mba June 2006

mba@thebarn.com

16 participants
32 discussions

by aboyce＠mn.rr.com

I want to echo Mike's sentiment - thanks a ton! The Boreal Brewers hosted a GREAT campout last weekend at Scenic State Park! I'm glad to have met all you guys and gals, and look forward to our next intra-club meeting! - Al Original Message: ----------------- From: Mike Behrendt MGBehrendt(a)mn.rr.com Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 09:20:31 -0500 To: cparson(a)bemidjistate.edu, mba(a)thebarn.com Subject: Thanks! Charlie, Thanks for the great weekend! -- //Mike Behrendt MGBehrendt(a)mn.rr.com Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others. Groucho Marx -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ .

19 years, 5 months

Thanks!

by Mike Behrendt

Charlie, Thanks for the great weekend! -- //Mike Behrendt MGBehrendt(a)mn.rr.com Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others. Groucho Marx

19 years, 5 months

SS Pipe Fittings source.

by Jim L. Ellingson

Greetings, I'm not a fan of putting fittings into kettles. Seems the risks and the headaches far outweigh any benefit. HLT is an exception. Use a 1 inch half coupling for the electric heating element. A valve near the bottom of the HLT is handy, and cleaning isn't much of an issue if it only sees H2O. Try Twin City Windustrial. Hwy 100 to Excelsior Blvd West to Powell. North to 7920. Twin City Windustrial CO 7920 Powell Rd Hopkins, MN 55343 952-933-5080 They have a very good selections of SS as well as Brass and Copper fittings at good prices. YMMV Cheers, Jim Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2006 16:10:02 -0500 From: "William J. Haun" <haunx003(a)umn.edu> Subject: Re: [SPHBC] cap punching tool To: "St. Paul Homebrewers Club - Public Mailing List" <sphbc(a)sphbc.org> Message-ID: <44907B2A.1070901(a)umn.edu> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed I still have to source the components. There is a steel place in town that I can get a 6" stainless steel disc and 1/2" X 3" steel pipe for $15 and $9, respecitively. Anyone know a potentially cheaper source? Robert Gronemann wrote: >I have a friend whos brother in law welds for a living. Im going to >have him drill out and weld some nipples on a keg next week. Hes in New >Richmond WI. Perhaps I could get it done at that time. > >Rob

19 years, 5 months

All-Club Campout 6/15-18 - LAST CALL!

