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Heineken CEO Is `Interested' in Bass Beer Brands

Amsterdam, March 1 (Bloomberg) -- Heineken NV Chief Executive Karel Vuursteen
said he may bid for the Bass beer unit Interbrew NV must sell after buying it
for 2.3 billion pounds ($3.3 billion) last year.

He made his remarks after Heineken, Europe's biggest brewer, said second-half
profit rose a greater-than-expected 22 percent because of higher demand for
brands such as Heineken and Amstel Light in the U.S. and its acquisition of
Cruzcampo in Spain.

Amsterdam-based Heineken considered buying Bass Plc's beer business last year.
Now, it has a second chance after U.K. regulators said the purchase gave
Interbrew too large a slice of the British market.

``The question is, how distressed is Interbrew as a seller?'' said Peter
Bekius, who helps manage about 7 billion euros ($6.5 billion) at Kempen Capital
Management. ``How many buyers can they interest in bidding and how long do they
have to sell it: the shorter the term, the worse it is for Interbrew''

Shares in the Amsterdam-based company fell 0.25 euro to 59.80 euros. Since the
start of the year they've fallen 7.2 percent the same as the 24-member
Amsterdam Exchanges Index.

Earnings

Second-half net income rose to 372 million euros), or 1.19 euros a share, from
306 million, or 0.98 euro buoyed by the acquisition of Cruzcampo and companies
in Belgium and Slovakia. Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News expected, on
average, a 17 percent increase.

The brewer is relying on acquisitions and increased sales of its premium labels
to spur growth amid sluggish demand for beer. The company announced a joint
venture last week with Germany's Schoerghuber group to sell premium Paulaner
Weiss beer.

It is also looking to South America for expansion and plans to take a majority
stake this year in Cervejarias Kaiser SA, Brazil's No. 2 brewer, according to
Vuursteen. It currently owns 14 percent.

The Bass unit, which makes Carling Black Label and Tennent's Lager, is expected
to go for as little as 1.5 billion pounds. Interbrew is challenging the U.K.
decision in court to seek more time, greater flexibility to pick a buyer and
the right to make improvements before selling in order to get a better price.

``We'll just wait to see what the court case proves to be and then we'll make
up our mind,'' Vuursteen told journalists at an earnings press conference. ``We
are interested in brands.''

Asked if he would consider buying all of the Bass beer unit, Vuursteen said
``maybe.''

`Positive'

Heineken doesn't have operations of its own in the U.K., and so is less likely
to face the regulatory objections raised at Interbrew, analysts said. Its
namesake beer is brewed in the U.K. by Whitbread Plc, which is not owned by
Interbrew.

``There are some potential global brands within Bass and that would be
positive'' if Heineken added those, said Jeroen Boot, who helps manage $5
billion in assets at Bank Insinger de Beaufort.

Full-year sales by volume grew 10.5 percent to 74.8 million hectoliters, helped
by good marketing and increased distribution, analysts said. In comparison, the
global beer market rose by more than 2.5 percent. Full-year net income rose to
621 million euros from 516 million.

``Heineken expects a further increase in net profit for 2001 and remains
positive with regard to the long-term profit outlook,'' the company said.

Full-year sales rose 13 percent to 8.1 billion euros, of which acquisitions
accounted for 7 percent and an improved sales mix and higher prices generated 3
percent.

Sales in Europe rose 13 percent to 7.27 billion euros. In Spain, the company's
biggest European market, market share and results showed ``very positive
developments,'' while in Poland, where it is merging four brewery groups into
one, conditions have worsened and competition heightened. The company expects
its Polish business to be profitable next year.

Sales in the western hemisphere increased 22 percent to 987 million euros, as
demand for Heineken climbed 15 percent and Amstel beer 13 percent . Africa and
the Middle East reported a 27 percent increase, while Asia Pacific posted a 5
percent drop.

Heineken plans to split its shares 5-for-4 and will pay an unchanged dividend
of 0.4 euro a share.

Colombian Brewery Ends Strike

1 March 2001 BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - Beer drinkers in Colombia could almost
taste it Thursday, after workers ended a 71-day strike at the brewery supplying
most of the South American country's beer.

The walkout by 6,000 employees at the Bavaria brewery left store shelves bare,
drove up import prices and reduced the desperate to downing bitter home-brews
concocted at neighborhood bars.

The workers were back after agreeing arbitration over wage and job security
issues, but some final haggling over schedules kept the taps dry. Bavaria
officials said they expect production to resume shortly.

The company produces six of Colombia's most popular beers, and rival brewers
couldn't keep up with demand.

