beer bits
J2jurado
27F.htm
Beer helps women raise the bar on drinking
April 27, 2001
Ladies: Tired of macho types drinking you under the table? Switch to beer!
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York discovered that men
are better able than women to break down alcohol in hard liquor because of an
increased presence of certain stomach enzymes.
The playing field is even, though, with drinks under 5 percent alcohol, like
beer.
So now, it turns out that beer, served in adequate quantities, not only makes
the opposite sex look better, it makes 'em feel better, too.
Busch league
The economy may be headed for the tank, but we're going to go down with a buzz.
Anheuser-Busch, America's biggest beer maker, reported its first-quarter sales
were up more than 5 percent, for a record $3.4 billion.
A-B sold 24 million barrels of beer in the U.S. in the first three months of
2001. That equals about about three gallons of Bud for every man, woman and
child in America.
Of course some of us - and I'm not pointing any fingers here, pal - consumed
more than our fair share.
Beer radar
Iron Hill's Delco brewpub (State and Church streets, Media) is the latest to
get its hands on an empty Jack Daniels keg. Brewer Mark Edelson dumped a batch
of oatmeal stout in the whiskey barrel for a smooth brew he's calling Bourbon
Stout. It won't be tapped for another month, but don't say I didn't warn ya. .
.
What do you drink at a minor league ballpark whose team mascot is a shark? A
microbrew named Flying Fish, of course. When the Riversharks open at Camden's
Campbell Field on May 11, fans will find the Fish on tap.
Meanwhile, Head Fish Gene Muller reports that he's headed for two big
out-of-town brew fests this season. His Farmhouse Summer Ale will be among a
handful of U.S. brews served at Montreal's Mondial de la Biere fest (June
14-23). And Belgian Style Dubbel will be the first area brew ever served at the
annual Oregon Brewers Festival (July 27-29).
Grand slam
"I heard the beer costs $4 here. That's a crime. It's Brewtown, Miller Park.
They should give the beer away." - New York Mets outfielder Darryl Hamilton, on
Milwaukee's new ballpark, as reported in the New York Times. It's early in the
season, but talk like that could make Hamilton a shoo-in for for Joe Sixpack
Player of the Year.
Thinkin' of drinkin'
Today - Debut of Nodding Head's Wee Heavy, happy hour at the Khyber, (2nd and
Chestnut streets, Old City).
Tomorrow - Third annual Manayunk Brew Extravaganza, Manayunk Brewery &
Restaurant (4120 Main St.), noon to 4 p.m. The event
will pour samples from 30 breweries, plus food to soak it up and music to work
it off. Tix: $20, or $25 at the door. Info: 215-482-8220.
May 4-5 - The 46th semi-annual Brewery Advertising and Collectibles Show,
Kimberton Fairground Pavilion, Phoenixville. The showfeatures cans, bottles,
coasters, labels, neon signs, taps, trays, steins and other beer stuff to
tastefully decorate your den. Tix: $5.Info: 610-439-8245.
May 8 - Dogfish Head Vintage Beer Dinner, Monk's Cafe (16th and Spruce
streets, Center City). Wash down caviar and foie gras with the last-known keg
of Dogfish's 1999 World Wide Stout, a year-old Raison d'Etre and other goodies.
Tix: $75. Info: 215-545-7005. - Joe Sixpack
http://news.excite.com:80/news/uw/010427/university-68
Beer brings us all together
April 27, 2001 By Erik Dunham Daily O'Collegian Oklahoma State U.
(U-WIRE) STILLWATER, Okla. -- About 6,000 years ago, a wonderful invention came
to existence. Some people attribute it to
the ancient Egyptians, but the ancient Chinese, Africans and Aztecs also
developed this wonderful skill independently as well. I'm referring to
something that Stillwater enjoys in large amounts -- beer.
Yes, this column is devoted to my drink of choice. I would like the readers to
be more informed of the many reasons beer is one
of the greatest inventions ever.
You scoff, "Ah, the ranting of an alcoholic!" Well, what if it is? Most of you
probably agree with me anyway, so I shall proceed.
First of all, the very process of beer brewing makes it a very safe drink.
Safe, he says? With all the drunken drivers and broken bottles? See, a long
time ago, drinking water was not very pure and bottled water was nonexistent.
Water supplies were often contaminated and caused diseases like typhoid and
cholera.
When beer is made, however, the boiling and fermenting process kills most of
the agents that caused these diseases. Thus, weak
beer was a staple drink for adults and children alike up until the late 1800s.
It was more affordable than tea, and the
pasteurization process for milk hadn't been discovered yet. So beer, besides
being an enjoyable social drink, had a history of
being the safest beverage available to the masses.
Second, it even has a place in religion. Yes, a lot of early breweries were
actually located in monasteries. In those days, the
monasteries acted as population centers to small settlements, so the monks and
nuns started brewing to accommodate guests and travelers (and themselves, of
course). With brewing incorporated into their strict lifestyles, they had a lot
of chance to experiment.
What did all this experimentation produce? In trying to find ways to better
store beer for long periods, they put the trend of
adding hops into widespread use and began the production of lager. Ale was the
main form of beer before this. So, without
religion, our beer might not be as good now, and without beer, religion might
not be as good. Works well, doesn't it?
I guess I should take a minute here to describe the differences between ales
and lagers -- an important fundamental in beer
consumption. Ales are brewed at higher temperatures with yeasts that ferment at
the top of the beer.They include things like pale ales, porters, stouts and
barley wines.
Lagers, on the other hand, have "bottom-fermenting" yeasts and brew at colder
temperatures for longer periods of time (hence
their discovery through the storage experiments of the monks). Pilsners, which
originated in the Pilsen in the Czech Republic, are a type of lager. They're
the most familiar to North Americans, although they've changed a great deal
from the original brewing style.
That's actually a third aspect of beer that makes it so great. It has such
diversity. Everywhere you go in the world, you can
experience a different brewing style distinct to that area.
It helps give a sense of identity to the different regions of our world.
Coupled with the advent of exportation, beer also aids in a sense of awareness
of the world. Bars like the Tapworks in Bricktown can give a person a sense of
internationality -- the ability to sample from the great beers of Germany and
Czechoslovakia or the distinct flavors of Mexican brews all in one night.
Beer, therefore, is a common link between all races and nationalities that
bridges social and political gaps. In fact, almost
anywhere you go in the world, the word for beer is about the same. It's
certainly the first foreign word I learn when I travel.
Finally, beer has an incredible range of uses. Even though most involve
drinking (there are some creative people out there), it all depends on the
context one drinks in. Let me list some examples -- study beer,
help-me-with-this-depression beer,
happy-birthday beer, wedding beer, I-need-to-get-her-number beer,
business-meeting beer, holiday beer (especially St. Patty's
Day), welcome-home beer, relaxation beer, numb-the-pain beer (works for
emotional pain, too), TGIF beer, TGIW beer, TGIM
beer, get-drunk-break-stuff Dylan Bailey beer, after-church beer,
get-the-dog-drunk beer, chaser beer, dinner beer, spicy-food
beer (beer is one of the best things other than milk or bread to help with
spicy food), graduation beer, road-trip beer and
I-just-want-to-act-crazy-and-not-care beer.
There's many more, but I tried to touch on some of the most important ones.
What other beverage can help you express such a
wide range of emotions? When you drink beer, you're inadvertently expressing
the very essence of humanity itself.
With such a rich and interesting history and such diversity of character, how
can we not love beer? Now you can see why I
believe it's one of the greatest inventions ever.
We should all learn to appreciate this product of a fine art more. If someone
calls you an alcoholic, be proud that you enjoy the
product of such an amazing evolution. In fact, it shouldn't be called
alcoholism, it should be called connoisseurism.
Even though it has negative side effects sometimes, beer is a wonderful part of
our society. It survived prohibition and Zima,
and will survive whatever the future throws at it.
So the next time you go out drinking, take a minute to think about all that has
happened to bring that cold draft to you and smile. Then take a drink and smile
again.
Then buy me one so I can smile, too. See you at the bars.
http://dailynews.philly.com:80/content/daily_news/2001/04/27/features/FJOE
27F.htm
Joe Sixpack
To the ATF, what's foul is fouled up
"Containers of malt beverages shall not contain any statement, design, device
or representation which is obscene or indecent."
- Title 27, Sect. 7.29(a)(3), Code of Federal Regulations, Alcohol, Tobacco and
Firearms.
If the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms rated movies, the XXX "Sex Party
Three" - currently on the marquee at the Forum adult theater at 22nd and
Market - would have gotten a Disneyesque G.
Instead, the ATF reviews beer labels.
And that means foul talk and gestures are making their way onto a bottle near
you. Grab a brew, and here's what you might find:
Road Dog Ale, from Colorado, with the distinctive artwork of gonzo artist Ralph
Steadman and the slogan, "Good Beer No S - - -."
Bombers' Pin-Up Beer, from Germany, with a drawing of a B-24 Liberator
nicknamed "Strawberry Bitch."
Manneken Pis, the Belgian white ale, featuring a drawing of the famous Brussels
fountain statue of a playful little boy taking a leak.
Bad Frog Beer, possibly the best known of the bunch, with its "mean, green and
obscene" cartoon frog flipping the bird.
ATF gave the thumbs-up to each.
Asked for an explanation, a spokeswoman said because the agency has no
regulatory guidelines defining obscenity, it bases its approvals on "the
community standards of the year 2001."
It may get bleeped in your family newspaper, but the spokeswoman said s - - -
is hardly an obscenity anymore.
Don't get me wrong - this is not a call for government censorship. What I can't
understand, though, is how a notoriously hardline federal agency (remember
Waco) shrugs off language that used to earn you an Ivory Soap mouthwash.
And neither can brewers and other industry experts who regularly contend with
troublesome ATF labeling regs.
Most of those rules are reasonable. The agency reviews more than 70,000 beer,
wine and spirits labels a year to ensure they accurately describe the
contents, from volume and alcohol to ingredients and style.
Thus, brewers say, the ATF's label reviews are often an exercise in nitpicking
that has nothing to do with obscenity issues.
Bill Covaleski of Victory Brewing says his file folder of ATF rejections is
thicker than his approvals. Victory's Moonglow Weizenbock, for example, was
initially turned down because the label referred to its "spicy flavor."
"They wanted to know which spices were in the beer," Covaleski said. "I had to
prove that 'spicy' is an accepted term to describe the flavor of beer, even if
it doesn't actually include spices in the ingredients."
More absurd was ATF's rejection of Tupper's Hop Pocket, an ale by Old Dominion
Brewing in Virginia. The original label accurately described it as "highly
hopped." ATF interpreted that as an illegal claim of the beer's alcoholic
strength, though the amount or type of hops have nothing to do with strength.
The label was changed to "extravagantly hopped."
Worse than the nitpicking, though, is the inconsistency. Brewers and others say
ATF inspectors rarely agree on standards among themselves.
Under agency regs, for example, brewers are prohibited from making false claims
of "geographical significance." In other words, you can't call your beer an
Irish stout unless it was actually brewed in Ireland.
(That's why many Irish-style stouts are called "dry" stouts.)
A few years ago, ATF cited its geographic rules when it banned the Victory's
HopDevil IPA label. The bottle described the devil as a "mythical creature in
the lure of Belgian farmers."
"They wouldn't allow the word 'Belgian' because they said that would be
misleading the consumer into thinking it was a Belgian product," Covaleski
said.
