UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                  SCHEDULE 13G
                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                 Amendment No. 1



                          The Boston Beer Company, Inc.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)



                      Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                                    100557107
                  --------------------------------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)





                                December 31, 2002
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)


Check the  appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:

[ ] Rule 13d-1(b)

[X] Rule 13d-1(c)

[ ] Rule 13d-1(d)



                                Page 1 of 7 pages


-----------------------
  CUSIP No. 100557107                   13G
-----------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1.   Name of Reporting Person
      I.R.S. Identification No. of above Person

           Goldman Sachs Asset Management, a separate business unit of
           The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 2.   Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
                                                                (a) [_]
                                                                (b) [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 3.   SEC Use Only



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 4.   Citizenship or Place of Organization

           New York

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     5.   Sole Voting Power

     Number of                 26,300

      Shares        ----------------------------------------------------------
                     6.   Shared Voting Power
   Beneficially
                               390,444
     Owned by
                    ----------------------------------------------------------
       Each          7.   Sole Dispositive Power

    Reporting                  31,300

      Person        ----------------------------------------------------------
                     8.   Shared Dispositive Power
       With:
                               390,444

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 9.   Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

           421,744

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.   Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares

                                                                    [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.   Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)

           3.6%

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12.   Type of Reporting Person

           IA

------------------------------------------------------------------------------



                                Page 2 of 7 pages


-----------------------
  CUSIP No. 100557107                   13G
-----------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1.   Name of Reporting Person
      I.R.S. Identification No. of above Person

           Goldman Sachs 1998 Exchange Place Fund, L.P.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 2.   Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
                                                                (a) [_]
                                                                (b) [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 3.   SEC Use Only



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 4.   Citizenship or Place of Organization

           Delaware

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     5.   Sole Voting Power

     Number of                 0

      Shares        ----------------------------------------------------------
                     6.   Shared Voting Power
   Beneficially
                               46,289
     Owned by
                    ----------------------------------------------------------
       Each          7.   Sole Dispositive Power

    Reporting                  0

      Person        ----------------------------------------------------------
                     8.   Shared Dispositive Power
       With:
                               46,289

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 9.   Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

           46,289

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.   Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares

                                                                    [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.   Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)

           0.4%

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12.   Type of Reporting Person

           PN

------------------------------------------------------------------------------



                                Page 3 of 7 pages


-----------------------
  CUSIP No. 100557107                   13G
-----------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1.   Name of Reporting Person
      I.R.S. Identification No. of above Person

           Goldman Sachs 1997 Exchange Place Fund, L.P.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 2.   Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
                                                                (a) [_]
                                                                (b) [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 3.   SEC Use Only



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 4.   Citizenship or Place of Organization

           Delaware

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     5.   Sole Voting Power

     Number of                 0

      Shares        ----------------------------------------------------------
                     6.   Shared Voting Power
   Beneficially
                               344,155
     Owned by
                    ----------------------------------------------------------
       Each          7.   Sole Dispositive Power

    Reporting                  0

      Person        ----------------------------------------------------------
                     8.   Shared Dispositive Power
       With:
                               344,155

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 9.   Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

           344,155

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.   Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares

                                                                    [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.   Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)

           3.0%

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12.   Type of Reporting Person

           PN

------------------------------------------------------------------------------



                                Page 4 of 7 pages


-----------------------
  CUSIP No. 100557107                   13G
-----------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1.   Name of Reporting Person
      I.R.S. Identification No. of above Person

           Goldman Sachs Management Partners, L.P.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 2.   Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
                                                                (a) [_]
                                                                (b) [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 3.   SEC Use Only



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 4.   Citizenship or Place of Organization

           Delaware

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     5.   Sole Voting Power

     Number of                 0

      Shares        ----------------------------------------------------------
                     6.   Shared Voting Power
   Beneficially
                               390,444
     Owned by
                    ----------------------------------------------------------
       Each          7.   Sole Dispositive Power

    Reporting                  0

      Person        ----------------------------------------------------------
                     8.   Shared Dispositive Power
       With:
                               390,444

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 9.   Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

           390,444

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.   Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares

                                                                    [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.   Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)

           3.4%

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12.   Type of Reporting Person

           PN

------------------------------------------------------------------------------



                                Page 5 of 7 pages


Item 4.            Ownership.*

          (a).     Amount beneficially owned:
                   See the response(s) to Item  9 on the attached cover page(s).

          (b).     Percent of Class:
                   See the response(s) to Item 11 on the attached cover page(s).

          (c).     Number of shares as to which such person has:

                   (i).     Sole power to  vote or to direct  the vote:  See the
                            response(s) to Item 5 on the attached cover page(s).

                   (ii).    Shared power to vote or to direct the vote:  See the
                            response(s) to Item 6 on the attached cover page(s).

                   (iii).   Sole power to  dispose or to direct  the disposition
                            of:  See the response(s) to  Item 7  on the attached
                            cover page(s).

                   (iv).    Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition
                            of:  See the response(s) to  Item 8  on the attached
                            cover page(s).

Item 5.            Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.
                   If this statement is being  filed to report the  fact that as
                   of the date  hereof the reporting  persons have  ceased to be
                   the  beneficial  owners of  more  than  five  percent  of the
                   class of securities, check the following [X].

Item 10.           Certification.
                         By  signing  below I  certify  that,  to the best of my
                   knowledge and belief,  the securities  referred to above were
                   not acquired and are not held  for the purpose of or with the
                   effect of changing or influencing  the control  of the issuer
                   of the  securities and were not acquired and are not  held in
                   connection  with  or  as a  participant  in  any  transaction
                   having that purpose or effect.

--------------------------
     * In accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") Release No.
34-39538  (January 12, 1998),  this filing reflects the securities  beneficially
owned by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, a separate business unit of The Goldman
Sachs Group, Inc. ("GSAM").  GSAM, an investment advisor,  disclaims  beneficial
ownership of any securities managed,  on GSAM's behalf,  by third parties.  This
filing  does not reflect  securities,  if any,  beneficially  owned by any other
business unit of  The  Goldman  Sachs  Group,  Inc.  and  GSAM  hereby disclaims
beneficial ownership of any such securities.



                                Page 6 of 7 pages




                                    SIGNATURE



            After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge
            and belief,  I certify that the information set forth in
            this statement is true, complete and correct.


Date:  February 12, 2003


                                GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO. on behalf of
                                Goldman Sachs Asset Management

                                By: /s/ Roger S. Begelman
                                   ----------------------------------------
                                Name:   Roger S. Begelman
                                Title:  Attorney-in-fact


                                GOLDMAN SACHS 1998 EXCHANGE PLACE FUND, L.P.

                                By: /s/ Roger S. Begelman
                                   ----------------------------------------
                                Name:   Roger S. Begelman
                                Title:  Attorney-in-fact


                                GOLDMAN SACHS 1997 EXCHANGE PLACE FUND, L.P.

                                By: /s/ Roger S. Begelman
                                   ----------------------------------------
                                Name:   Roger S. Begelman
                                Title:  Attorney-in-fact


                                GOLDMAN SACHS MANAGEMENT PARTNERS, L.P.

                                By: /s/ Roger S. Begelman
                                   ----------------------------------------
                                Name:   Roger S. Begelman
                                Title:  Attorney-in-fact



                                Page 7 of 7 pages