The walkout, which endded Wednesday, cost Bavaria an estimated $47 million.

Heineken Second-Half Net Rises 22% on US Demand

Amsterdam, March 1 (Bloomberg) -- Heineken NV, Europe's largest brewer, said
second-half profit rose 22 percent, buoyed by higher demand for its beer in the
U.S. and the acquisition of Spain's Grupo Cruzcampo.

Net income rose to 372 million euros ($345 million), or 1.19 euro a share, from
306 million euros, or 0.98 euro, in the same period the previous year. Analysts
surveyed by Bloomberg News expected, on average, a 17 percent increase.

The top seller of imported beer in the U.S benefited from the dollar's 6.7
percent gain against the euro in 2000 and the popularity of its Heineken and
Amstel Light brands in the world's biggest market. Heineken has also grown
through a string of purchases made in Spain, Belgium and Slovakia.

``Heineken's autonomous growth in America will continue because the
demographics are favorable,'' said Ab Nieboer, an analyst at Friesland Bank
Securities, who has a ``market perform'' rating on the stock. ``The share of
20-30 year olds is growing, and those are the big beer drinkers.''

Shares in the Amsterdam-based company were little changed, after rising as much
as 1.15 euros, or 1.9 percent, to 61.20 euros. Prior to today's announcement,
Heineken had declined 6.8 percent since the start of the year, in line with a
6.3 percent drop for the 24-member Amsterdam Exchanges Index.

Heineken is relying on acquisitions and increased sales of its premium labels
to spur growth. The beer industry expanded almost 3 percent last year on a
recovery in Asian beer consumption, according to beverage research specialist
Canadean Ltd.

``Heineken expects a further increase in net profit for 2001 and remains
positive with regard to the long-term profit outlook,'' the company said in a
statement.

Full-year net income increased to 621 million euros, or 1.98 euro a share, from
516 million euros, or 1.65 euros. Full-year sales rose 13 percent to 8.1
billion euros.

Heineken plans to split its shares 5-for-4 and will pay an unchanged dividend
of 0.4 euro a share.

Heineken 2000 net profit climbs 20 pct

By Otti Thomas

AMSTERDAM, March 1 (Reuters) - Dutch brewer Heineken NV on Thursday reported a
larger-than-expected 20 percent rise in net profit, boosted by acquisitions,
and predicted more earnings growth this year.

Net profit climbed to 621 million euros ($574.5 million) from 1999's 516
million, on sales of 8.11 billion euros versus 7.15 billion. Analysts had
expected net profit of 597-608 million euros.

Operating profit rose 15.3 percent to 921 million euros.

Acquisitions, an improved sales mix, higher sales prices and currency effects
all helped results, while a lower tax burden gave net profit growth an extra
boost.

"Results were good, which we saw when shares opened. But I think that shares
are pressured by negative market sentiment," said Eureffect fund manager Krijn
Moens.

Heineken shares opened 1.6 percent higher at 61 euros after the results, but
closed at 59.80 euros, a 0.42 percent loss. The AEX blue-chip index ended 0.94
percent weaker.

Analyst Anneke Groen at Rabo Securities was slightly disappointed that lower
taxes made a relatively large contribution to net profit growth and said
operating profits were slightly below expectations.

But she noted operating profit had improved as a percentage of sales to 11.4
percent in 2000 from 11.2 percent in 1999. "This shows Heineken is on the right
track," she said.

Heineken expects an increase in net profit in 2001 and remains positive on its
long-term profit outlook.

Total beer volumes rose to 97.9 million hectolitres, placing Heineken behind
U.S. brewer Anheuser-Bush and Belgium's Interbrew, including volumes of
Interbrew's Bass.

"We expect to reach the 100 million hectolitres milestone in the short-term,"
Chief Executive Officer Karel Vuursteen told a news conference.

BRAZIL IN FOCUS

Vuursteen said Heineken was currently negotiating to increase its stake in
Brazilian brewer Kaiser to more than 50 percent from its current 14 percent
stake.

"We prefer that part of the shares remain in the hands of Coca-Cola, which
ensures the distribution in the long-term, but we would like to have a majority
stake," he said.

"We think the negotiations about Kaiser will be concluded this year," he added.

Vuursteen elaborated on the firm's recent move into Germany -- its joint
venture with Bayerische BrauHolding AG, a member of Schoerghuber Corporate
Group.

"In Germany, consolidation of the market will take place. It could take years,
but through our joint venture we can eye the market. Step by step we will see
which moves we can make, that contribute to profit growth," he said.

He added that Bayerische BrauHolding's Paulaner Weissbeer had been the missing
link in its selection of special beer brands. Heineken is looking to export
Paulaner through its global distribution network.