by allan.boyce＠usbank.com

Here's the latest info on the ALL-CLUB CAMPOUT at Scenic State Park this weekend - it starts TONITE and goes thru Sunday, hosted by the Boreal Brewers of Bemidji, MN. Charles Parsons from the Boreal Brewers provided the following info - augmented by some maps and google directions, and info from the MN DNR. If you're looking for something to do this weekend, come on up! It should be a gas! - Al "Charles Parson" wrote: DIRECTIONS: There will be signs pointing south off the main road to the MHA campout. The park lies about six miles southeast of Big Fork. FROM GOOGLE: * North on 169 to Grand Rapids * Left (west) on NE 4th St * Right (north) on NW 3rd Ave (Hwy 38) * Right on Hwy 38 at 38/286 Junction * Right on Scenic Hwy, just before BigFork, MN MASTER OF MALT COMPETITION SCHEDULE: The competition will have to take place at the neighborhood tavern, in Effie, Saturday from noon to two, followed by the traditional tasting from 2 to 5. ...from Gera Exire LaTour (2005 Master of Malt winner) 2006 MASTER OF MALT When: Saturday, June 17, 2006 - Noon Where: Scenic State Park, near Bigfork, MN The All-Minnesota (and North Dakota) Master of Malt Competition will be held at the All-Club campout at Scenic State Park, near Bigfork, MN on June 17. Last year?s Mistress of Malt winner, Gera Exire LaTour has declared that the styles for the competition will again be: Open Ales Open Lagers Open Belgians, and Open Meads ANY container is allowed (bottles, kegs, growlers, 2-liter PET bottles, etc.), but the brewer is responsible for having a vessel from which to server (pitcher, etc.) Each club must pick it?s champion to represent the club in each category, then the champions of each club will go against the other clubs champions. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place will be chosen, then in a Best of Show amongst all first place beers in each category, judges will select the Master of Malt for 2006, who will be presented with the Golden Keg traveling trophy for the year. In addition, there will be an OPEN CASK competition, not as a qualifier for the Master of Malt. The requirements are as follows: * Must be served by gravity feed or by a beer engine (just put an airlock on the ?in? with no CO2 and tip the keg on its side and let the beer feed out via gravity. * No carbonation by CO2 is allowed ? carbonated with yeast in the keg only. * No bottle-conditioned beers will be considered ?Cask Conditioned.? * Unlimited number of entries allowed per club. EFFIE TASTING: Eddie Jeff Cahill of Rennaisance Festival fame will provide music for the Effie event. We will taste the first 24 products to appear, which we hope will include some of the judged beverages. Tasting requires about 8 twelve ounce bottles, or equivalent. SATURDAY NIGHT DINNER: We will have dinner ready at the Park afterward, which will consist of grilled or smoked turkey legs, beans, coleslaw, and cake. CAMPSITE: There is a hand pump at the group campsite and we are across the road on our own lake, so you will not bother the "regular" campers. We will be bringing local firewood and or scrounging other local sources. Our DNR members don't have reservations about our local firewood for the campfires. We just need to be a little cautious about displaying beers, tappers, kegs, etc. We will have a couple of screen tents to help us be modest with our brews. Some of the Boreal Brewers will be bringing campfire wood and chainsaws to go scrounge more if we need it. That's kind of a Jack PIne Savage ritual. Looking forward to lots of time around the fire in the evening. Looking forward to seeing you. FROM THE DNR: Scenic State Park Group Camp - Accommodates up to 100 people. This is an open area with scattered fire rings and picnic tables. It is located on Lake of the Isles. Tents, campers and small trailers are permitted. These are rustic facilities that include vault toilets, and hand pump for water. No showers available. ...from Mike Moranz: I did a little research and the group site is away from the main campground, all by ourselves for the most part, I believe drinking water is from a hand pump, we have our own lake, fishing pier, and we're about a mile? from the main park. FRI/SUNDAY KAYAKING TRIPS: By the way, we will be kayaking the big fork river Friday afternoon and probably again Sunday if anyone is interested. CP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Electronic Privacy Notice. This e-mail, and any attachments, contains information that is, or may be, covered by electronic communications privacy laws, and is also confidential and proprietary in nature. If you are not the intended recipient, please be advised that you are legally prohibited from retaining, using, copying, distributing, or otherwise disclosing this information in any manner. Instead, please reply to the sender that you have received this communication in error, and then immediately delete it. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. ==============================================================================