But take a look at bottles of Blue Moon, a Coors product boldly described as a
"Belgian white," It's brewed in Memphis, Tenn. Likewise, Miller laughably
declares its Lite is "a true pilsner beer," though that technically describes a
beer made in Pilsen, in the Czech Republic.
ATF gave both those brews the green light.
"It really depends on how your inspector interprets the rules," said one lawyer
who specializes in label law.
Brewers sometimes complain, but they rarely battle.
"You can fight them, or get on with it," Cherry Hill's Flying Fish Brewing
president Gene Muller said. "I'd rather play it safe than go to war with the
ATF."
Ironically, experts say the ATF's own fear of a fight is behind its acceptance
of foul-language beer labels.
"Obscenity is very subjective. How do you define it?" said the label lawyer,
who asked that his name not be printed to avoid hassles with the agency.
"I had one label that, initially, they weren't going to approve because of the
language. The Civil Liberties Union called and told them they were going to
fight it on First Amendment issues.
"The ATF backed off immediately. The ATF is unwilling to pick a fight on the
obscenity issue."
Maybe for good reason.
Consider Bad Frog Beer, whose finger-flipping amphibian was banned by
Pennsylvania's Liquor Control Board on obscenity grounds. Among other issues,
LCB spokeswoman Donna Pinkham said the board was concerned because "the brewer
said people could order it at a bar by flipping the bird. Hey, you do that in
some bars. . .people with a few drinks don't need much provocation."
When New York banned the label, Bad Frog appealed on First Amendment issues. .
.and won. A federal appeals court ruled in 1998 that New York's ban did not
"materially advance its asserted interests in insulating children from
vulgarity. . ."
If a label that clearly states bleep you isn't obscene, it's no wonder the ATF
doesn't pick a fight.
Greg Koch, president of Stone Brewing in California, said he doesn't see why
anyone should complain about the language. One of his ATF-approved labels is
tied up with authorities in Indiana.
"They tell me my label contains an obscene or suggestive word or illustration.
I asked them to tell me what was obscene, and they declined to respond," said
Stone.
His beer: Arrogant Bastard.
Joe Sixpack, by Staff Writer Don Russell, was written this week with a bottle
of North Coast Old Stock Ale.
http://dailynews.philly.com:80/content/daily_news/2001/04/27/features/FHEM
27F.htm
Hemp makes the list of bureau's banned buzzwords
April 27, 2001
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms may be loose on language, but it's
getting tough on drugs.
In a reversal of an earlier label approval, the agency has told Frederick
Brewing of Maryland it can no longer call its popular dark ale Hempen Ale. The
beer is made with hemp seeds, like those used to grow marijuana. The seeds are
sterile, however, and contain no THC, the psychotropic substance that gets
users stoned.
Mostly, the seeds are a gimmick, though brewers say they do add body to ales.
ATF had approved Frederick's pot-leafed label in 1997. It quickly became one of
the brewery's most popular beers. Last spring, however, the agency did an
about-face. In a little publicized order, the agency said that while brewers
could continue to use hemp in alcoholic beverages, they could no longer
advertise that fact. That includes any reference to word "hemp" in a brand
name.
According to the order, brewers were forbidden to use "depictions, graphics,
designs, devices, puffery, statements, slang, representations, etc., implying
or referencing the presence of hemp, marijuana, any other controlled substance,
or any pyschoactive effects."
Al Spinelli, general manager of Frederick Brewing, said the brewery was
permitted to continue produce the ale until it runs out of packaging materials
that it had purchased before the ban. He said Hempen Ale should be completely
off the shelves sometime this summer.
Frederick - which had been recently purchased by a holding group called Snyder
International - didn't put up a fight. "Our position is that Hempen Ale is not
in our long-term portfolio, so I can't say it really bothered us a lot that
they came down with this ruling," Spinelli said.
An attorney familiar with the case said, however, "If someone wanted to
challenge the policy, I would be extremely confident they could challenge it on
First Amendment issues. You look at what the regulators are doing, and I say
it's flatly illegal. But it'll cost you six figures to beat it."
So why did ATF reverse itself?
Complaints from a single consumer group, a agency spokeswoman said. "There was
a feeling that the labeling could be interpreted that this was liquid THC,"
she said.
Outsiders accuse the agency of giving in to anti-drug zealots.
Larry Lesterud, who makes Hemp Ale for Humboldt Brewing in California, believes
the crackdown was prompted by the White House. Last year, his shipment of
hemp seeds was halted at the border, he said, by the Office of National Drug
Control Policy - the White House drug czar.
"They're just trying to starve the country out of hemp products," said
Lesterud. He said he can still legally bottle his Hemp Ale as long as he
doesn't sell it across state lines.
"This is the White House saying we don't want hemp in America. They're really
quite fascist about it."
- Joe Sixpack
http://inq.philly.com:80/content/inquirer/2001/04/22/national/BEER22.htm
An American sees promise in an ancient Czech beer
The brewery owner has set his sights on the U.S. market.
April 22, 2001 By Daniel Rubin INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
PRAGUE, Czech Republic - Charles Corry, a specialist in developing economies,
knew better than to fall for the line that has separated so many men from their
money: Want to buy a beer business?
But the more he sipped Herold, a traditional Bohemian-style lager, the more he
thought it made sense to leave his comfortable job at the U.S. Embassy here
and purchase a 500-year-old brewery in a country where everybody's a beer
expert and a world-class pint sells for 30 cents.
"You can imagine how profitable it is to sell beer here," the tweedy, bearded
Corry, 39, joked recently, his fingers pinching
an unfiltered Camel in a Prague bar that sells his beer. "The whole business
plan has to be the U.S. market."
Despite Byzantine local business practices, a run-in with dubious Russian
businessmen, and a growing Czech taste for blander Western beers, Herold will
hit shelves and taprooms in Philadelphia and Charlotte, N.C., next month,
letting American drinkers sample the suds that British beer maven Michael
Jackson has lauded on his Web site.
Jackson described Herold as "a well-made, light-bodied beer, but with a creamy
malt and clean flavor and delicate spiciness."
Just getting the beer out of the Czech Republic is a victory for Corry, Jackson
said recently. "Having thrown off decades of communism, the Czech Republic has
embraced capitalism with all its faults. So it's all about making Miller Lite
there these days. He is going against the trend."
Corry was playing semipro soccer in 1996 when teammates asked him if he knew of
a buyer for the state-owned brewery in Breznice, 37 miles south of Prague. A
program officer with the U.S. Agency for International Development, Corry
didn't immediately see opportunity written across the Czech sky. The brewery
was antiquated. Records were still kept by hand. Accounting principles predated
the Communist era.
But the Virginia native believed in the beer, and he figured the business
couldn't be that hard. His work was winding down, and he was looking for a
reason to stay in the city where he was romantically involved with his
Czech-language instructor. (She is now his wife and mother of his two
children.)
The first deal he negotiated for the brewery fell through. Corry got a second
opportunity when the new owner didn't keep up
with the payments. Yet before Corry could take over, he had to appease the
former owner's partners, Russians who flew in
making threats. They ended up "relieving the place of most of its basic
furnishings," Corry said.
Corry - who won't disclose what he paid for the brewery - and his fellow
investors were left with a baroque castle in which beer is made by hand,
overseen by a red-cheeked, white-haired malt master. In the cellar, where foamy
beer ferments in enormous vats, there are no computer controls or coils of
new copper, just seasoned workers wearing black rubber aprons.
The new owners also have kept the swallows that roost in the towering chimney.
"They bring luck," Corry said.
So far, so good. Herold, which produces beer in four degrees of alcoholic
strength, has become the country's fastest-growing brewery, as small breweries
close and multinational giants in Britain and Japan gulp down the big ones.
In the Czech Republic, it is legal for breweries to pay bars to pour their
beer, or to lubricate their goodwill by buying them satellite television
dishes, for example. In the United States, Corry will have to rely on the
quality of his beer and the force of his personality to win people over.
He has little money for marketing, which is what sells beer in the United
States. Americans will try any beer once, he said - the challenge is making
them buy it a second time.
But Corry is ready for the test. "I'll look back one day and say, 'What an
experience!' Hopefully I'll still have a taste for beer."
http://www.sfgate.com:80/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/
04/26/DD201292.DTL
A BREW WITH A VIEW
Down-home joints lure locals with friendly prices and relaxing bay vistas
Jesse Hamlin, Chronicle Staff Writer Thursday, April 26, 2001
Darren Briggs was sitting on the sun-drenched deck at Sam's in Tiburon the
other day, sipping a glass of ale and taking in the famous view. Sailboats
glided past Angel Island, gulls sailed over the glistening green water and the
towers of San Francisco appeared in the distance through a shifting veil of
fog.
"I like hanging out here," said Briggs, a software systems developer who took
the ferry over from the city to celebrate his 36th birthday with friends who
hadn't yet arrived. "It's a great view. It's very laid back, and the women are
beautiful."
There are a bunch of laid-back joints around the bay where you can have a
beer, grab a bite and soak up the maritime scene now that the weather is
warmer. While the swells are out sailing, sipping Chardonnay and hoisting their
spinnakers, you can kick back on some weathered old deck and drink in the
sights and sounds of the bay.
That's what Julia Carter was doing the other day at Kelly's Mission Rock in San
Francisco. It's one of several spots on the city's industrial southern
waterfront where you can sit by the bay and see freighters and tugs and
rotting piers, massive steel dry-docks, abandoned brick buildings and old
rusty cranes.
"It's beautiful," said Carter, a personal assistant from Berkeley, sipping a
pint of Guinness and gazing at the bay. She was basking in the sun with her
brother Jeff, an ironworker with a dragon tattooed on his right arm. He took a
sip of his pale ale and said: "It's very relaxing."
Mission Rock -- where a burger and beer go for $10.50 to $13 -- isn't as funky
as it was before the new owners rebuilt it two years ago. But the vibe is still
relaxed.
The pier-joint atmosphere never changes down the road at the Ramp, where Ralph
Gutlohn and David Milazzo were lunching on the sun-dappled patio. A lovely
breeze was blowing off the bay. The chatter of conversation was punctuated by
the buzz of a sander from the boatyard next door.
"This is a nice, funky place," said Gutlohn, a San Francisco poet and tax
preparer. "You can actually see people working on boats here. There are birds,
there's decay, all the things you want. It's not touristy. It's such a relief
to see something that's not fixed up in this city, that's just left the way it
is."
Philip Papadopoulos has left the Java House on San Francisco's Pier 40 pretty
much as it was when he bought the tiny white cafe 17 years ago. His customers
can sit outside at worn wooden tables, look out over the South Beach yacht
harbor and listen to the rhythmic slap of riggings against masts. A hot dog and
a bottle of Bud cost $5, cheeseburger and a Heineken, $7.
"This is a simple, reasonable workingman's place," says Papadopoulos, who
caters to locals. "The tourists who come here are lost. They're looking for
Pier 39." Every day the padrone takes a little time to sit and look at the
bay.
"This is my psychotherapy," he says. "I unwind. I watch the boats, the clouds.
It's like a masterpiece."
Cheaper, if less serene, is Red's Java House on Pier 30, another weathered
shack where a double burger and Bud cost $3.45. At Red's, al fresco dining
means sitting on concrete blocks along the Embarcadero.
Further north at the venerable Pier 23 Cafe, the palm-dotted deck offers a
terrific view of Treasure Island and the hulking
gray Cape Henry supply ship berthed at Pier 27.