Through the deal with the German brewer, Heineken will also gain a stake of
some 16 percent in Chile's brewer CCU.

Heineken's Chief Financial Officer David Hazelwood said the firm was currently
in talks with CCU, although investment firm Quinenco, one of CCU's
shareholders, opposed the deal.

Vuursteen said Heineken was keeping all options open regarding the sale of Bass
Beer Brewers, after British authorities overturned its purchase by Interbrew.

"It's a matter of observing, keeping all options open and seeing whether we
want to buy and for what price," he said.

Asked if it made a difference for Heineken if Bass was sold in parts and not in
total, Vuursteen said that Heineken might be interested in brands, but not in
regions.

Analysts welcomed the five-for-four share split that Heineken also announced,
saying it improved trade in the shares.

The stock split will be proposed at the annual general meeting due on April 26,
with the new shares qualifying for dividends from January 2001, the brewer
said. ($1-1.081 Euro)

Belhaven Brewery to Buy 15 Scottish Pubs From Maclay

Dunbar, Scotland, March 1 (Bloomberg) -- Belhaven Brewery Group Plc, a beer
maker which owns the oldest brewery in Scotland, agreed to buy 15 public houses
from closely held Scottish pub manager Maclay Group Plc for 4.5 million pounds
($6.5 million) in cash.

Dunbar, Scotland-based Belhaven will buy 8 of the pubs on April 2 and the other
7 by July 3. The pubs, all in central Scotland, will have tenant managers. The
purchase will bring the total of Belhaven's tenanted pubs to 88, besides the 40
it manages directly.

Almost 10 percent of the U.K.'s 60,000 pubs are up for sale. Nomura
International Plc, the U.K. unit of Japan's largest investment bank, agreed
last month to buy 988 pubs from Bass Plc, and is expected to bid for the 3,000
pubs of Whitbread Plc. Scottish & Newcastle Plc is unloading about a third of
its 1,700 pubs.

``We are not thinking of splitting beer from pubs,'' Belhaven Chief Executive
Stuart Ross said in an interview. ``We like the fact that we are an integrated
business.''

Belhaven shares gained a penny to 172.5 pence. They have declined 3.5 percent
in the last year. The company has a market value of 37.1 million pounds.

Maclay agreed to cease distributing beer. Instead, Belhaven will supply beers,
ciders and soft drinks to the 17 Scottish pubs still owned and managed by
Maclay and to the independent pubs which Maclay previously distributed drinks.

The supply contract will last 5 years, with Belhaven paying Maclay a share of
the profit.

The deal ``leaves us to focus our management skills on the managed house
estate,'' Maclay's Managing Director Steve Mallon said in an interview.

Beer Barley Prices May Fall on European Supplies

Adelaide, Australia, March 1 (Bloomberg) -- ABB Grain Ltd., one of the world's
top 5 exporters of barley for brewing beer, said prices for the grain may fall
from a three-year high next season on rising European supplies.

Malting barley prices for the harvest that ended in January rose 2 percent to
an average A$209 ($110) a ton, the highest price in more than three years, the
government's commodity forecaster, Abare, said. Barley fed to animals such as
cattle rose 3.7 percent to A$170 a ton. Prices were boosted by a weaker
Australian dollar.

This year's expected barley harvest of 50 million tons in the European Union,
the largest producer, is likely to contain a higher proportion of malting
barley used by brewers, said ABB.

``We also expect eastern Europe and Turkey to re-enter the export market next
season after the easing of disastrous drought conditions, adding to
competition,'' Michael Iwaniw, ABB's managing director, said in a statement.

Australia, the world's biggest exporter of malting barley, will ship about
A$861 million worth of both malting and feed barley in the year ending June 30
to maltsters and livestock producers in China, Japan and Saudi Arabia, Abare
said.

The Australian dollar fell to a record low 50.71 U.S. cents in November. It has
lost more than 20 percent of its value against the dollar since Jan. 1 last
year, boosting the number of Australian dollars exporters get for selling
commodities in U.S. dollars. The Australian dollar recently traded at 52.87
U.S. cents.

``The low exchange rate ... has been a major factor in turning average
international prices into the good returns Australian growers have enjoyed this
season,'' Iwaniw said.

Export Growth

Australian barley, harvested between October and January, is mostly exported.
Of the estimated 5.6 million tons produced last harvest, 3.43 million tons will
be shipped overseas, the government commodity forecaster, Abare, said.

``Barley has been the star in the 2000-01 season due to tight world stocks,''
Iwaniw said. ``We expect this good performance could boost plantings of barley
in Australia and overseas.''

