Joe Montana Joins Guinness Gives Back with SF-Marin Food Bank

Showing Up Beyond the Pint

For Guinness, the event underscored a philosophy that community support goes far beyond writing checks. “Guinness Gives Back isn’t about just supporting financially. It’s about genuinely showing up, supporting and rolling up our sleeves to do the work alongside the communities that have long supported us,” said Karissa Downer, Director of Guinness in the United States.

Downer elaborated on why Montana was the ideal partner for the initiative. “Joe embodies everything Guinness and this platform stand for: authenticity, goodness, and a genuine commitment to the community. Bringing this effort to the Bay Area, where his legacy was built, made this moment especially powerful.”

Montana’s long-standing reputation for leadership both on and off the field made the volunteer day particularly meaningful for both local partners and volunteers.

From a Memory to a Beer: The Story of Legends Lager

Guinness Legends Lager’s release coincided with the volunteer event, which was a Pale Wheat Lager created by Guinness brewers in close collaboration with Montana. Montana’s favorite memory from his playing career was a team trip to Germany in the early 1990s, which inspired the beer. He learned about wheat beers at that location, drinking pints with teammates and discovering that some of the most memorable moments in life occur when people come together over a great beer.

That sense of connection, camaraderie, and simplicity became the creative spark behind Legends Lager. “I’ve worked with Guinness for a few years now, and we’ve done some great things together,” Montana said. “But this one feels different. This beer started with a memory—my first wheat beer in Germany…realizing how often the best moments happen when you’re together over a pint.”

Brewing Community Impact

Together, Montana and the Guinness brewers turned that memory into an approachable, shareable beer: light, balanced, and easy to drink at 4.3% ABV. Guinness Legends Lager is available now in limited quantities in the San Francisco area for a suggested retail price of $19.99, as well as at Guinness Open Gate Brewery locations in Chicago and Baltimore, while supplies last.

The Guinness Gives Back initiative allows for Guinness to donate $5 to the SF-Marin Food Bank for every four-pack of Legends Lager produced. As fans raise a pint this weekend, Guinness encourages everyone to celebrate responsibly and remember that the most legendary moments are often the ones that bring people together for something bigger than the game.