The view from the rooftop deck of Redwood City's Harbor House is more bucolic:
Redwood Creek curling through marshlands to the bay, the San Mateo Bridge to
the north. OK, you see a few transmission towers too, but it's still nice.
Youcan sit at baby blue picnic tables and partake of a pitcher of Full Sail or
Fosters for $5.75.
Across the bay in Oakland, historic Quinn's Lighthouse offers a charming view
of the estuary from its peanut-shell-strewn deck (owner Bodo Eichler goes
through 300 pounds of peanuts a week). It looks out at Embarcadero Cove harbor
and the old wooden bridge leading to Coast Guard Island.
Then there's the little Seafarers Club on Berth 40 at the Port of Oakland, a
hospitality center for sailors run by the Episcopal Church. The cafe there,
which also caters to longshoremen, truckers, families and people who fish at
the nearby park, is surrounded by huge container ships, stacks of red and blue
containers and those towering white cranes that inspired some of George Lucas'
"Star Wars" robots. The deck, with its picnic tables and orange plastic
chairs, affords a smashing view of the bustling port, barges and tugs, the Bay
Bridge and Twin Peaks. "Funky R Us," says Chaplain Bob Middleton, who plans to
open the cafe on weekends starting in June. "This is about as close as you can
get to being onboard a vessel."
http://www.latimes.com:80/editions/orange/calendar/20010426/t000035164.html
Beyond Pub Grub - Italian, Asian, Mediterranian, Louisianian and standard
American dishes dot the menu at JT Schmid's...and the beer's distinctive
April 26, 2001 By TOM VASICH, Special to The Times
With the fading of the great brew-pub boom of the '90s, these pale-ale
pavilions have found the need to offer something besides handcrafted beers.
Improving the food quality is a good start. Food was the weak feature at many
of the brew pubs that once dotted coastal Orange County. know; I tried them
all. After slogging through all the lifeless pub food and drab pastas, I found
I could buy a six-pack of Red Hook, a Double-Double with fries and have a
better (and cheaper) meal at home--and many others obviously came to the same
conclusion. That's why so many of these places went under.
What remains are some pretty decent mainstream restaurants, such as Steelhead
Brewing Co. in Irvine and Gordon Biersch in Orange, where the food is as
varied and interesting as the beer selection. JT Schmid's Restaurant &
Brewery, tucked between the Arrowhead Pond and Edison Field, is certainly
trying the same sort of thing. Its menu tries to be all things to all people.
Accompanying the standard pub-food appetizers--the burgers, pastas and
personal-sized pizzas that virtually define brew-pub dining--are other dishes
inspired by Mediterranean, Italian, Asian and Louisianian cooking. The menu is
a culinary melting pot of sorts.
Like many other brew-pub restaurants, JT Schmid's is a large, bustling place
with a high ceiling; dark wood furniture; mammoth, exposed brewing tanks; and
TV monitors tuned to ESPN. With its choice location, JT Schmid's is an obvious
pregame favorite for Mighty Duck and Angel patrons. It has a large appetizer
menu perfectly suited for dine-and-dash fans. Although the appetizers feature
such standards as spicy chicken wings cooked in a barbecue-flavored hot sauce;
deep-fried calamari; beer-battered popcorn shrimp; and a massive blast of
melted cheese, black beans, salsa, guacamole and sour cream-topped nachos, the
best appetizers are those with the Asian touch.
Although not very authentic--a slightly blackened ahi salami served on Asian
slaw?--these appetizers are well-made, with fresh ingredients. One light
choice, the Shanghai lettuce wrap, offers a nice blend of ground turkey and
vegetables with crisp iceberg lettuce. More filling is the ahi wrap, which is
in a forest-green spinach tortilla filled with cilantro-flavored tuna and
sticky rice. The accompanying wasabi sour cream adds a good pop. Best of the
lot are the salmon hand rolls with rice and sour cucumbers stuffed into thin
rice paper, and the scallion-laced pot stickers with a sweet mandarin orange
sauce on the side. There's even an attempt at hummus. This version is colored
orange with pureed red bell peppers blended into the mix and is marked by a
strong garlic flavor that overwhelms the garbanzo beans. Devotees of Cajun
food will be taken aback by JT Schmid's rendition of jambalaya. The standard
shrimp, andouille and chicken are served on a pile of white rice with a spicy
red sauce. It doesn't look or taste like any jambalaya I've ever come across,
and stranger yet, it's even available on a pizza crust instead of rice. The
gumbo is much more traditional, but you'd be better off going to a real Cajun
restaurant for it.
Don't expect items with "traditional" in their title to live up to their names.
The "traditional" Cobb salad, comes with untraditional balsamic vinaigrette
dressing served on the side. The attempts at Italian food are much better. The
penne arrabbiata is covered with a marinara and portabello mushrooms--not
traditional, but at least it tastes good. And a delicate Marsala sauce covers a
grilled chicken breast served atop linguine. Even the lobster-packed ravioli
offers a savory garlic sauce with Roma tomatoes and artichoke hearts.
Like so much else on the menu, the seafood entrees are hit or miss. The
Caribbean salmon features an odd combination of Jamaican spices, bell peppers
and pineapple. The macadamia nut-crusted halibut, on the other hand, is
exceptional, with no odd sauces or ingredients. A light, nutty crust covers a
huge cut of halibut and is served on a mound of garlic mashed potatoes. That's
all.
Of course, serving food is only half of what JT Schmid's does. It does brew
some very fine beers, especially if you like heartier varieties. Most brew-pub
beers are much alike, but JT Schmid's amber ale and extra stout have a
distinctively rich, bitter flavor, which is manna for those who like heavy
beers. I happen not to, and I gladly drained the crisp, golden JT Light ale and
the perky hefeweizen,garnished with a lemon slice. All things for all people
may not always work with food, but it's great for beer drinking. Prices are
moderate to expensive. Appetizers run $4.95 to $8.95, salads $5.95 to $12.95,
sandwiches $7.95 to $9.95, pizzas $9.45 to $15.95 and entrees $9.95 to $24.95.
* JT Schmid's, 2610 E. Katella Blvd., Anaheim. (714) 634-9200. Sunday through
Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Saturday, noon-11 p.m.
http://news.excite.com/news/r/010430/06/odd-porn-dc
Draft New Porn Law, Frisky Official Told
April 30, 2001 BUCHAREST (Reuters) - A Romanian culture ministry official who
was photographed cavorting with strippers at a men's magazine launch party has
been ordered to draft a new pornography law as punishment, the government said
Monday.
Ion Antonescu offered to resign after he was pictured leering as a woman in a
G-string gyrated on his lap, while presidential
adviser Eugen Mihaescu groped her breasts.
But Prime Minister Adrian Nastase decided that ordering Antonescu to devise
laws banning pornographic images from public
spaces would be a more fitting reprimand for "breaching the decency expected of
a public figure," a cabinet statement said.
Mihaescu, who has not been disciplined as yet, told Adevarul newspaper he had
no regrets and said Romania had far more
serious issues like corruption to worry about.
"What's worse? To lay my hand on a woman who is the most holy beautiful thing
God created or stick my hands in the state's
pockets?" Adevarul quoted him as saying.
J2jurado
By Carmel Crimmins
May 1, 2001 DETMOLD, Germany (Reuters) - When it comes to beer, Germany's
Strate sisters can really hold their own against the men.
For the last seven years, the two feisty buxom blondes, under the watchful eye
of their flame-haired mother, have run their own brewery in the western city of
Detmold with aplomb.
While many of their male colleagues in Germany's beer industry have been
staggering under the influence of declining demand and oversupply, the Strate
trio have not only stood their ground, they've blazed a trail.
Sales of their flagship Detmold pils, a light sweet beer, and the amber-colored
Detmold Landbeer, have grown eightfold over the last 10 years, compared to a 5
percent drop in turnover industry-wide.
Friederike Strate, 36, the elder of the two sisters and Germany's first female
brew meister, puts their success down to a mix of hard work and innovation.
"We're ready to try anything. We stick our necks out and take a chance," said
Friederike, who is responsible for quality and has to drink a sample every day
to gauge the taste.
BOOZY PICNICS
Determined to stand out in a crowded home market of more than 1,200 breweries,
Friederike, along with younger sister, Simone, and mother, Renate, came up with
the idea for a special presentation two-liter bottle of beer.
Sold in either a rucksack or basket, the beer is recommended as the perfect
picnic accompaniment. And, with an alcohol content of nearly 5 percent, it's
infinitely more exciting than a flask of tea, Friederike says.
At the age of 15, when most of her peers were struggling to get served alcohol
in the local Kneipe (pub), Friederike was already learning the brewer's trade.
Four years later she was Germany's youngest beer meister, taking half the time
of her 64 male classmates to qualify.
"The guys were thrilled to finally have a woman in the class. That was a
wonderful time," said Strate, straining to be heard above the whirr of the
bottling machines and the noise of the brewery staff in green and red overalls
rushing to and fro.
HOME IS WHERE THE BEER IS
The Strate women don't just live from beer, they live with it. Home is in the
brewery, a grandiose red-brick building complete with a tower and two gigantic
copper vats of boiling malt in the main hallway.
In the manicured grounds, mouse-shaped hedges jolt the sober eye. The
ecological rodents are part of a burgeoning box-tree zoo that includes peacocks
and bears, given as presents to the Strates by satisfied customers.
In a traditionally male place of work, the woman's touch is plain to see.
"We want to make this brewery the most beautiful in the country," gushes
Simone, who takes care of the financial side of the business.
The family have been brewing in Detmold, a picturesque city in the heart of the
Teutoburger Forest, for nearly 150 years and Friederike and Simone are the
fifth generation to take up what is still a predominantly male profession.
"When we first took over after our father's death I think people were
interested just to see how much we knew. But they take us seriously now because
we've proved to be successful," said Simone.
"If we had failed, they would have trampled all over us."
STANDING ROOM ONLY
Competition is certainly tight in the crowded German beer market with 1,270
breweries accounting for three quarters of the European total and each one
determined to sop up the other's market share.
The industry is choked by over-capacity and ripe for consolidation but this
process is proving protracted, hindered by family-owned breweries such as the
Strates' who refuse to sell and are not interested in expansion.
"We have enough to do as it is," said Friederike who works a 15 hour day along
with her sister and mother, the brewery's image consultant.
Detmold beer is sold only within a 50-mile radius of the brewery, a symptom of
the strict segmentation of Germany's beer market, where many fiercely loyal
drinkers would rather go thirsty than sip a non-local brew.
The absence of a leading national brand is a further deterrent for large
foreign players wishing to enter a market already in need of restructuring.
INDUSTRY HANGOVER
Against a backdrop of over-supply, the German beer industry has been struck by
shrinking demand.
Mounting health concerns, dubbed "hysteria" by the German brewers' federation,
have seen beer consumption shrink 9 percent in 10 years.
Once the biggest beer drinkers in the world, the Germans have dropped to third
place with a per capita consumption of 25 to 30 gallons, behind the Czechs and
the Irish.
Not surprisingly, the mood among small-time breweries is glum, with many forced
to sell off chunks of property to keep their heads above water.
The Strate sisters, however, dismiss the gloom.
"People in the industry are so pessimistic. But, as far as I'm concerned, there
will always be customers for good produce," said Simone.
The women are determined to continue innovating, but one niche market they
refuse to tap into is non-alcoholic beer.
"How boring!" they exclaim in unison.