Plantings in Australia's major barley-growing states of South Australia,
Victoria, Western Australia and New South Wales, are expected to increase about
4 percent to 3.14 million hectares (7.8 million acres) this year from 3 million
hectares in 2000, Abare said.

Abare expects malting barley prices to fall A$6 a ton to an average A$203 a ton
next season, and feed barley to fall A$6 a ton to an average A$164 a ton.

CoolCan Technologies Inc. - Reports Progress On Its Self-Chilling Beverage
Container Technology

CALABASAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 1, 2001--CoolCan Technologies Inc.
(OTCBB:<A HREF="aol://4785:CCTI">CCTI</A>) is pleased to announce that the
company has completed its Phase I engineering program and has concluded the
first half of its Phase II engineering program.

Phase I elements included prototype drawings on AutoCAD as derived from the
patent, prototype cost estimates, production cost estimates and test plan
draft. The company also received initial blue prints from Total Technical
Services regarding the additional equipment required to place the chilling
insert into cans.

Phase II elements to date included production specifications with tolerances,
optimization evaluation of design concept and an in-depth thermal analysis
conducted at the University of California at Irvine.

The company has initiated a cartridge study in order to develop specifications
and costs for a " custom " cartridge for its CoolCan application.

In addition, the company has begun a prototype fabrication program to develop
working samples to test and report findings of the design concept and provide
additional cost estimates for high volume production.

"We are extremely pleased with the engineering progress made to date and have
initiated the development of a strategic plan that will allow for maximum
exposure of both the product and licensing opportunities domestically and
internationally," said Mr. Bruce Leitch, President of CoolCan Technologies Inc.

The company has already received several inquires regarding licensing of the
INSTACOOL(TM) product.

CoolCan Technologies Inc. is the owner of a unique proprietary patented
technology, INSTACOOL(TM), which may be utilized with any aluminum container
for soft drinks, beer, juice or water and which chills the beverage quickly
when opened by the consumer.

For more information please visit the company web site at www.coolcantech.com
or telephone toll free Mr. Bruce Leitch, President, investor relations at
866-266-5226 (866-CoolCan).

Zywiec Group In Final Phase of Restructuring

WARSAW, Poland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 1, 2001--Ordinary net profit for the
year 2000 of Zywiec SA, the parent company, amounted to PLN 35 million (1999:
PLN 124 million). Net turnover reached PLN 951 million (+3.8%) and operating
profit was PLN 140 million. Consolidated net loss for the Zywiec Group was PLN
463 million (1999: net profit PLN 83 million). The Group's operating loss was
PLN 126 million compared to operating profit PLN 229 million in the previous
year. The Company and Group results have been affected by PLN 364 million
nonrecurring cost related to goodwill, packaging and restructuring. Sales
volume of the Zywiec Group was 7.9 million hectoliter compared with 8.6 million
hectoliters last year. Zywiec S.A. will propose to the annual general meeting
of shareholders to declare an unchanged dividend of PLN 2.50 per share.

Zywiec's overall 3-year restructuring program is proceeding according to plan
and 2001 will see its completion: the creation of a single integrated and
professional organization that compares with the best beer companies in the
European Union. The four original brewing groups have been integrated. A full
distribution network has been built and supply chain management was improved.
The production sharing was implemented and production costs were reduced, among
others through the closure of two breweries. An integrated ICT system for the
Group was introduced and comprehensive training programs for the development of
employees executed. Brand portfolios are being integrated and brand images
reinforced.

In line with earlier forecasts, sales volume was lower. This, in combination
with high interest rates and a number of special cost items related to the
implementation of the restructuring program, adversely affected profitability.
The main non-recurring cost items relate to the following activities.

- Strengthening of the key Polish beer brands and focussing of the

brand portfolio required continues high marketing investments.

- Building proprietary distribution organization involved the

acquisition of several distributors. The entire goodwill related

to the distributors acquired in 2000 was written off against

profits.

- Restructuring of the organization and of the streamlining of

production facilities took place, involving write-downs of assets

and social packages.

- New and attractive 50-cl bottles and crates replaced the

unattractive industry ones, which forced the write-off of the old

bottles.

