Best Credit Card for Sam Adams Tap Room in 2026
Sam Adams Tap Room is classified under MCC 5813 (Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages), Bars, Taverns, Cocktail lounges, Nightclubs and Discotheques). The best card for Sam Adams Tap Room purchases is the Ink Business Cash (no annual fee), earning 5x on drinking places (alcoholic beverages), bars, taverns, cocktail lounges, nightclubs and discotheques — an effective return of 10.25%.
Bars and taverns like Sam Adams Tap Room fall under the MCC category 5813, which is a prime target for maximizing rewards if you're into heavy social drinking or enjoy craft beers.
Opt for the Chase Sapphire Reserve if Sam Adams Tap Room is your regular haunt; it offers 5x points on dining at eligible locations like this one.
Spending Math
If you drop $200 monthly at Sam Adams Tap Room on your Hilton Honors Aspire card with its 7x points perk, you'll earn $14 in bonuses each month, totaling a sweet $168 yearly. Compare that to just $24 from a standard 1% cash back card.
Sam Adams Tap Room purchases are classified under MCC 5813 (Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages), Bars, Taverns, Cocktail lounges, Nightclubs and Discotheques).
MCC Details for Sam Adams Tap Room
Best Credit Cards for Sam Adams Tap Room (2026)
How Sam Adams Tap Room Codes on Your Statement
When you pay at Sam Adams Tap Room at their locations, your card issuer sees MCC 5813 in the transaction data. This code tells your bank that the purchase was made at a drinking places (alcoholic beverages), bars, taverns, cocktail lounges, nightclubs and discotheques merchant. Bonus reward rates on your card apply based on this MCC — not the merchant name itself.
If your card earns bonus points on "drinking places (alcoholic beverages), bars, taverns, cocktail lounges, nightclubs and discotheques" purchases, Sam Adams Tap Room transactions will qualify — even if your card terms only mention a category name and not Sam Adams Tap Room specifically. The key is that the MCC matches your card's bonus category definition.
You can verify the MCC on any Sam Adams Tap Room transaction by checking your card's mobile app or statement. Some issuers display the merchant category alongside the transaction details. For the most accurate information, contact your card issuer's customer service and ask whether MCC 5813 qualifies for bonus rewards.
Bonus Category Match — Sam Adams Tap Room
About MCC 5813: Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages), Bars, Taverns, Cocktail lounges, Nightclubs and Discotheques
Merchant Category Code 5813 is assigned by card networks (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover) to classify businesses in the Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages), Bars, Taverns, Cocktail lounges, Nightclubs and Discotheques industry. Issuers use MCCs to determine which transactions qualify for bonus reward rates. When a merchant is assigned MCC 5813, all qualifying card programs that include drinking places (alcoholic beverages), bars, taverns, cocktail lounges, nightclubs and discotheques as a bonus category will apply the elevated earn rate.
The Dining industry group encompasses several related MCCs. Not all merchants in a similar business will share the same MCC — for example, a grocery store inside a warehouse club may code as wholesale ({"5300"}) rather than grocery ({"5411"}). Always verify with your issuer if you're unsure whether a specific merchant qualifies for bonus rewards on your card.
Other Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages), Bars, Taverns, Cocktail lounges, Nightclubs and Discotheques merchants: AMF Bowling Centers, Angry Orchard, Applebee's Bar.
What You Could Earn at Sam Adams Tap Room
Spending $200/month at Sam Adams Tap Room with the Ink Business Cash (5x on drinking places (alcoholic beverages), bars, taverns, cocktail lounges, nightclubs and discotheques) earns approximately $120/year in rewards. A basic 1% card earns $24 on the same spending. That is $96 more per year with no annual fee.
Prefer no annual fee? The Custom Cash earns 5x at Sam Adams Tap Room merchants, earning $120/year with no annual fee.