Redhook Ale Brewery Reports 7% Increase in First Quarter Shipments
SEATTLE, May 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Redhook Ale Brewery, Incorporated (Nasdaq: <A
HREF="aol://4785:HOOK">HOOK</A>) announced that it sold 49,600 barrels in the
first quarter of 2001, a 6.9% increase as compared to 46,400 barrels sold in
the first quarter of 2000. Sales increased 9.1% to $8,899,000 in the 2001
first quarter from $8,156,000 in the 2000 first quarter. Gross profit declined
2.0% to $1,924,000, or 23.6% of net sales, in the first quarter of 2001, from
$1,964,000, or 26.6% of net sales, in the same quarter of 2000. This follows a
gross margin of 23.7% of net sales reported for the 2000 fourth quarter. As in
the fourth quarter of 2000, the Company's gross profit was significantly
impacted by rising utility costs in the Pacific Northwest, and increasing
prices for some of the Company's raw materials and supplies.
The Company's net loss for the quarter ended March 31, 2001 totaled $526,000,
or $0.07 per share. The net loss for the quarter ended March 31, 2000 was
$502,000, or $0.07 per share. Selling, General and Administrative expenses
remained relatively flat in the first quarter of 2001 as compared to the first
quarter of 2000.
President and CEO Paul Shipman commented, "I am pleased to report another
quarter of volume growth, our seventh consecutive quarter over quarter volume
increase. In addition, we strengthened pricing in specific markets across the
country during the first quarter, producing a higher average revenue per
barrel. Unfortunately, despite the pricing improvement, we continue to
experience pressure on our gross profit as utility, raw material and supply
costs escalate. We will continue to monitor these expenses closely.
Additionally, the Company continues to carefully and selectively expand the
targeted advertising and promotion program begun in mid-1999. We are pleased
with the ongoing results of this campaign in delivering a quality message to
compliment our high quality products in key markets throughout the country. We
will continue this advertising and promotion program throughout 2001. As a
result of our strong financial condition, we continue to fund the advertising
and promotion program through internally-generated cash. In light of the
additional pressure on the Company's gross margin, capacity utilization remains
the key component in returning the Company to consistent profitability. Volume
growth with stable pricing is our primary focus to reach this goal."
The Company's operating loss totaled $752,000 for the three months ended March
31, 2001, compared to an operating loss of $678,000 for the comparable 2000
period. The increased operating loss was due primarily to an increase in cost
of goods sold while selling, general and administrative expenses remained
relatively flat in comparison to the 2000 first quarter. Interest expense
declined to $130,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2001, compared to
$141,000 for the three-month period in 2000, as a result of lower outstanding
debt and lower average interest rates. Other income -- net for the 2001 first
quarter increased to $92,000 compared to $63,000 in the 2000 first quarter, due
to interest income earned on higher cash balances.
Cash used in operating activities totaled $1.3 million for the three months
ended March 31, 2001, and the Company's cash balance was $5,567,000 at March
31, 2001.
In May 2000, Redhook's Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to
500,000 shares of the Company's outstanding common stock. In January 2001, the
Board authorized the repurchase of an additional 250,000 shares of the
Company's outstanding common stock. As of April 30, 2001, 606,000 shares had
been purchased in the open market, including 184,900 shares purchased for
approximately $306,000 during the first quarter of 2001.
Shipments in April 2001 decreased approximately 5% as compared to April 2000
shipments. The Company has historically operated with little or no backlog
and, therefore, its ability to predict sales for future periods is limited.
With the exception of the historical information contained herein, the matters
described may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties, including those described under the caption entitled "Certain
Considerations: Issues and Uncertainties" in the Company's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000, filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, and elsewhere in the Company's periodic reports.
Redhook is one of the leading independent brewers of craft beers in the United
States. The Company produces a high quality portfolio of beers, marketed under
the distinct brand names of its flagship Redhook ESB, Redhook India Pale Ale
(IPA), Redhook Hefe-Weizen, Blackhook Porter, Doubleblack Stout and its
seasonal offerings, Redhook Blonde Ale, Winterhook and Redhook Nut Brown Ale.
Redhook owns and operates two breweries, one in the Seattle suburb of
Woodinville, Washington and the other in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The
Fremont Brewery building in Seattle serves as Redhook's headquarters and home
of the landmark Trolleyman Pub. Redhook beer is available in 48 states. Please
visit our internet website at www.redhook.com to learn more about our company
and products.
REDHOOK ALE BREWERY, INCORPORATED FINANCIAL DATA STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
Three Months Ended March 31,
2001 2000
Sales (A) $8,898,629 $8,156,474
Less Excise Taxes 755,616 764,815
Net Sales 8,143,013 7,391,659
Cost of Sales 6,218,705 5,427,734
Gross Profit 1,924,308 1,963,925
Selling, General and Administrative 2,676,672 2,642,133
Operating Income (Loss) (752,364) (678,208)
Interest Expense 130,262 140,544
Other Income - Net 91,518 63,281
Income (Loss) before Income Taxes (791,108) (755,471)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit) (265,021) (253,083)
Net Income (Loss) $(526,087) $(502,388)
Basic Earnings (Loss) per Share (B) $(0.07) $(0.07)
Diluted Earnings (Loss) per Share (B) $(0.07) $(0.07)
Barrels Shipped 49,600 46,400
CONDENSED CASH FLOW DATA Three Months Ended
March 31,
2001 2000
Net Income (Loss) $(526,087) $(502,388)
Depreciation and Amortization 812,331 822,832
Other (1,631,454) (1,209,283)
Cash Used in Operating Activities (1,345,210) (888,839)
Cash Used in Investing Activities (156,714) (93,727)
Cash Used in Financing Activities (418,752) (112,500)
Decrease in Cash and Cash
Equivalents $(1,920,676) $(1,095,066)
CONDENSED BALANCE SHEET DATA Mar. 31, 2001 Dec. 31, 2000
Cash and Cash Equivalents $5,566,514 $7,487,190
Other Current Assets 5,014,728 4,097,883
Fixed Assets, Net 73,026,856 73,670,248
Other 267,807 365,181
Total Assets $83,875,905 $85,620,502
Current Liabilities $6,238,662 $6,767,976
Long-Term Debt and Other 6,862,500 6,975,000
Deferred Income Taxes 1,005,705 1,276,149
Convertible Redeemable Preferred
Stock 16,110,555 16,099,455
Common Stockholders' Equity 53,658,483 54,501,922
Total Liabilities, Preferred
Stock, and
Common Stockholders' Equity $83,875,905 $85,620,502
(A) Includes retail and other sales of $811,000 and $835,000 for the
three months ended March 31, 2001 and 2000, respectively.
(B) Weighted-average shares totaled 7.2 million and 7.7 million for the
three months ended March 31, 2001 and 2000, respectively.
Tuborg Bira 1st-Qtr Loss TL382.10-Share vs Net TL23.47
Izmir, Turkey, May 1 (Bloomberg) -- Turk Tuborg Bira Ve Malt Sanayii AS, a
producer and exporter of beer and malt, said it lost 2.15 trillion Turkish
lira, or 382.10 Turkish lira a share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2001,
compared with earnings of 132.09 billion Turkish lira, or 23.47 Turkish lira a
share, in the same period a year earlier. Revenue was 5.93 trillion
Turkish lira, compared with 4.61 trillion Turkish lira. (All
figures in millions except per-share amounts)
Quarter Ended Percent
3/31/01 3/31/00 Change Net sales
5,931,232.00 4,610,820.00 28.64 Net income (loss)
(2,150,375.00) 132,085.00 --- EPS aft XO items
(382.10) 23.47 --- Avg shares for EPS
5,627.81 5,627.81 ---
Colombia's Bavaria Posts 1-Q Net Loss Due to 2-Month Strike
Bogota, April 30 (Bloomberg) -- Bavaria SA, Colombia's biggest brewer, posted a
loss in the first quarter after a 71-day strike hurt the company's beer sales.
The Bogota-based company posted a net loss of 9.4 billion pesos ($4.1 million)
from a net profit of 70.1 billion pesos in the same period last year, according
to figures published on the Web site of the stock exchange regulator.
First-quarter sales fell 59 percent to 112.7 billion pesos from 275.4 billion
pesos a year ago. The cost of sales fell to 71.5 billion pesos from 135.1
billion pesos a year earlier.
Bavaria's 4,800 unionized workers went on strike Dec. 17, demanding raises of
25 percent and better pension and health benefits. They ended the strike on
Feb. 28 after the government set up an arbitration panel to resolve the
dispute.
Namibia Breweries FY01 Net 62 Namibia Cents-Share vs 30c
Windhoek, April 30 (Bloomberg) - Namibia Breweries Limited said it earned
$127.00 million or 62 cents a share, for the year ended Jan. 31, compared with
earnings of $61.27 million or 30 cents a share, in the same period a year
earlier. Revenue was $550.00 million, compared with $509.21 million.
(All figures in millions, except per-share amounts)
Year Ended Percent 1/31/01
1/31/00 Change Net Sales 550.00 509.21
8.01 Net income (loss) 127.00 61.27 107.29
EPS aft XO items 0.62 0.30 108.05 Avg shares
for EPS 206.50 206.53 (0.01)
Namibia Breweries Declares 8.11 Nambia Cents Final Dividend
Windhoek, April 30 (Bloomberg)-- Namibia Breweries Limited said April 30 that
it will pay an annual final dividend of 8.11 cents per share on June 15 to
holders of record June 1, with the stock trading ex-dividend starting June 4.
Amy Walshe in the London Newsroom +44 20 7673 2324 -
Burtonwood Buys Seven Pubs From S&N
Cheshire Based Pub Operator Boosts Tenanted Estate
CHESHIRE, England, April 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Burtonwood Brewery plc, the
Cheshire-based independent pub company, has acquired seven tenanted pubs from
Scottish and Newcastle for an undisclosed sum.
The deal brings the total number of Burtonwood outlets, which are located
mainly in the North West, Yorkshire, The Potteries, Leicester and the Midlands,
to 484.
Burtonwood is one of the few regional pub operators to consistently report
year-on-year profit growth and the company expects that by adding quality
outlets to its estate, it will continue this trend.
Lynne D'Arcy, Burtonwood's managing director, said: "We firmly believe in the
long term future of quality, well run traditional tenanted pubs. Burtonwood has
proved that good returns are out there if the formula is right.
"This acquisition is the first step in our ambition to significantly boost the
size of our estate. But we're not looking for growth for growth's sake. We
have strict selection criteria to ensure that any pubs we acquire are good
businesses and fit in with the rest of our estate. These S&N pubs are
particularly attractive and represent a solid investment for Burtonwood."
The pubs acquired from Scottish & Newcastle are The Angel, Grimsby; Original
Keys, Driffield; In Tack Inn, Blackburn; The Ley Inn, Clayton-le-Wood, Cuckoo
Birch, Mansfield; The White Lion, Matlock and the Mile Post in Harrogate.
In a separate deal Burtonwood has sold one of its tenanted pubs, the Farmers
Arms in Parbold, Lancashire, to Scottish & Newcastle.
Note
Burtonwood Brewery plc is based near Warrington, Cheshire. Founded in 1867,
Burtonwood is a leading independent pub operator with an estate of just under
500 pubs.
To the half year ending 30 September 2000, Burtonwood reported a 16% increase
in half-year pre-tax profits from 3,026,000 pounds sterling to 3,519,000
pounds. Turnover for the period, at 23,935,000 pounds, rose by 1%, but
operating profit at 4,276,000 pounds (4,043,000 pounds) was up 6%.