"Short term performance is under pressure due to the far reaching
organizational changes and developments in the market. However, with a
restructuring process of the size and complexity the Zywiec Group has gone
through, temporarily loss of sales volume is unavoidable. What counts in the
end is that Zywiec will be transformed into a flexible, focused and consumer
oriented company, with strong brands, a strong sales organization and a strong
distribution network. This will be a winning combination" - commented Alle
Ypma, the President of Zywiec Group

A concrete forecast of the profitability for the year 2001 can not be given at
this moment in time, due to uncertainties related to the development of the
Polish beer market. The decision by the government to increase the beer excise
duty to levels exceeding those of the surrounding countries, including EU
Member State Germany, leads to relatively high consumer prices and will hamper
the development of the beer market. More over, it threatens reasonable returns
on investment in the Polish beer industry and, consequently, direct and
indirect employment. The proposed changes in beer advertising will make the
position of the Polish beer industry even more difficult.

Zywiec remains committed to build brands, to improve distribution and to focus
on consumer satisfaction. The completion of the restructuring in 2001 is a
milestone for the Zywiec Group. Assuming that potential legal restrictions on
advertising will not damage the competitive position of the Polish beer
industry further, the Executive Board of Zywiec is positive on the outlook of
profit development of the Group in the longer-term.

MADD offers five-point plan to cut campus drinking

BOSTON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Saying U.S. college students spend $5.5 billion on
alcohol per year -- more than on books and nonalcoholic beverages combined --
Mothers Against Drunk Driving on Wednesday outlined a five-point plan to crack
down on underage and binge drinking.

MAAD unveiled the plan at Boston University as U.S. college students prepared
for their annual spring break when undergraduates traditionally step up their
alcohol consumption.

Among the five recommendations in the MADD College Commission Report are
setting a national standard for college alcohol policies and creating a MADD
honor roll of colleges to help students and parents select schools.

MADD developed the report in response to what it describes as chronic campus
drinking. Millie Webb, MADD's national president, said statistics show that 44
percent of college students will have consumed four to five drinks in a row
during the past two weeks.

U.S. college students spend more on alcohol -- about $5.5 billion annually --
than they spend on books, soda, coffee, juice and milk combined, Webb said.

Among college students who consume alcohol, more than 47 percent report they
drink to get drunk, according to a 1999 study at Harvard University's School
of Public Health.

Results from a Harvard study released this year show that students who live in
substance-free dorms are three-fifths less likely to engage in heavy episodic
drinking, compared with their peers in unrestricted residences.

A study released by the Education Development Center Inc. indicates there is
strong support among students for alcohol prevention policies on campus. For
example, the prohibition of beer kegs on campus received support from 58
percent of the students surveyed at 18 colleges and universities.

"High-risk drinking, drunk driving and other tragedies are often accepted as a
way of life on college campuses, but there are many students like myself who
are willing to speak out and get involved," said Corrie Barnett, a Boston
University student and president of the college's MADD chapter.

Mexico's Femsa to Spend $530M in 2001 Mostly in Beer

Monterrey, Mexico, Feb. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Fomento Economico Mexicano SA plans
to spend $530 million this year, mostly to overhaul marketing and distribution
in the beverage producer's beer unit.

Femsa, which also produces Coca-Cola, will spend $355 million in the beer unit,
compared with about $280 million last year. The increase will be used to buy
new refrigerators for retailers, to pay for computer equipment to improve
distribution, and to invest in an administrative system that will enable the
company to track product from the start until it reaches consumers.

Femsa is focusing on getting its customers to buy more beer rather than
attracting new consumers from rival Grupo Modelo SA. Femsa also plans to raise
prices by region at varied times and amounts. Mexico's two beer makers usually
boosted prices by the same amount and at the same time during the first quarter
of the year.

``These are changes without precedent,'' said Federico Reyes, Femsa chief
financial officer at a press conference following the company's earnings
release yesterday. ``This implies breaking with many of the traditional
practices used by the Mexican beer industry.''

Femsa said it would raise prices in line with inflation, which the company
estimates will be about 9 percent in 2001. For several years, the beermakers
boosted prices more than inflation, which hurt sales by volume. By holding
prices in line with inflation, Femsa expects beer volumes to rise at the same
rate as gross domestic product growth or a little higher, Reyes said.

New Strategy

The company's strategy to boost beer consumption and profit margins instead of
fighting for market share ``at all costs'' caused Femsa's share of the Mexican
beer market to slip to about 43.8 percent in 2000 from 45.1 percent in 1999.
Modelo, which makes Mexico's best-selling beer Corona, has the rest of the
market.

Modelo is a tough competitor with no debt and more than $600 million in cash to
push its brands in the market, said Alyce Andrews, an analyst with Merrill
Lynch & Co. in New York. It too early to tell how Modelo will react to Femsa's
changes.

``We need a little bit more time to see how some of these strategies unfold,''
Andrews said. ``It's kind of a wait-and-see period for the first half of the
year.''