19 years, 5 months

Re: All-Club Campout 6/15-18 - LAST CALL! CORRECTION

by allan.boyce＠usbank.com

Correction: The MASTER OF MALT competition will take place in the NEIGHBORHOOD TAVERN in EFFIE, MN at Noon on Saturday... - Al Allan V Boyce/MN/USB 06/15/2006 10:45 AM To mba(a)thebarn.com, mnbrewers(a)yahoogroups.com, sphbc(a)sphbc.org, ctblist(a)cloudytownbrewers.org, wayneat(a)citlink.net, northernalestars(a)hotmail.com, peter.joseph.kovach(a)medtronic.com, mike_hopman(a)yahoo.com, wayneat(a)citlink.net, thomp013(a)maroon.tc.umn.edu, molson(a)midstate.tds.net, brewers(a)borealbrewers.org, phc-club(a)yahoogroups.com cc Subject All-Club Campout 6/15-18 - LAST CALL! Here's the latest info on the ALL-CLUB CAMPOUT at Scenic State Park this weekend - it starts TONITE and goes thru Sunday, hosted by the Boreal Brewers of Bemidji, MN. Charles Parsons from the Boreal Brewers provided the following info - augmented by some maps and google directions, and info from the MN DNR. If you're looking for something to do this weekend, come on up! It should be a gas! - Al "Charles Parson" wrote: DIRECTIONS: There will be signs pointing south off the main road to the MHA campout. The park lies about six miles southeast of Big Fork. FROM GOOGLE: * North on 169 to Grand Rapids * Left (west) on NE 4th St * Right (north) on NW 3rd Ave (Hwy 38) * Right on Hwy 38 at 38/286 Junction * Right on Scenic Hwy, just before BigFork, MN MASTER OF MALT COMPETITION SCHEDULE: The competition will have to take place at the neighborhood tavern, in Effie, Saturday from noon to two, followed by the traditional tasting from 2 to 5. ...from Gera Exire LaTour (2005 Master of Malt winner) 2006 MASTER OF MALT When: Saturday, June 17, 2006 - Noon Where: Neighborhood Tavern, Effie, MN The All-Minnesota (and North Dakota) Master of Malt Competition will be held at the All-Club campout at the Neighborhood Tavern, in Effie, MN on June 17. Last year?s Mistress of Malt winner, Gera Exire LaTour has declared that the styles for the competition will again be: Open Ales Open Lagers Open Belgians, and Open Meads ANY container is allowed (bottles, kegs, growlers, 2-liter PET bottles, etc.), but the brewer is responsible for having a vessel from which to server (pitcher, etc.) Each club must pick it?s champion to represent the club in each category, then the champions of each club will go against the other clubs champions. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place will be chosen, then in a Best of Show amongst all first place beers in each category, judges will select the Master of Malt for 2006, who will be presented with the Golden Keg traveling trophy for the year. In addition, there will be an OPEN CASK competition, not as a qualifier for the Master of Malt. The requirements are as follows: * Must be served by gravity feed or by a beer engine (just put an airlock on the ?in? with no CO2 and tip the keg on its side and let the beer feed out via gravity. * No carbonation by CO2 is allowed ? carbonated with yeast in the keg only. * No bottle-conditioned beers will be considered ?Cask Conditioned.? * Unlimited number of entries allowed per club. EFFIE TASTING: Eddie Jeff Cahill of Rennaisance Festival fame will provide music for the Effie event. We will taste the first 24 products to appear, which we hope will include some of the judged beverages. Tasting requires about 8 twelve ounce bottles, or equivalent. SATURDAY NIGHT DINNER: We will have dinner ready at the Park afterward, which will consist of grilled or smoked turkey legs, beans, coleslaw, and cake. CAMPSITE: There is a hand pump at the group campsite and we are across the road on our own lake, so you will not bother the "regular" campers. We will be bringing local firewood and or scrounging other local sources. Our DNR members don't have reservations about our local firewood for the campfires. We just need to be a little cautious about displaying beers, tappers, kegs, etc. We will have a couple of screen tents to help us be modest with our brews. Some of the Boreal Brewers will be bringing campfire wood and chainsaws to go scrounge more if we need it. That's kind of a Jack PIne Savage ritual. Looking forward to lots of time around the fire in the evening. Looking forward to seeing you. FROM THE DNR: Scenic State Park Group Camp - Accommodates up to 100 people. This is an open area with scattered fire rings and picnic tables. It is located on Lake of the Isles. Tents, campers and small trailers are permitted. These are rustic facilities that include vault toilets, and hand pump for water. No showers available. ...from Mike Moranz: I did a little research and the group site is away from the main campground, all by ourselves for the most part, I believe drinking water is from a hand pump, we have our own lake, fishing pier, and we're about a mile? from the main park. FRI/SUNDAY KAYAKING TRIPS: By the way, we will be kayaking the big fork river Friday afternoon and probably again Sunday if anyone is interested. CP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Electronic Privacy Notice. This e-mail, and any attachments, contains information that is, or may be, covered by electronic communications privacy laws, and is also confidential and proprietary in nature. If you are not the intended recipient, please be advised that you are legally prohibited from retaining, using, copying, distributing, or otherwise disclosing this information in any manner. Instead, please reply to the sender that you have received this communication in error, and then immediately delete it. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. ==============================================================================