Anheuser-Busch to Face $2.5 Bln Suit by Maris Family, WSJ Says
(WSJ 4-30 B1)
Gainesville, Florida, April 30 (Bloomberg) -- Anheuser-Busch Cos. is set to go
to trial tomorrow in Florida over a lawsuit filed by the family of the late
former Major League Baseball player Roger Maris that seeks $2.5 billion in
damages, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The Marises allege the brewery company conspired to terminate their
beer-distribution contract four years ago to turn it over to people with closer
ties to the company, while Anheuser-Busch says Maris Distributing Co. stocked
out-of-date beer and ignored some customers, the paper said. The case will be
heard in the Eighth Circuit Court in Gainesville.
Maris was awarded the distributorship in north-central Florida after he helped
win the 1967 World Series for the St. Louis Cardinals, owned by Anheuser-Busch
at the time. Maris's brother, Rudy, and son, Roger Jr., took over the business
after his death in 1985, the paper said.
The Marises filed almost 100 affidavits they say contradict inspection reports
the brewer used to pull the distributorship. Anheuser-Busch denies the charges
in court filings, the paper said.
Emerson Names Grupo Modelo CEO Carlos Fernandez to Board of Directors
ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 1, 2001--Carlos Fernandez, chief executive
officer of Grupo Modelo S.A. de C.V., has been named to Emerson's (NYSE:<A
HREF="aol://4785:EMR">EMR</A>) board of directors, it was announced today by
Charles F. Knight, chairman of the board.
Grupo Modelo, the leading Mexican brewer, produces such well-known brands as
Corona Extra, Modelo Especial, and Pacifico.
"We are pleased to have Carlos Fernandez on Emerson's board of directors,"
Knight said. "His role as chief executive of one of the leaders in marketing
and his knowledge of Latin American markets will bring tremendous value to
Emerson."
Fernandez, who joined Grupo Modelo in 1983, held positions of increasing
responsibility in the company's corporate office, financial department, and
president's office before being named vice chairman in 1994. In 1997, he was
elected chief executive officer. In addition, Fernandez serves as president of
the National Chamber of the Malt and Brewing Industry and was recently
appointed chairman of the National Publicity Council.
"Carlos' depth of experience will be valuable to Emerson's continued expansion
into markets around the globe," said David N. Farr, chief executive officer of
Emerson.
Growth in sales outside of the United States has played an increasingly
important role in Emerson's financial performance. In fiscal 2000,
international sales increased to a record $5.9 billion, representing 38 percent
of the company's total sales.
St. Louis-based Emerson (www.gotoemerson.com) is a global leader in bringing
technology and engineering together to provide innovative solutions to
customers in electronics and telecommunications; process control; industrial
automation; heating, ventilating and air conditioning; and appliance and tools.
Sales in fiscal 2000 were $15.5 billion.
Robert Mondavi Announces Board Changes and Appointment of New CEO
OAKVILLE, Calif., May 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The Robert Mondavi company announced
today changes to its Board of Directors and the appointment of a new CEO.
Founder Robert G. Mondavi becomes Chairman Emeritus, remaining on the Board and
acting as ambassador-at-large for the company while devoting more of his time
to the launch of Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts.
Robert is the visionary founder and a major benefactor of the Napa-based
cultural center scheduled to open in November 2001.
Gregory M. Evans, appointed Chief Operating Officer in 1998, is named President
and CEO and a member of the Board. Greg, a 20-year veteran of Robert Mondavi,
will maintain responsibility for day-to-day operations and assume a broader
role in developing and implementing plans for the long-term growth of the
company.
R. Michael Mondavi, appointed President and CEO in 1994, is named Chairman of
the Board. Michael will assume responsibility for active leadership and
management of the Board and will continue to serve as the family and company
liaison with shareholders, customers, partners and other important members of
the industry and business communities.
Timothy J. Mondavi, currently Managing Director, Artistic Director and
Winegrower, moves into the role of Vice Chairman of the Board and Winegrower.
Tim will continue to participate actively in the management of the company
while guiding the expression, style and quality of all Robert Mondavi wines,
overseeing vineyard operations and serving as the winemaking voice of the
company.
"My sons, Michael and Tim, have taken my dream and built upon it, adding their
own unique talents, expertise and vision to make this company one of the most
successful and respected wine producers in the world," said Robert G. Mondavi.
"This new management structure will ensure that our greatest achievements are
yet to come."
The Robert Mondavi family produces and markets fine wines under the following
labels: Robert Mondavi Winery, Robert Mondavi Coastal, La Famiglia di Robert
Mondavi and Colmera, Woodbridge Winery, Byron Vineyards & Winery, Io, Arrowood
Vineyards & Winery and Vichon Mediterranean. The company also produces Opus
One, in partnership with the Baroness Philippine de Rothschild of Chateau
Mouton Rothschild of Bordeaux, France; Luce, Lucente and Danzante in
partnership with the Marchesi de' Frescobaldi of Tuscany, Italy; and Sena,
Arboleda and Caliterra, in partnership with the Eduardo Chadwick family of Vina
Errazuriz in Chile. The company has an interest in Tenuta dell' Ornellaia, a
famous estate in the Bolgheri appellation of Tuscany, producer of Ornellaia and
Masseto. Robert Mondavi has signed a letter of intent to form a 50/50 joint
venture company with Rosemount Estates Pty. Ltd. of Australia to produce and
market new Australian and California wines worldwide.
Allied<ALLD.L>loses sparkle despite profit lift
By David Jones
LONDON, May 1 (Reuters) - British drinks group Allied Domecq on Tuesday
reported a higher than forecast 16 percent rise in half-year profits, but its
shares dipped as the increase was aided by a miserly rise in spirits marketing
spend.
The company, which makes Ballantine's scotch, Sauza tequila, Beefeater gin and
Kahlua liqueur, raised advertising and promotional spending on its wines and
spirits by less than one percent in a business which saw sales up 10 percent.
The shares were one of the biggest losers in the FTSE 100 index sliding 22-3/4
pence or 5.3 percent to close at 405-1/4 in a weaker London stock market, after
a period of 12 months when the shares have outperformed the UK market by 45
percent.
Analysts said Allied appeared to be struggling in Europe against industry
leader Diageo <DGE.L> and its array of top brands such as Smirnoff vodka and
Johnnie Walker scotch.
"There is a suggestion of an opening up in performance terms between Diageo and
Allied, and certainly in markets such as the UK, Diageo appears to have given
Allied a bloody nose over Christmas," said analyst Ian Shackleton at CSFB.
"We are slightly disappointed for a company we thought was on the turn," said
analyst Andrew Gowen at Lehman Brothers, after pointing out the low spirits
marketing spending.
But Chief Executive Philip Bowman was upbeat on trading, saying he expected to
see good earnings growth sustained for the full year despite dilution from
recent acquisitions, while he saw no impact on the business from a U.S.
economic slowdown.
"Economic conditions are not as attractive as they were a year ago, but we are
confident we will see the first half trend continue into the second half," said
Bowman in an interview.
He expects good annual earnings growth despite the dilution effect of gaining
the U.S. distribution rights to Stolichnaya Russian vodka from the start of
this year and its acquisition of Mumm and Perrier Jouet champagne brands last
December.
Allied, which is the world's second largest spirits group after Diageo,
reported pre-tax profits for the six months to February 28 of 236 million
pounds ($338 million) before exceptionals -- ahead of forecasts of 220-230
million -- on overall group sales up 12 percent at 1.46 billion pounds.
PRICE RISES HELP PROFITS
Bowman said profits had been driven by volume growth of four to five percent
for Ballantine's, Kahlua and Beefeater, price rises and a first contribution in
Korea from Jinro Ballantines.
The half-year dividend rose 13 percent to 4.5 pence a share, with earnings per
share up 15 percent to 16.1p.
But analyst Nigel Parson at WestLB Panmure remains neutral on the stock because
although the shares are not expensive on an EBITDA earnings multiple of 9.7 for
2001, there was not enough in the results to rerate the shares and it is
considerably weaker than Diageo in terms of brands and geographic spread.
One leading fund manager said he needed to know more about its marketing spend
plans for the future. "The profits rise comes on the back of a marketing
slowdown, we need to know what the group's plans are for full year spending,"
he said.
The British group has embarked on a patchwork of small acquisitions, after it
lost out to Diageo and Pernod Ricard <PERP.PA> last December in the race for
the $8.15 billion Seagram drinks empire, buying up the two champagne brands,
Stolichnaya's U.S. rights and attempting to buy Captain Morgan.
Bowman said the group was "protected" in its 10-year deal to distribute
Stolichnaya, after the Russian government appears to want to renationalise the
brand.
He said litigation over Captain Morgan was "not moving very quickly." Allied is
attempting to acquire the dark rum brand through an alliance with Destileria
Serralles, a claim which Seagram and Diageo are contesting in the Puerto Rican
courts as Diageo bought the brand in the Seagram auction.
Bowman said its Sauza brand continued to suffer from a shortage of agave cactus
and volumes were off 32 percent, and he believes it will take at least two
years before supplies come back to normal. Meanwhile, Allied has been switching
tequila supplies from Mexico to the more lucrative U.S. market.
ZAO Noodle Bar Announces 5% Days for Charity; Another Way to Give Back to the
Community
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 1, 2001--ZAO Noodle Bar, the popular group
of fresh, pan-Asian noodle restaurants, is encouraging diners to put their
money where their mouths are and help support a good cause. On Monday, May 7th
at all San Francisco stores and Monday, May 14th at University Avenue in Palo
Alto, ZAO will sponsor its latest 5% Days at all of its five Bay Area
locations. On those days, as they did last December and November, five percent
of the restaurants' net proceeds will be donated to various local community
charities chosen by members of the staff.
"One of our values is to be community-focused, to give something back, not just
serving as the 'microbrewery' of noodle houses" said ZAO CEO Adam Willner. "Our
goal is to send a message to people that we are here to be a part of the
community for the long haul. And we want to do so in a way that involves our
staff and makes it painless for our customers to participate," Willner said.
"The best part is, people don't have to do anything except eat!" Among the
beneficiaries for April's fundraiser will be the Stop AIDS Project, California
Street Teen Outreach Center, Marina Middle School Drama Program, St. John's
Missionary Baptist Church, and PASS.
December's 5% Day helped contribute to organizations such as PARTY (Performing
Art Reaching to Youth), Toys for Tots, UNICEF, St. John's Missionary Baptist
Church Annual Food Giveaway, and the Stop AIDS Emergency Fund.
"We believe in Kaizen, a Japanese philosophy that emphasizes making small
continuous improvements on your way to a goal. That's how we build on our
success," notes Willner. "We are going to continue to do these 5% days every
3-4 months and eventually the cumulative effects will benefit our communities."
Since ZAO's debut in 1997, each new restaurant has celebrated its opening with
a benefit for a community organization, including the Cancer Center at UCSF,
the AIDS Memorial Grove, and California Pacific Medical Center's Breast Health
Center.
ZAO's authentic, fresh and affordable Asian cuisine has been a hit with diners.