Femsa's beer sales by volume tumbled 12 percent in the fourth quarter in part
because of an effort to get third-party distributors and small retailers to pay
on time. The company also began to forgo some exclusivity contracts, such as in
upscale restaurants, that were considered not profitable enough.

``The results won't be seen in the short term because they imply a change in
culture and in business philosophy that has already begun,'' Reyes said.

Femsa expects a turnaround this year, with estimates of beer sales by volume
increasing between 3 percent and five percent in 2001 after they fell 1.5
percent last year. Beer exports should increase about 14 percent, the same as
last year, the company said.

Operating income during 2001 is forecast to rise between 3 percent and 5
percent. It rose only 0.6 percent to 3.21 billion pesos ($334 million) in 2000.

Canada's Labatt Brewing Co., a unit of Belgium's Interbrew NV, owns a 30
percent stake in Femsa's beer unit.

Soft Drinks

Femsa also plans to invest $90 million in its soft drinks unit, $62 million for
its convenience store chain and $23 million at its packaging materials
business.

Borrowing from success at its Coca-Cola operations, the beer unit will use
hand-held computers for the ``pre-sale'' of product to retailers to ensure the
exact amount of beer needed is delivered, which cuts down on waste. The project
will begin in the second half of this year. Femsa set up a special school to
train 90 people in the technology.

Femsa has started installing new refrigerators for small retailers that will
keep beer at zero degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit), the ``ideal''
temperature for a tasty brew, Reyes said.

``The refrigerators now in the Mexican market don't cool beer at zero
degrees,'' he said.

Capital Beverage Transaction Receives Approvals From Several Key Brewers

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 28, 2001--Capital Beverage Corporation
(Nasdaq:<A HREF="aol://4785:CBEV">CBEV</A>) on January 9, 2001 signed a Letter
of Intent to purchase certain assets and liabilities of Prospect Beverage Inc.,
the Brooklyn based Pabst wholesaler of Colt 45 Malt Liquor. This transaction
was subject to several key brewery approvals which have been attained. The
transaction is intended to consolidate Prospect Beverage Inc.'s. operation into
Capital.

"This consolidation will have an extremely positive effect on Capital
Beverage's growth. This acquisition will add approximately 20 million dollars
in gross revenues to our existing base of operation. The most important effect
of this consolidation will be its reduction of our overhead expenses. We
anticipate reducing our combined selling, delivery, general and administrative
expenses by approximately 2 million dollars in the first year alone. This is
the type of growth we have sought for Capital over the past three (3) years and
it is now finally coming to pass. We expect this acquisition to have a positive
effect on net earnings by the end of this year." said Capital's president,
Carmine N. Stella.

"The final hurdle in the acquisition process is securing banking support to
assume Prospect Beverage's current debt position as well as the deal being
subject to a definitive agreement between Capital and Prospect. Capital has
made contact with various financial institutions and has received positive
responses from two sources. Capital should be able to resolve the financing
terms from either of these sources within the next few weeks." Mr. Stella
concluded.

The Boozy Names of Fiscal Crises: William Pesek Jr

Washington, March 1 (Bloomberg) -- ``The Wild Turkey Effect.'' That's how some
observers have referred to the problems Turkey's currency crisis is causing for
global markets. It seemed only a matter of time before Turkey's financial
troubles got branded as such. Maybe it will be dubbed the ''Raki Crisis.'' Or
perhaps the turmoil will spread to neighbors and be called the ``Efes
Contagion.''

What these titles have in common is that each relates to alcoholic beverages.
Raki is Turkey's aniseed-flavored national liquor, while Efes is the name of
the nation's most popular beer. Wild Turkey, of course, is a brand of American
bourbon. As we've seen in recent years, investors have a penchant for giving
financial crises boozy names, especially those accompanied by currency
devaluations.

In 1994, Mexico's peso devaluation sent shockwaves through Latin American
markets. The turmoil spread to emerging markets near and far and forced U.S.
policy makers to drop what they were doing to help stabilize the global
financial system. Within days, traders and investors began to speak of a
``Tequila Effect'' emanating from Mexico.

Three years later, Russia's ruble devaluation and default on debt caused even
more problems for the international financial system. Russia's meltdown came as
emerging economies were still reeling from Asia's crisis. Moscow's policy moves
caught investors off-guard and the resulting panic came to be known as the
``Vodka Effect.''

Ugly Americans

Russia's problems rapidly spread to Latin America, where several key economies
were shoulder-checked by investors rushing to pull capital out of their
economies. Even Brazil, by far Latin America's largest economy and the region's
traditional growth engine, was swept into the turmoil. The risk that Brazil's
economy would collapse and take the rest of Latin America with it was dubbed
the ``Caipirinha Effect,'' after a popular Brazilian drink. Others called it
the ``Samba Effect.''