19 years, 5 months

NY Times: Irish Micros

by Steve Hamburg

A preview from Sunday's NY Times. I particularly enjoyed this: "Black Biddy stout is made with carrigeen moss, used to fine the beer, a process that causes solids to drop out." Uh, over here we call that "Irish Moss." Oh well. Enjoy. --- Microbreweries in the Land of Guinness By JESSICA MERRILL Published: June 18, 2006 RECENTLY, a couple of tourists walked into a postcard-worthy pub in the West of Ireland, complete with a fieldstone fireplace, and asked for two pints of Guinness. Nothing unusual there: Guinness is practically the national drink of Ireland and a Guinness or two is an expected way to cap off the day, or, in some cases, start it. But the woman behind the bar - Fionnuala Garvey, who runs the pub with her son, Niall - patiently explained to the two visitors that maybe they wanted to rethink their order. The Biddy Early, the pub they had just entered, is in fact a microbrewery. >From the blank looks she got in return, she might have said that the Biddy Early was out of beer. Mrs. Garvey thought for a minute, then she picked up a menu and pointed to the back. "See, we brew our own beer," she said. "If you like stout, we have the Black Biddy, or we have the Red Biddy or Blonde Biddy, a lager. ... Or, we have Guinness?" "N-o-o-o! Two Black Biddy please," they said, finally comprehending. And just like that, two more people were initiated into the world of the Irish microbrewery. None of Ireland's big stouts, Guinness, Murphy's or Beamish, are Irish-owned today. Guinness (along with Smithwick's Ale and Harp lager) is owned by the British beverage conglomerate Diageo, Murphy's by Amsterdam-based Heineken and Beamish by the British brewer Scottish & Newcastle. Budweiser and the Danish beer Carlsberg typically round out taps in Irish pubs from Dublin to Doolin. But craft beer does still exist in Ireland - helped in part by a tax break for small brewers that the Irish government put into effect in 2005 - and the best way to find it is to go straight to the source. On a recent trip to Ireland, my husband and I sipped our way across the country, sampling smooth stouts, crisp ales and bold lagers, all made by small, independent brewers. Our tour kicked off in Dublin at one of the country's largest microbreweries, the Porterhouse, then ended at the Biddy Early in Inagh in County Clare, conveniently located on the way to the Cliffs of Moher. In between, we indulged our palates with hops and malts in the city of Cork and a few small-town destinations, like Carlow and the pretty seaside village of Kinsale. We discovered plenty of good beer, but we also stumbled into quirky settings and ancient buildings that have been restored and converted for a new use. Most were quiet pubs or tasting rooms, off the tourist map though not exactly on the local circuit either. The Porterhouse is one of Ireland's brewing pioneers. Two cousins, Liam LaHart and Oliver Hughes, started brewing in 1996, and today the Porterhouse encompasses several brewpubs around Dublin, the original in Bray and one in London. When we walked into the Porterhouse in Dublin's trendy Temple Bar neighborhood and saw 10 beers on tap, it felt as heartwarming as the sound of an Irish band striking up "Danny Boy. " "You don't serve Guinness, do you?" I asked the bartender behind the sleek copper bar. "No, but we still get plenty of people in here who ask for it," she laughed. Then, she handed us a sampler tray of seven of the Porterhouse's stouts and ales. There was Wrasslers 4X, a hearty stout made to the recipe for an Irish beer brewed in the early 1900's; a biting oyster stout brewed with fresh oysters; a lighter plain porter and a rich chocolate stout that tasted more like dessert than beer. A 10-minute walk along the River Liffey from the Temple Bar is another brewery, Messrs. Maguire, in what was once an 1808 tavern and a rope purveyor run by one William Maguire. It's less ambitious than the Porterhouse, but with its original rose ceiling and dark nooks and crannies, Messrs. Maguire is still a nice spot to enjoy a dose of character along with a fresh pint: plain (stout), rusty (ale), haus (lager) and weiss (wheat). >From Dublin, we headed southwest to County Carlow, once a local malt-growing region, where the O'Hara family, the owners of the