Its innovative noodle dishes, such as Ginger-Garlic-Chili Chicken & Prawns with
Shanghai Noodles ($8.88), Bangkok Chicken Satay Salad ($7.95) and Chicken in
Lemongrass Coconut Broth ($8.50), and all-star appetizers such as Crispy
Imperial Rolls ($5.95) and Veggie Summer Rolls ($5.50) are inspired by the
culinary traditions of Vietnam, Japan, China and Thailand. To accompany the
food is an extensive selection of super premium sakes, premium full-leaf teas
served in cast-iron teapots, draft craft-brewed beers and cider on tap, and a
variety of specialty drinks, including the ZAO cooler in sparkling
ginger-orange or lemonade. Especially popular are ZAO's "Saketails" -
sake-infused specialty cocktails.
ZAO Noodle Bar's unique, healthy cuisine is available at five Bay Area
locations: 2031 Chestnut Street (at Fillmore), San Francisco (415.928.3088);
2406 California Street (at Fillmore), San Francisco (415.345.8088); 822 Irving
Street (at 9th Street), San Francisco 415.682.2828; 3583 16th Street (at
Market), San Francisco 415.864.2888; and 261 University Avenue, Palo Alto
(650.328.1988).
Cinco de Mayo Marketing Makes Holiday a US Party, WSJ Says
San Diego, May 1 (Bloomberg) -- Coca-Cola Co. and other consumer products
companies are touting the Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo as a U.S.
celebration that appeals to all ethnic groups, the Wall Street Journal
reported.
The companies used a lot of marketing to secure an unofficial holiday status
for the week of May 5; Mexicans celebrate the day as commemorating their
victory over French invaders in 1862. Branding an otherwise ordinary day can
add $500 million to consumer spending, the paper said, citing supermarket
researcher Efficient Market Services.
Supermarket Winn-Dixie Stores Inc., brewer Anheuser-Busch Cos. and others will
run Cinco de Mayo advertising and promotions, the paper said.
Mexicans remain a little puzzled at the U.S. version of the day, the paper
said. In Mexico, it is celebrated in a more subdued manner, not with the
beer-guzzling (certainly not with American-brewed beers) and beach-going
popularity in the U.S., the paper said.
Glucanase
news:20010501194208...@ng-fc1.aol.com...
> German sisters brewing in declining market
>
> By Carmel Crimmins
>
> May 1, 2001 DETMOLD, Germany (Reuters) - When it comes to beer, Germany's
> Strate sisters can really hold their own against the men.
>
> For the last seven years, the two feisty buxom blondes, under the watchful
eye
> of their flame-haired mother, have run their own brewery in the western
city of
> Detmold with aplomb.
Detmolder is great beer. I am 'forced' to drink it when I visit a friend in
that part of Germany (near Bielefeld / Hanover). The pils is fairly bitter
and packs a lot of flavour.
There are still British Army bases in this area and I'm told that in
several of their bars Detmolder Pilsener is proving extremely popular
against Scottish Courage keg beers and lagers.
Nick
J2jurado
Miller's Genuine Drought
Even an elite SWAT team can't boost sales
By Gerry Khermouch in New York Business Week: May 14, 2001
As the long hot summer approaches, few are as thirsty as the managers heading
up Miller Brewing Co. The elite team was parachuted in by parent company Philip
Morris Cos. (MO) to fix years of flagging sales and dwindling market share at
the nation's second-largest brewer. But after two years, the taps are still
running dry. Philip Morris recently reported a disastrous first quarter for
Miller, with income plunging 18.4%, to $124 million, on a 5.1% decline in
volume, to $991 million.
Wholesalers, ad execs, and former managers say that Miller CEO John D.
Bowlin and his team of beer-industry novices have had a hard time getting the
hang of the beer market. Meanwhile, they are facing strengthened domestic
rivals at a time when a long-running beer boom, sparked by a healthy economy
and a demographic spike in legal-age drinkers, may be sputtering to a stop.
Compounding the problems, Bowlin and company fumbled a pair of import brands
that might have given Miller a leg up on nemesis Anheuser-Busch Cos. (BUD) The
result: They've been unable to stem a slide that has knocked down Miller's
share of the U.S. market from 22.9% to 20.5% over the past five years.
There may be an extra incentive to get it right at Miller these days.
Analysts believe that Philip Morris could be preparing its beer unit for a
spin-off or sale, perhaps to an expansion-minded foreign brewer or No. 3
domestic player Adolph Coors Co. (RKY) Although Philip Morris has been
unequivocal in its support of Miller, that could change once a planned initial
public offering of its thriving Kraft unit is completed in June. A spin-off of
the remaining 80% should follow, leaving Philip Morris overwhelmingly a tobacco
company. Because of the huge capital gains a sale would generate, many believe
a Kraft type spin-off is in the cards for Miller. ``I see a spin-off down the
line, but because of tax issues I doubt a sale,'' says Caroline S. Levy, an
analyst with UBS Warburg LLC.
WITLESS ADS. When Bowlin and his handpicked team from Kraft and Marlboro
arrived at Miller's Milwaukee headquarters, the former Kraft CEO promised
``world-class'' advertising for the slumping Miller Lite and Miller Genuine
Draft brands. Help from some master brand builders was just what Miller needed.
Budweiser's talking lizards and time- tested Clydesdales were cleaning Miller's
clock. ``You watch some of the Bud ads and ask yourself, `How hard is this
stuff?''' laments a major-market Miller wholesaler. But instead of the breezy
wit offered by its rival, Miller and the agencies brought in from the Kraft
roster resorted to nudity, gross humor, and wrong-headed settings such as a
hospital maternity ward. Beer-drinking younger males were drawn instead to
Bud's new ``Whassup'' ads.
Why has it been so hard for the Miller team to get the formula right? For
starters, aside from Bowlin, who put in a stint at Miller in the mid-1990s,
they had little beer experience. For marketers used to pitching Kraft
mac-and-cheese to moms or Marlboro cigarettes without TV, it proved a
steeper-than-expected learning curve. ``Early on it was clearly slower,''
acknowledges Robert L. Mikulay, senior vice-president for marketing. ``We and
the agencies needed to hit our stride.'' Bowlin compounded the problem by
harping on his goal of ``world-class'' advertising, setting unrealistic
expectations. That phrase now is verboten within Miller.
SUMMER MAGIC? There have been other problems. At a time when imports were
enjoying double-digit sales gains, Miller's rights to Canada's Molson and
Australia's Foster's should have conferred a rare edge over Anheuser-Busch,
which offers no significant imports. But Bowlin's team couldn't pull Molson out
of a prolonged skid, even as it underspent on the healthy Foster's brand.
Molson subsequently bolted to Coors.
As another summer selling season approaches, there have been some hopeful
signs. Last week, Miller unveiled to 4,000 wholesalers new ads that humorously
skewer courtship and male bonding rituals and celebrate the brewery's heritage.
While there weren't any Whassup-type wows, many felt that the new ads showed
marked improvement. Now, with the ad budget getting juiced by 20%, to nearly
$300 million, Miller hopes to regain lost ground. Even just a point of recouped
share might help slake the thirst of the Miller team--and add to the price
Miller Brewing might fetch in a sale.
Pyramid Breweries Inc. Declares $0.044 Per Share Quarterly Cash Dividend
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 4, 2001--Pyramid Breweries Inc. (Nasdaq:<A
HREF="aol://4785:PMID">PMID</A>) today announced its Board of Directors has
declared a quarterly cash dividend of $.044 per common share, payable on July
16, 2001 to shareholders of record on June 29, 2001.
Pyramid recently reported its tenth consecutive quarter of sales growth, with
net sales increasing 2% to $6.3 million for the first quarter ended March 31,
2001. For the year ended December 31, 2000, net sales increased 6% to $28.6
million.
The company initiated its dividend program in the fourth quarter of 1999. In
February 2001, the company announced an increase in the quarterly dividend to
$.044 from $.04 per common share. The dividends paid in 2000 were a return of
capital to shareholders for Federal income tax purposes and the company
believes that a portion of the dividends to be paid in 2001 may be a return of
capital. Nearly all Pyramid shareholders receive favorable tax treatment of
dividends that are a return of capital.
Pyramid Breweries Inc. is one of the leading brewers of specialty,
full-flavored beers and sodas, produced under the Pyramid and Thomas Kemper
brand names. Pyramid also operates two local breweries and restaurants, under
the Pyramid Alehouse name, in Seattle, Washington, and Berkeley, California.
For more information, visit www.PyramidBrew.com.
Peru Stocks Climb, Led by Backus, Luz del Sur, Telefonica
Lima, May 4 (Bloomberg) -- Peruvian stocks rose for a fifth day, led by brewery
UCP Backus & Johnston SA, electricity distributor Luz del Sur SA and Spain's
Telefonica SA.
Lima's 15-share benchmark selective index rose 1.1 percent to 2099.82, its
highest level in a month. The broader general index gained for a fourth day,
rising 0.9 percent to 1217.66. Trading was worth $1.7 million, about one-fourth
the daily average for the last year.
Trading has slowed in recent months on concern about political volatility
before a runoff presidential vote expected in early June. The runoff will be
disputed between front-runner Alejandro Toledo and former President Alan
Garcia.
Brewer UCP Backus & Johnston SA (BJ PE) gained 6.4 percent to 1 sol, a two-week
high. The company said last week its first- quarter net income rose 57 percent
as sales revenue increased because of synergies following its acquisition of a
rival.
Spain's Telefonica SA (TEF PE), which owns 97 percent of Telefonica del Peru
SA, rose 2.6 percent to $50.25. The stock partly recovered from a 3.2 percent
drop yesterday. The share rose trailing gains of the company's New York-traded
stock.
Colombia's Bavaria to hold share buyback May 30
BOGOTA, Colombia, May 4 (Reuters) - Colombia's biggest private company, brewer
Bavaria <BAV.BG><BAV.ML>, won government approval on Friday to purchase up to
25 percent of its outstanding stock in a buyback slated for May 30, officials
said.
The Bogota bourse said Bavaria would publish the terms of its buyback on
Sunday, which would allow Colombia's most liquid stock to begin trading again
on Monday after a full week off the market.
Bavaria said Thursday it would pay 8,312 pesos ($3.53) for each of the nearly
70 million shares it can purchase in the buyback. Bavaria's offer represents a
premium of 20.2 percent over the stock's closing price April 27 -- but it is
far off its historic high of 14,000 pesos in 1997.
In total, the government on Friday authorized Bavaria to purchase up to $246.7
million in its shares.
Founded in 1889 by German immigrants with market capitalization of $2.3
billion, Bavaria controls 95 percent of the local beer market.
Traders said on Friday that the buyback would likely only attract firms who
hold large volumes of Bavaria shares and are seeking to liquidate their assets,
in particular foreign funds or companies like commercial airline Avianca
<AVA.BG>.
Small investors, many of whom bought Bavaria shares at much higher prices,
would likely hold onto their stock. Although Bavaria shares have gained 6.8
percent since the beginning of the year, they lost nearly 25 percent of their
value in 2000.
"To many people this price (of 8,312 pesos) simply doesn't make sense, because
they bought when the stock was higher. Perhaps some foreign funds looking to
leave the country would do it, however," one trader told Reuters.
Bavaria fared better between 1999 and 2000 than many Colombian companies,
which on average saw their share prices fall by 40 percent over the period
under pressure from an economic contraction and an escalation of the Andean
nation's 37-year-old war. The conflict has crippled many industries and claimed
40,000 mainly civilian lives in the past decade.
NZ exchange completes Montana takeover hearing
By Rodney Joyce
WELLINGTON, May 6 (Reuters) - A New Zealand Stock Exchange committee on Sunday
completed a hearing into allegations of irregularities in a takeover battle for
New Zealand's largest winemaker Montana Group.