It's unclear why market participants toss booznik labels at financial crises.
It may trace back to former Federal Reserve Chairman William McChesney Martin's
famous comment that policy makers must take away the punchbowl when the party
is just getting warmed up. Many, according to an unscientific poll of market
participants, opine it's because Westerners tend to associate foreign countries
with the drinks they produce.

``We're ugly Americans,'' joked James Bianco, president of Bianco Research in
Barrington, Illinois. ``That means we can only relate to these countries by how
they're viewed in a bar as we cry over our losses for investing in them in the
first place.'' Added Andrew Brenner, head of fixed-income trading at Fimat USA
Inc. in New York: ``It's because we all have to drink our sorrows away after a
crisis.''

The boozy imagery seems to capture how an emerging economy's potential returns
intoxicate investors to the point where they make unwise decisions. Perhaps
that's why global policy makers often speak of the need to return ``sobriety''
to tipsy markets. It may also explain why some folks refer to the International
Monetary Fund and World Bank as the ``designated drivers'' of the global
financial system. When economies begin to stumble, these institutions take the
keys, so to speak, and get everyone safely back to stability.

The Asian Exception

In an article titled ``Crisis Cocktails,'' Stephen Richter, president of
TheGlobalist.com, a Washington think tank, put it this way: ``Given this
nomenclature, one can easily draw the conclusion that economic policy makers in
emerging market countries are guilty of DUI, or Devaluing Under the Influence''
when investors flee their markets.

Asia would seem an exception to all this. Even tough Thailand's currency
devaluation snowballed into a full-blown Asian financial crisis, few were
thinking of the turmoil in terms of drinks or dances.

As volatility ricocheted from markets in Thailand to Indonesia to Malaysia to
Korea, there was no talk of a ``Rice Wine Effect.'' Why isn't clear, but one
can surmise that markets understood from the very start that Asia's meltdown
was nothing to take lightly, never mind joke about. Instead, investors and
journalists spoke of an ``Asian flu.'' The name proved appropriate since the
rest of the world's economies were soon coughing too.

In retrospect, it's a good thing markets didn't assign some cutesy name to
Asia's woes. In 1997 and 1998, Asians sensed rich Western nations -- the U.S.
in particular -- weren't sufficiently sympathetic to their plight. Those
feelings seemed validated in late 1997, when former President Clinton referred
to the region's crisis as ``a few little glitches in road'' to global
prosperity. Clinton's comments precipitated a powerful backlash from Asian
leaders who accused the West of trivializing a crisis that set families back
decades.

Talking Turkey

Yet the term ``financial contagion'' seems far too academic for today's media.
ABC news and CNN are as likely to cover scenes of grief-stricken consumers
trying to exchange Turkish lire in Istanbul as Bloomberg News, Dow Jones
Newswires and Reuters. Hence the suspicion that we'll start hearing rumblings
about Turkey's ``Raki Crisis'' or the ``Wild Turkey Contagion.''

So far, the most common phrase has been the ``Turkey Effect'' on emerging
markets. Some speak of investors taking a ``Turkish Bath'' on their lira
holdings and how the IMF is ``Talking Turkey'' these days. One British daily
headlined a story about Turkey's economy ''Simply Bazaar,'' a reference to the
nation's traditional shopping areas. A Fox News reporter Tuesday asked Treasury
Secretary Paul O'Neill what would happen ``if Turkey hits the fan?''

Stay tuned. Market participants will always be at the ready to pin boozy labels
on any financial crises that crop up in the years ahead, TheGlobalist.com's
Richter said. If things go bad again in Europe, with, say, Italy's budget
bursting, look out for talk of the devastation caused by the ``Grappa Effect.''
In Greece, the newest country to adopt the euro, be prepared for the onset of
the ``Ouzo Effect.'' And if things get messy in Scandinavia, the world may be
abuzz talking about the ``Aquavit Effect.''

``Come to think of it,'' Richter joked, ``the IMF -- or, even better, the
United Nations -- should urgently establish a commission to consider the
commercial implications of this increasingly widespread naming convention.''

Perhaps embattled economies can even make a ruble or two by charging
promotional fees from tequila and vodka companies. Developing economies, after
all, typically operate with overstretched budgets and mountains of
high-interest-rate foreign debt. ``At a minimum,'' Richter added, ``these
companies should be prepared to pay in the range of a hundred million dollars
for getting such free publicity.''

It's unclear what name markets ultimately will fix to the ongoing lira crisis.
What's clear is that, for investors, it won't be a Turkish Delight.