Carlow Brewing Company, is continuing the brewing tradition. Housed next to the town's old stone train station in the former goods store for the railway, Carlow looks like a whistle-stop cafe. Instead, it's where the O'Haras (the brothers Seamus, Eamon and Michael; their sister, Siobhan, and Seamus' wife, Kay) produce a creamy, full-bodied O'Hara's Stout, Curim Gold Wheat beer and Moling's Red ale. The day we popped in, Michael O'Hara, the head brewer, was brewing a fresh batch of stout, and the smell of malt swirled in the air. "We wanted to have a building with character because we were trying to revive an old tradition," Kay O'Hara said as she walked us through the rustic stone brewery, pointing out where the old train tracks used to be, before leading us into a polished tasting room. Seamus and Eamon started the brewery in 1996 and found a niche by exporting beer to places like the United States. Now, Seamus O'Hara said they were starting to see more awareness from the Irish. "People have traveled a lot more, people have opened up their minds a lot more in terms of what they eat and drink," Mr. O'Hara said. The Franciscan Well in Cork is located on the site of a 12th century monastery and well. You can spot the brewery by its pleasing sign (a cheery friar holding a pint). The brewer is a former New Yorker, Russell Garet, who produces complex beers like Rebel Red amber ale, a creamy Shandon Stout and a fruity Blarney Blonde. Franciscan Well's beers are poured at some pubs in Cork, but it's worth the walk across the River Lee to the brewery for its outdoor courtyard scattered with picnic tables and a view into the brewery. Further south is the Kinsale Brewing Company, located in the heart of the port town of Kinsale. The brewery hosts tours in the afternoons and has a pleasant tasting room and a outdoor courtyard for sampling their stout, lager and ale. The town hadn't yet geared up for the high tourist season when we visited in early April. The brewery, too, was quiet, so Barry Kiely, the owner, poured three beers and took a seat with us. "What we tried to do was reconnect to three centuries of brewing tradition," Mr. Kiely said, growing animated when the topic of Ireland's brewing heritage arose. He jumped up, saying, "I should show you ...." before disappearing out the door. He came back holding a floor plan dated 1854. It was for a brewery called the Williams Brewery in the area of the Kinsale brewery. He pulled out another document, this one a historical account of a stop Sir Walter Raleigh made in Kinsale in 1617 before voyaging across the Atlantic. According to this paper, Raleigh stocked up on Kinsale-brewed beer before hitting the high seas. "This town used to produce tons of beer," Mr. Kiely said with a wistful smile. It's nice to see history starting to repeat itself. WHERE TO GO Biddy Early Brewery, Inagh, County Clare, 353-65-683-6742; www.beb.ie. Red Biddy ale is made with a locally grown wild herb, bog myrtle, in place of hops. Black Biddy stout is made with carrigeen moss, used to fine the beer, a process that causes solids to drop out. Porterhouse Brewing Company, 16-18 Parliament Street, Dublin, 353-1-679-8850, www.porterhousebrewco.com. The brewery offers the widest selection of beers among Ireland's microbrews. As many as 10 beers are on tap, including seasonal specialties like a rich chocolate stout. Messrs Maguire, 1-2 Burgh Quay, Dublin, 353-1-670-5777. On tap are a plain stout, a fruity ale, wheat beer and a Czech-style pilsner, along with a seasonal rotation. Carlow Brewing Company, the Goods Store, Station Road, Carlow, 353-59-913-4356. Carlow Brewing makes O'Hara's Stout, Curim Gold and Moling's Red. Curim is said to be a traditional Celtic-style beer once made in the region, and the red ale is named after the Book of Moling by sixth-century Celtic monks in South Carlow. Franciscan Well Brewery, 14 North Mall, Cork, 353-21-421-0130; www.franciscanwellbrewery.com. Franciscan Well serves a range of local favorites (Rebel Red, Shandon Stout, Blarney Blonde, Rebel Lager and Friar Weisse), complemented by seasonal specialties. Kinsale Brewing Company, the Glen, Kinsale, 353-21-470-2124, www.kinsalebrewing.com. With a new brewer on board, Kinsale is trying to bring new beers to taps, but currently serves lager, stout, ale and wheat.