But committee lawyer David Quigg said a decision was several weeks away.
The New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZSE) committee met for around 19 hours over
the weekend to hear evidence on a complaint from British drinks firm Allied
Domecq that rival bidder Australian brewer Lion Nathan breached NZSE notice
rules in its successful NZ$1 billion ($420 million) race for Montana.
If Lion is ruled to have breached the notice period it could be ordered by the
committee to sell some or all of its 51 percent stake in Montana.
"A decision is not expected before mid-June...and that's because of the sheer
volume of submissions and issues that have now been put on the table," Quigg
told Reuters.
The two-day hearing was held behind closed doors at the request of the parties
involved. The committee is made up of two retired senior judges and a senior
Queens Counsel lawyer.
EXPANSION PLANS
The takeover battle for Montana has pitted Lion, a company with mature beer
interests seeking growth in the wine sector, against Allied, which has existing
wine interests and is looking for an entry into the Australasian sector.
Montana shares closed Friday down five cents at NZ$4.15 in a broader market up
0.6 percent. Lion shares, 45 percent owned by Kirin Breweries, last traded in
New Zealand down five cents at NZ$5.00 and in Australia up one cent at A$4.07.
Allied says Lion, through its broker Credit Suisse First Boston, secured
binding agreements to acquire key shares from institutional investors while the
brewer should have been serving out a notice period.
Lion maintains its brokers only bought the disputed block of 18.19 percent of
Montana shares from institutional shareholders after the notice period expired.
Lion bid for 51 percent of Montana at NZ$4.65 per share, topping Allied
Domecq's NZ$4.40 per share full offer.
The 18.19 percent stake raised Lion's holding to 46.46 percent and it later
moved to its 51 percent target through an onmarket retail offer.
Allied Domecq argued it was prevented from making a higher counter offer to
Montana shareholders because Lion moved so quickly.
Lion was required to wait out an NZSE notice period in making its offer because
it was an insider in Montana, having started the race for control with a 28
percent stake.
Key evidence before the NZSE committee included transcripts of conversations
between Credit Suisse brokers and institutional shareholders during the
takeover battle.
Both Lion and Allied have issued fresh bid notices enabling them to restart the
race for control of Montana, depending on the the committee's ruling, which is
binding under NZSE rules.
Allied has given notice it might start buying shares from Monday in a range of
NZ$4.16 and NZ$4.64 a share while Lion has given notice it might start buying
from May 16 at NZ$3.95 to NZ$4.70 per share.
Brazil AmBev merger buoys first-quarter profit
By Katherine Baldwin
SAO PAULO, May 4 (Reuters) - Brazilian beverage giant AmBev <AMBV4.SA> <<A
HREF="aol://4785:ABV">ABV.N</A>> said on Thursday that a bigger and better
sales force following a mega-merger in 2000 helped buoy its first-quarter
profit, reversing a year-earlier loss.
AmBev, the world's No. 5 beverage company that controls almost 70 percent of
Brazil's beer market, posted net profit of 245.3 million reais ($110 million)
compared with a loss of 81.6 million reais ($36 million) in the same period a
year earlier.
AmBev, formed of the merger of Brazil's two beverage companies Brahma and
Antarctica approved in April 2000, said sales in the quarter rose 23 percent
from the year-earlier period after the company united its sales teams and
distributed more of its products directly to retailers and consumers.
Some analysts, though, had hoped for an even steeper jump in sales given
festive activities in the quarter that are conducive to beer drinking, like the
world famous carnival and Brazilian summertime.
"Sales did grow but I was looking for even faster growth with the summer
vacation and Carnival," said Clarissa Saldanha, an analyst at Banco Brascan in
Sao Paulo. "This is a positive development although sales were a bit below my
expectations."
AmBev sells the popular Brahma, Antarctica and Skol brands and the country's
top-selling Guarana Amazon berry drink.
Net sales of those and other products for the quarter were 1.5 billion reais
($669 million) compared with 1.23 billion reais ($548 million) in year-ago
quarter.
AmBev shares in early afternoon trading were down 1.2 percent at 518.50 reais
on the Sao Paulo Bovespa <.BVSP> stock exchange. The company's New York-traded
shares slipped 0.6 percent to $23.11.
BEER VOLUMES RISE
AmBev managed to nudge up its huge share of Brazil's beer market to 69.7
percent from 68.2 percent in the quarter while beer sales volumes rose 6
percent from the year earlier. Those figures exclude the Bavaria beer brand,
which AmBev agreed to sell to Canada's Molson Inc. <MOLa.TO> last November.
"Our operations are in line with our expectations and we are quite optimistic
as to our yearly results," said Felipe Dutra, AmBev director of finance and
investor relations, on a conference call.
AmBev expects local beer sales volumes to expand 6 percent this year, working
with an estimate of 4 percent economic growth. Dutra said first quarter 2001
results fully reflect the cost and operational gains and sales advantages
following the incorporation of Antarctica and Brahma into AmBev.
Quarterly operating profit rose a sprightly 79 percent to 299.4 million reais
($133 million) from 167.4 million reais ($75 million).
But the company's earnings took a hit from the weakening of Brazil's real
currency <BRBY> against the dollar, which pushed up the cost of dollar-priced
packaging products. Dutra said the real's slide chopped about 35 million reais
($16 million) off its quarterly net profit.
AmBev will continue to cut costs and boost efficiency to avoid passing the
impact of the real's slide onto the consumer, Dutra said. Thirty percent of
costs are linked to the dollar.
AmBev, which sells beer and soft drinks in Argentina, Uruguay and Venezuela,
expects to continue to expand its presence in Argentina despite that country's
33-month recession and financial crisis, Dutra said.
Anheuser-Busch Gives $5 Million in Scholarships Through its Urban Scholarship
Program
ST. LOUIS, May 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., will award $5
million in scholarships over the next five years to college students through
its Urban Scholarship Program (USP), the company announced today. With the
support of its Budweiser brand, the USP will enable a minimum of 500 students
to each receive $10,000 to attend the college or university of their choice.
"Anheuser-Busch's long and proud tradition of educational support reaches far
beyond all social, cultural and economic boundaries," said August A. Busch IV,
group vice president, Marketing and Wholesale Operations, Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
"Our past support of hundreds of local community organizations across the
country has made it possible for thousands of young people to attend college.
As we continue to promote efforts in higher education, countless more
individuals will have the opportunity to achieve collegiate success."
Today's announcement was made by Johnny Furr, Jr., vice president of Corporate
Affairs, Anheuser-Busch Companies. Furr made the announcement during a press
conference at the Anheuser-Busch Conference and Sports Centre in St. Louis.
Furr was joined by many USP community partners, representing the top 30
African-American U.S. cities by population.
"Anheuser-Busch is extremely pleased to make this major commitment to higher
education," said Furr. "It is our sincere hope and desire that our Urban
Scholarship Program community partners will join us in this fundraising effort
and pledge additional dollars that could boost the grand total to $10 million
over the next five years."
Established in 1999, Anheuser-Busch's Urban Scholarship Program is a joint
effort between the company, its local wholesalers and community-based
organizations that include various National Urban League affiliates and 100
Black Men of America Chapters from across the country.
By working together, Anheuser-Busch and its community partners and wholesalers
raise funds that stay in the local communities to help support local students'
efforts to attend college.
"The increase to our scholarship program fund is exciting for Anheuser- Busch,
our local wholesalers and our community partners, who collaborate with us to
provide urban college students with increased educational opportunities," said
Furr. "These partnerships not only make it possible for us to help provide
youth in urban communities with college scholarships, but will also provide
students and their families with a holistic approach of support that includes
mentoring, tutoring, employment opportunities, job skills training and other
resources provided by our community partners."
Since 1999, the USP has raised $2 million helping more than 400 urban students
attend college.
The program's goal is to raise enough funds to send at least 200 students to
college each year, and to foster their development through a "network of
support" offered by the community partners.
"Scholarship availability plays a key role in many urban settings and we
applaud Anheuser-Busch's commitment to higher education and to the advancement
of minority students, as well," said James Buford, president of the St. Louis
Urban League.
Anheuser-Busch has a long history of focusing its charitable efforts on
creating educational opportunities. Since 1979, the company has helped raise
nearly $160 million for nationwide educational efforts in the African-American
community.
Anheuser-Busch Companies is a diversified international corporation with
interests in beer, packaging and family entertainment. Its subsidiaries
include Anheuser-Busch, Inc., the world's largest brewer, whose products
include Budweiser and Bud Light, the two largest-selling beer brands in the
world.
Other subsidiaries include Metal Container Corporation, and Busch Entertainment
Corporation which operates 9 theme parks in the United States. Other subsidiary
business interests range from creative services to railcar repair and
transportation.
Kelly To Assume Chairmanship of Pyramid Breweries; Size of Board Is Reduced
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 2001--Pyramid Breweries (Nasdaq:<A
HREF="aol://4785:PMID">PMID</A>) today announced that, effective May 3, 2001,
Martin Kelly will assume the additional role of Chairman of Pyramid Breweries
Inc. Board of Directors.
Kelly joined the company in August 1999 as President and Chief Operating
Officer. He was named Chief Executive Officer in December 1999.
Kurt Dammeier has served as Chairman since January 2000. He will remain a
director of the company, and its largest shareholder, with 20.5% of the
outstanding stock.
"I want to thank Kurt for his leadership and contributions to the company
during his tenure as Chairman and I look forward to working with him as a very
active director," said Kelly.
Pyramid Breweries Inc. also announced today that the size of its corporate
Board of Directors is being reduced. Four directors are retiring on or before
the Annual Shareholders Meeting on May 3, 2001.
"These retirements accommodate the personal needs and objectives of the
departing directors, and are consistent with our review and assessment of our
corporate governance, including Board structure and size. I will be the only
management representative on the board, and our new, smaller board will have an
impressive breadth of business knowledge, experience and diversity," said
Kelly.
Retiring from the board are the following:
-- John Stoddard -- Director since 1989. Formerly Chairman of the Board,
President and Chief Operating Officer of Pyramid Breweries Inc.
-- George Textor -- Director since 1995. Founding General Partner in Capstan
Partners, a private equity investment fund.
-- Thomas Schwalm -- Director since 1997. Co-founder of South Beach Beverage
Company, which manufactures and distributes a line of non-alcoholic teas and
juices.
-- Robert Toledo -- Director since 1998. Formerly Owner/Presidentof Miller
Brands, Inc., a beverage distribution company servicing King County,
Washington.
"We are grateful for the service of all of these Directors. This group of
directors has made many valuable contributions to the company over the years,
and Pyramid Breweries Inc. is a stronger company as a result of their efforts.
They have been instrumental in shaping this company into one of the leaders in
the craft beer business," said Kelly.
Pyramid Breweries Inc. is one of the leading brewers of specialty,
full-flavored beers and sodas, produced under the Pyramid and Thomas Kemper
brand names. Pyramid also operates two local breweries and restaurants, under
the Pyramid Alehouse name, in Seattle, Wash., and Berkeley, Calif. For more
information, visit www.PyramidBrew.com.
S&N<SCTN.L> suffers foot-and-mouth impact
LONDON, May 3 (Reuters) - Britain's biggest brewer Scottish & Newcastle said on
Thursday foot-and-mouth disease in Britain had cost it up to three million
pounds ($4.31 million) as it saw underlying sales at its pubs slide.
