Four years ago, Riccardo Romero could not find a bank to finance his first restaurant, so he ended up opening the Arepas Cafe in Astoria, Queens, with money from friends and a $10,000 loan from Acción, a nonprofit microlender that has seeded small businesses across the country.

Now, Mr. Romero, a former truffle salesman, is expanding the cafe into a space next door with a second loan provided through Acción, bringing him one step closer to his dream of dotting the country with Arepas Cafes.

But this time, the $10,000 loan came with an unusual pedigree: a program - reserved for food, beverage and hospitality businesses - started by the Boston Beer Company, which makes Samuel Adams. It is almost like a special bank for artisanal pickles and beer, courtesy of a town New Yorkers love to hate.

"We're not going to do any microlending to the New York Yankees, so that's O.K.," Jim Koch, the company's brewer and founder, said, laughing. And helping other small businesses - even other craft brewers - keeps his company in the mind-set of a start-up and close to its entrepreneurial roots, he said.

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