In The News .....

THE LION BREWERY REPORTED TO HAVE NEW OWNERSHIP
It has been reported that The Lion brewery in Wilkes-Barre, PA is under new ownership. New owners, Ron Hammond and Cliff Rissel took over operation on Novermber 1, 2007. New staff are being added to maximize production, and to develop a better marketing campaign. Production has been at a high level for a while now, and no shortcuts are allowed re: quantity over quality.

The brewmaster has been retained to assure consistency of product as the new batch of Stegmaier 150 lager is currently being brewed. The Stegmaier Bock was recently released in limited quantities. The 1857 Lager has been discontinued.

The present plan is to get The Lion's products into local restaurants and bars, and to enter the Lionshead and Stegmaier brands into the summertime Church and Fire Companies' annual bazaars as a way of familiarizing people with these brews. Additionally, more open house days at the brewery are planned, and The Oktoberfest will continue. There are tentative plans for an early summer fest, through which it is hoped that people will remember The Lion's products during the warm weather beer drinking season.

Mr. Hammond and Mr. Rissel seem very determined to make their plans work.
BIOFUELS RAISE BEER PRICES
The cost of barley is rising because of biofuels. German farmers are slowly abandoning barley planting to plant other, subsidized crops for sale as environmentally friendly biofuels. In the last two years, the price of barley has doubled to 200 euros ($271) from 102 euros per ton as farmers plant more crops such as rapeseed and corn that can be turned into ethanol or bio-diesel, a fuel made from vegetable oil. As a result, the price for barley has soared by more than 40%.
SAMUEL ADAMS BEGINS BREWING IN LATROBE
The brewing kettles at the former Rolling Rock brewery in Latrobe, PA, swung back into production last month with the first batch of Samuel Adams beers that are being made under contract by City Brewery. The plant expects to produce about 200,000 to 250,000 barrels of Samuel Adams beer through the rest of this year.
COORS PROMOTES COLD ACTIVATED BOTTLE
To promote its new Cold Activated Bottle, Coors Light plans the "World's Most Refreshing Happy Hour" to help "adult consumers nationwide to stop suffering from warm beer syndrome." The way the Cold Activated Bottle works is mountains on the label turn from white to blue when Coors Light is at the "optimal temperature for cold refreshment."
IRON CITY BREWING TAKES PLACE OF PITTSBURGH BREWING
New owners have taken control of the brewery formerly known as Pittsburgh Brewing, ending the company's 21-month stay in bankruptcy and promising to invest $4.1 million in the Pittsburgh company. A group of investors led by Connecticut businessman John N. Milne will operate the Lawrenceville brewery under the name Iron City Brewing, building on the tradition of the 146-year-old brewery. Pittsburgh Brewing was forced into bankruptcy in December 2005 after the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority threatened to terminate service over more than $2 million in unpaid bills.