In a trading update, the brewer of Kronenbourg and John Smith's beers said the
foot-and-mouth crisis continued to have an impact on its beer and pubs
businesses in those rural areas in Britain hit by the disease.
This affected its core estate of 1,450 UK pubs which saw like-for-like sales
down 0.4 percent in the group's second half of November-April, although overall
sales were up 7.5 percent.
In addition, the group's Kronenbourg French beer business, bought in March
2000, saw weaker trading in the second half after "exceptionally poor weather
conditions" and its branded beer volumes fell 2.6 percent for the full
financial year.
Analysts said quantifying the foot-and-mouth impact and the poor French beer
performance helped put the shares under pressure and they were off 10-1/2 pence
at 481p by 1030 GMT.
The company said that its overall performance in its financial year to April 29
was expected to be in line with forecasts. It is set to report results in early
July.
Its UK beer division, Scottish Courage, said beer volumes fell 1.4 percent in
the eleven months to end-March in a overall UK market off 2.9 percent. Its key
five brands grew volumes with Kronenbourg up 14 percent and Beck's 12 percent
ahead, while John Smith's, Miller and Foster's saw more modest rises.
In addition, its beer division has agreed a five-year beer supply agreement
with over 900 pubs which were bought by Nomura from Bass Plc in March. Scottish
Courage's beer will be supplied to the pubs from this spring alongside those of
the current supplier Bass Brewers, owned by Interbrew <INTB.BR>.
The group said the sale of 740 of its managed pubs, announced in January, was
"well underway" and it expects to complete a sale before the end of July.
Industry sources said leisure entrepreneur Robert Breare in partnership with
Enterprise Inns <ETI.L> was the preferred bidder for 650 of the pubs in a 350
million pound deal. ($1=.6961 Pound)
Scottish & Newcastle Profit to Meet Analyst Forecasts
Edinburgh, Scotland, May 3 (Bloomberg) -- Scottish & Newcastle Plc, the largest
U.K. brewer, said it expects full-year profit to meet analysts' expectations as
increased sales of its more profitable brands offset a decline in total sales
of beer.
While beer sales fell 2.9 percent nationally in the first 11 months of the
fiscal year, the company's sales fell 1.4 percent. Kronenbourg sales rose 14
percent, Beck's 12 percent. Bad weather in France also hurt sales.
The company is focusing on five brands as former rivals such as Bass Plc and
Whitbread Plc quit the business. The beers, which also include Foster's, Miller
and John Smith's, represent 70 percent of beer sales, up from less than half in
1995.
Profit was driven by ``the mix of business, and some cost cutting,'' said Nigel
Popham, an analyst at Teather & Greenwood with a ``reduce'' recommendation.
``The disquieting factor is French beer sales, which seem quite weak.''
Shares of the Edinburgh, Scotland-based company fell 9.5p, or 1.9 percent, to
482p. They've gained 2.6 percent this year, compared with a 1.7 percent decline
on the FT-SE All-Share Beverages Index.
Analysts expect pretax profit between 420 million pounds ($600 million) and 430
million, said Richard Gibb, head of communications at the company. Scottish &
Newcastle will report earnings for the year ended April 29 on July 3.
In France, the company sold 2.6 percent less branded beer than in the previous
fiscal year.
Pubs
The maker of Newcastle Brown Ale said in January it is seeking buyers for 740
of its 2,373 managed pubs, and will rent out another 180. The company has said
it wants to concentrate on expanding chains such as Chef & Brewer and Premier
Lodge.
``We hope to complete the sale by the end of July,'' Gibb said. ``We've
received a considerable amount of interest.'' He declined to elaborate.
Popham said he expects Scottish & Newcastle to get between 350 million pounds
and 400 million pounds for the pubs, which have a book value of about 550
million pounds, according to Gibb.
Sales at the pubs it will keep rose 7.5 percent in the second half, even as
restrictions to control foot-and-mouth disease kept rural drinkers away. The
outbreak will trim full-year profit by as much as 3 million pounds, the company
said.
The beermaker also said it will supply the 900 pubs Nomura International Plc
bought from Bass Plc in February, extending its contract to cover all Nomura's
6,000-strong pub estate.
Businesses Focus on Cinco De Mayo
By JUSTIN PRITCHARD, May 5, 2001
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Tracking growth of the nation's Hispanic population, the
Cinco de Mayo holiday has become a major opportunity for businesses targeting a
largely untapped market.
Never mind that May 5th is little hyped in Mexico, where re-enactments of a
fleeting victory over French forces in 1862 are far more sober than the
beer-soaked bashes that erupt in U.S. cities.
``It's a promotional opportunity for corporations, because basically marketers
have invented Cinco de Mayo as a holiday,'' said Carlos Santiago, founder of a
Newport Beach-based multicultural consulting firm.
Once the domain of food and drink suppliers, the holiday has become a shortcut
for companies that seek access to America's 35 million Hispanics.
Credit card firms, retiree service groups and even corporate recruiters are
joining the likes of Taco Bell and Corona beer for a chance to pitch their
wares and services to the Hispanic market.
Though it commemorates Mexico's most famous military triumph, Cinco de Mayo has
become both an expression of Mexican-American pride and a fiesta with crossover
appeal to the entire country.
On Saturday, places as far afield as Park City, Utah, and Rogers, Ark., will
throw their first Cinco de Mayo festivals.
They're examples of how Hispanics - led by Mexican Americans - have fanned out
from major immigrant states such as California, Texas and New York. Recent
census data report that, nationally, the Hispanic population grew by 58 percent
in the 1990s.
Their purchasing power appears to be growing at least as fast.
The disposable income of Hispanics jumped 118 percent during the 1990s to $452
billion in 2001, according to a study by the University of Georgia's Selig
Center for Economic Growth. That increase dwarfed the 68 percent rise in
disposable income among non Hispanics. Nationally, the study pegged total
disposable income at more than $7 trillion.
More people with more money to spend - it excites advertisers, who are bounding
toward a market that's not yet overwhelmed by product jingles and hype.
Santiago estimates Hispanics should command about $16 billion of the estimated
$200 billion spent on advertising each year. Instead, Santiago said, the total
is around $2 billion.
Groups such as the American Association of Retired Persons are looking to catch
up.
The AARP spent about $100,000 paying for a performance stage and literature at
Los Angeles' Cinco de Mayo festival last Sunday.
``I thought it was awesome,'' said Nancy Franklin, the group's director of
membership development. ``A lot of people are not aware of AARP in the Hispanic
community.''
The organization began trying to diversify its membership several years ago,
she said, but this year's appearance at the 12th annual Fiesta Broadway was the
first time it had taken to the street.
Western Union will co-sponsor New York City's Cinco de Mayo event this weekend.
And Minnesota-based credit card issuer Metris Cos. plans to sponsor Cinco de
Mayo festivals, part of its aggressive marketing to Hispanic customers.
That's not to say that traditional supporters of the holiday are beating a
retreat.
``It's really a cornerstone of our annual marketing plan,'' said Don Mann of
San Antonio-based Gambrinus Co., the largest U.S. importer of Corona beers.
``We're promoting it to the general market. Some of these other companies that
are new to it are focusing on the Latino market.''
Cinco de Mayo also has become an occasion for companies to push not just their
products, but their work environments as well.
FedEx set up a booth at the Cinco de Mayo festival in Fort Worth, Texas, and
logged 300 job applications.
``Right now there's a big demand to recruit,'' said Miguel Figueroa, president
of the Los Angeles-area chapter of the National Society of Hispanic MBAs. ``The
company gains exposure, they also gain talent.''
Getting to the Roots of Root Beer; More than 125 years old, Root Beer is as
Bubbly and Popular as Ever
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 2001--Since the 1950s, root beer and root
beer floats have been soda-shop staples, American classics that are guaranteed
to induce nostalgic daydreams of simpler times.
But the history of root beer goes back much further than the soda-crazed days
of the 1950s. Here are some fun facts Jim Sullivan, a project manager for Jack
in the Box(R) restaurants, learned while doing research on the origins of root
beer:
-- Root beer can be traced to Native Americans who used the brew as a
medicinal tea.
-- The first batch of commercial root beer was made in 1876 by the so-called
father of root beer -- Charles E. Hires.
-- Originally, root beer was a brew of yeast, sugar, hops, and root and bark
juice.
-- Root beer is the oldest continuously marketed soft drink in the country.
-- Most root beers do not contain caffeine; Barq's(R) is one of the few that
does.
-- Root beer was one of the seven original Kool-Aid flavors.
-- It's believed that the largest root beer float on record was 2,562 gallons.
And while Jack in the Box restaurants' Root Beer Float might not make it into
the record books, it will be appearing on menu boards across the country as the
quick-serve chain brings its blend of Barq's Root Beer and real vanilla ice
cream back for the third straight year.
"The root beer float is a fun, summertime beverage that's as popular today as
it was during its heyday in the '50s," said Sullivan. "Which is very fitting
considering that Jack in the Box is celebrating its 50th anniversary this
year."
The Root Beer Float is available now for $1.99 at all participating Jack in the
Box restaurants.
Founded in 1951, Jack in the Box Inc. is the nation's first major drive-thru
hamburger chain. With systemwide sales of nearly $2 billion, the San
Diego-based company operates or franchises nearly 1,700 quick-service
restaurants in 16 states and has more than 41,000 employees.
Heineken Museum in Amsterdam Re-Opens Its Doors
May 4, 2001 (Businesswire)- After having been closed for more than eight
months, the Heineken Museum in Amsterdam will officially reopen on Tuesday May
22, 2001.
Not only has the museum undergone major renovations, the museum has also
changed its name and is now called "The Heineken Experience." Heineken expects
to receive over 200,000 visitors annually and expectations are that a quarter
of all visitors will come from the U.S.
The Heineken Experience is a multi-media event introducing international
visitors to the world of Heineken, by means of a balanced mix of entertainment
and education. Visitors can take a close look at the process of beer bottling,
walk through an "Amsterdam alley," meet Dr. Elion (who isolated Heineken's
A-yeast in the 19th century), observe the world as seen from a brewer copper,
test their knowledge of the brewing process, and of course drink a beer.
Another feature is the "Bottle Ride," which allows visitors, standing on a
moving floor, to experience how it feels to be transported like a Heineken
bottle on a conveyor.
The Heineken Experience is located at Stadhouderskade 78 in the former Heineken
Brewery, which was acquired by Gerard Adriaan Heineken in 1864, and is open
from Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. The admission is 5 euro
(approximately $4.50).
For information on Heineken USA, contact Greg Cohen at Dunwoodie Communications
at 212-686-5300, ext. 330, or Dan Tearno at Heineken USA at 914-681-4113. For
general information on Holland, please contact the Netherlands Board of Tourism
at: Tel: 1-888- GO HOLLAND (1-888-464-6552) E-Mail: in...@goholland.com or get
Dr. Dave Brockington in a neighborhood Amsterdam bar.
Joel Plutchak
!Morris Cos. (MO) to fix years of flagging sales and dwindling market share at
!the nation's second-largest brewer. But after two years, the taps are still
!running dry. Philip Morris recently reported a disastrous first quarter for
!Miller, with income plunging 18.4%, to $124 million, on a 5.1% decline in
!volume, to $991 million.
Perhaps it's divine retribution for what they did to
Celis? I shed no tear for them.
--
Joel Plutchak
"I believe that some of the best beers being made today are brewed in
people's homes." - Jim Koch, owner of the Boston Beer Company