, friends and barflies he’d met on his charity tour joined Ruggere at the brewery where Koch presented Ruggere with a $5OOO donation to help top off his charity funds. “There are people who run for governor of the state who haven’t been to every town, and he did it for beer,” said Koch.