19 years, 5 months

Re: All-Club Campout THIS WEEKEND, June 15-18!!

by allan.boyce＠usbank.com

The crowd is swelling for the ALL-CLUB CAMPOUT this weekend at Scenic State Park! The Bemidji beer club, the Boreal Brewers, are providing dinner on Saturday night, so they need a head count. Any one else going? Jonathan, do you know to whom in Boreal Brewers we have to get the headcount? Thanks! - Al Allan V Boyce/MN/USB 06/12/2006 03:09 PM To mba(a)thebarn.com, mnbrewers(a)yahoogroups.com cc Subject All-Club Campout THIS WEEKEND, June 15-18!! The annual ALL-CLUB CAMPOUT will be held this weekend, at Scenic State Park, near Effie, MN. Folks RSVPing so far include: Al Boyce & Beth Williams Rick Oftel Steve Piatz & Janis Sines Mike & Sue Moranz John Longballa Gera Exire LaTour & Matt Greg Vandemark Wilbur ince Mike Behrendt Is anyone else coming? Should be a hoot! (Details are in the June BOILER at http://www.mnbrewers.com/newsletters/2006/2006_06.pdf ) - Al ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Electronic Privacy Notice. This e-mail, and any attachments, contains information that is, or may be, covered by electronic communications privacy laws, and is also confidential and proprietary in nature. If you are not the intended recipient, please be advised that you are legally prohibited from retaining, using, copying, distributing, or otherwise disclosing this information in any manner. Instead, please reply to the sender that you have received this communication in error, and then immediately delete it. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. ==============================================================================

19 years, 5 months

MWHBOY Standings Updtate

by Steve Fletty

Surf over to http://sphbc.org for the latest stadnings, in which there has been some movement after BUZZ down in Chi-town. Next leg of the circuit is not 'til September: http://www.theschooner.org/

19 years, 5 months

All-Club Campout THIS WEEKEND, June 15-18!!

by allan.boyce＠usbank.com

The annual ALL-CLUB CAMPOUT will be held this weekend, at Scenic State Park, near Effie, MN. Folks RSVPing so far include: Al Boyce & Beth Williams Rick Oftel Steve Piatz & Janis Sines Mike & Sue Moranz John Longballa Gera Exire LaTour & Matt Greg Vandemark Wilbur ince Mike Behrendt Is anyone else coming? Should be a hoot! (Details are in the June BOILER at http://www.mnbrewers.com/newsletters/2006/2006_06.pdf ) - Al ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Electronic Privacy Notice. This e-mail, and any attachments, contains information that is, or may be, covered by electronic communications privacy laws, and is also confidential and proprietary in nature. If you are not the intended recipient, please be advised that you are legally prohibited from retaining, using, copying, distributing, or otherwise disclosing this information in any manner. Instead, please reply to the sender that you have received this communication in error, and then immediately delete it. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. ==============================================================================

