Despite the viral commercials, Derrick White admits “I’m not a regular beer drinker.”

There’s a moment in Celtics guard Derrick White’s new Boston Beer Co. commercial in which the fictional character “Your Cousin from Boston” elicits White’s help.

“I can’t tell you what it is and you can never ask me about it later,” says the actor, referencing the Boston-based movie “The Town.”

With polished comedic timing, White deadpans, “Whose car are we gonna take?”

White’s sense of humor and acting instincts come through in his three Samuel Adams commercials to date, including one in which he “buys” a duck boat to celebrate the Celtics’ championship. He seemed a bit less comfortable Friday night, at least at first, introducing his new beer, (Derrick) White Ale, to the media.

Standing behind the bar and in front of a mess of TV cameras at Samuel Adams’s downtown Boston brewery, White struggles to pour a pint that doesn’t feature too much foam. Assured by staffers that it isn’t his fault, White proceeds to go through four or five glasses before landing the money shot.

“Hopefully I didn’t mess it up too bad for everybody,” White apologizes.

The rest of the night goes better. In a one-on-one interview afterward, White talks about filming ads for TV.

“I really like doing commercials, working on my acting game,” says White, whose game on the basketball court features a bit of everything, including shot-blocking, unusual for an NBA guard.

Maybe unsurprisingly for an Olympian who routinely competes against some of the world’s best-conditioned athletes, White admits “I’m not a regular beer drinker. Every once in a while.”

When asked what he knew about brewing prior to filming the ad in which he brews his namesake beer, White says “not much. I still don’t to be honest.”

According to a Sam Adams press release, (Derrick) White Ale “combines refreshing coriander and orange peel with adventurous spices like rose hips and tamarind, making it the perfect drink to celebrate the season and support our hometown favorite.” A white ale is an established style (think Allagash or Blue Moon), so naming a beer after the Celtics’ White wasn’t much of a stretch. For the beer nerds out there, this one is 5.3 percent alcohol by volume and available at Samuel Adams tap rooms in downtown Boston and Jamaica Plain.

Filming for Sam Adams and diving into Boston’s “townie” culture has given White more insight into the region. Asked what still surprises him about living in New England, White says, “The accent, that’s still hard to get used to. And the driving definitely.”

Asked to name one thing he loves about living here, White says, “Lobster rolls. The hot, buttered ones.”

After talking to the media upstairs, White heads to the ground floor of the taproom and pours pints for more than 100 fans who have gathered for the opportunity to be in the same room as a Celtics player. This time, after only a few minutes of practice, White’s pours are nearly perfect.