19 years, 5 months

Goose Island + Bud, Pabst moves to Chicago

by Roger Deschner

There's two beer stories here in one Chicago Tribune article. The first is old news for us, and they seem to be telling the same story that we already knew, though the Widmer connection is a new twist. The big new news is of Pabst moving its headquarters from San Antonio to Chicago. Pobably wanted to get closer to Wrigley Field, where more of their Old Style beer is sold than anyplace else on earth. Now, we can call PBR "local"! Roger Deschner Listmeister, Chicago Beer Society rogerd(a)uic.edu ---------- Forwarded message ---------- THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE This story was sent to you by: Roger Deschner -------------------- Brewer takes stake in Goose Island Beer -------------------- Bud distributors will deliver the local brew By John Schmeltzer Tribune staff reporter June 8, 2006 An Oregon brewer with ties to the nation's largest beer company has agreed to acquire a large stake in Chicago's Goose Island Beer Co. in a deal that will allow the local brew to be delivered by Budweiser distributors. "It is a minority investment," said John Hall, owner of Goose Island. "Thirty-five percent is reasonably close," he said declining to be more specific or to provide the amount of money being invested by Portland-based Widmer Bros. Brewing Co. Hall said the deal has yet to be finalized. He said the investment would allow him to return the money the original investors made in the brewery when it opened in 1988. Rob Widmer, an owner of Widmer Brothers, of which Anheuser-Busch Inc. has been 40-percent owner for nearly a decade, said the deal will permit Goose's products to be purchased throughout the Chicago area. "There are 8,000 accounts in the Chicago area and the AB distributors call on all of them," said Widmer noting that the current Goose distributor only called on 1,000 of the accounts. Hall said Anheuser-Busch is "the king of beers and their distribution network is one of the best. I am very pleased to be part of it." The announcement came at the same time that Pabst Brewing Co., a brewery that is synonymous with Milwaukee, said it is moving its headquarters to west suburban Woodridge. It has been headquartered in San Antonio for more than two decades. Pabst, in addition to its namesake Pabst Blue Ribbon beer and 40 other malt beverages also brews Old Style, Special Export and Schlitz. While it is the nation's fourth-largest beer company, it closed the last of its own breweries in 2001. Since then it has contracted brewing of its brands largely to Miller Brewing Co. Pabst is expected to spend about $2.4 million on the move, of which $1 million is to be covered by a state grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The beer company said it will create 31 jobs as a result of the move. Kevin Kotecki, chief executive of Pabst, which is owned by a charitable trust, said a major reason for the move was that "most of our brands were born in the Midwest." In addition, it is No. 3 in beer sales in Illinois. The deal allowing Goose Island to switch to Budweiser distributors from Union Beverage Co., which is being paid to give up its distribution rights, is being facilitated by Anheuser-Busch. Anheuser has agreed to provide logistical support and reportedly as much as $12 million to buy the distribution rights. Budweiser distributors--including River North Sales & Service; City Beverage, owned by Soave Enterprises of Detroit, which has warehouses on the South Side and in the northwest and south suburbs; and Superior Beverage Co., in the western suburbs--took over distribution on Wednesday. "We are proud to include Goose Island among the high-quality, distinctive brands we carry," said August Busch IV, the president of Anheuser-Busch Inc. "The relationship between John Hall and the Widmer brothers . . . will help John achieve his original vision by making his great beers more widely available," Busch said. The investment by Busch-affiliated Widmer comes as the St. Louis giant has ramped up its efforts to expand into the micro and craft beer segments due to the slowing of beer sales. Last month Busch acquired the Rolling Rock label as part of its push into the craft segment. Shipments of Busch products, mainly Budweiser, Budweiser Light and Michelob, fell 2 percent in 2005 to 101.8 million barrels, according to data compiled by Beer Marketer's Insights. Overall, sales by microbrewers grew about 9 percent in 2005, compared with sales of domestic beers, which fell 1.6 percent. Last year sales of Goose Island grew 24 percent, led by its signature brew, Honkers Ale. According to Chicago-based Information Resources Inc., a market information company, Goose sold $4.2 million in beer, up from $3.4 million in 2004. ---------- jschmeltzer(a)tribune.com Copyright (c) 2006, Chicago Tribune

19 years, 6 months

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