Samuel Adams is Named the Official Corporate Sponsor Of Project Greenlight

Boston Beer Company Partners With Miramax Films and Television and LivePlanet
In Discovering and 'Greenlight'ing an Independent Filmmaker

NEW YORK, Feb. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Miramax Films and Television and Live Planet
today announced that Samuel Adams will be the exclusive sponsor of Project
Greenlight, a first-of-its-kind venture that uses traditional media, new media
and real world activities to give audiences a chance to participate in and gain
an inside view into the filmmaking process. The sponsorship of Project
Greenlight by Sam Adams, brewed and distributed by Boston Beer Company, creates
a partnership where the two brands join together to discover and support
independent creative excellence.

"Sam Adams was the right choice for us in Project Greenlight," said Matt Damon.
"While there is an obvious Boston connection, we felt strongly that Jim Koch
and his team at Sam Adams share the philosophy of what we are trying to
accomplish with Project Greenlight. Sam Adams did something in the beer
industry that is similar to what Project Greenlight is doing in the
entertainment business -- they introduced Americans to a new, world-class brew,
at a time when all they were getting was a few mass-produced choices."

Project Greenlight, the largest active screenwriting community in the world,
invited amateur screenwriters to submit original screenplays electronically to
the Project Greenlight contest at www.projectgreenlight.com. Miramax Films has
committed to providing the winning contestant or team's screenplay with a
minimum $1 million production budget, and to hire them to direct the film,
which will be executive produced by Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Chris Moore.
Miramax has also guaranteed distribution of the film in theatres, currently
slated for early 2002. At the same time, Miramax Television will chronicle the
making of the movie in a 13-episode documentary series that gives the audience
an insider's look at the movie-making process, slated to air on HBO in early
2002.

The Project Greenlight alliance between Sam Adams, LivePlanet, and Miramax Film
and Television focuses on a fit amongst the companies with brands focused on
independence and creativity. The companies' combination in the conception,
promotion and marketing of Project Greenlight allow for the maximum exposure
for an entertainment project while maintaining the core concept of
independence, originality and creativity.

"Project Greenlight is a revolutionary idea that is close to our roots at Sam
Adams -- the discovery of a great new independent filmmaker," said Jim Koch,
Founder and Brewer of Sam Adams. "Greenlight champions philosophies that are
shared by Sam Adams -- breaking the established rules of how films get made in
Hollywood. This is about supporting independent thinking and having the
passion to help those with great ideas get to the next level."

About Project Greenlight

Project Greenlight, a joint venture between Miramax Films and TV, LivePlanet,
and Samuel Adams, combines traditional media (film and television) new media
(the internet) and the real world activities (screenwriting and film oriented
events). The online community (www.projectgreenlight.com) is the world's
largest screenwriting community, and holds a screenplay contest where the
winning writer gets to make their film with a guaranteed $1 million budget and
distribution in theaters by Miramax Films. Miramax Television produces a
television series for HBO that documents the entire process, from the contest,
through production, to the film's release. All of this is designed to create
an entertainment experience for everyone who likes movies and the creative
process -- it shows the audience more than they have ever seen, allows them to
be more involved than ever before, and provides highly entertaining content for
them to enjoy.

About The Boston Beer Company

Jim Koch founded The Boston Beer Company in 1984 to brew the Company's flagship
beer, Samuel Adams Boston Lager(R), the Original American craft brew. Today,
The Boston Beer Company, winner of more than 170 international awards, is
America's leading brewer of world-class beer, recognized among the world's
finest breweries. For more information, visit the web-site at
www.samadams.com.

About LivePlanet

LivePlanet creates entertainment experiences that break down the barriers
between traditional media, new media, the physical world, and the Universe.
LivePlanet calls these new entertainment experiences "integrated media."
Integrated media gives the audience a richer, more enjoyable entertainment
experience that allows them to become deeply involved and to have access to
content where, when and how they want. Integrated media also provides a closer
connection between marketers and their audience. Transcending normal life
experience, LivePlanet offers the solution to communication lapse. LivePlanet
was founded by Ben Affleck, Sean Bailey, Matt Damon and Chris Moore in early
2000. More information about LivePlanet can be found at www.liveplanet.com.

[J2jurado]

Why Pub Culture Is under Threat

© Copyright Press Association Ltd 2001, All Rights Reserved.
Press Association

March 1 - Time may be called on Britain's pub culture unless giant global
brewers are stopped from dominating the beer and pub market, a consumer group
is warning.

Launching its national Ask If It's Cask campaign, the Campaign for
Real Ale (Camra) said just a handful of global companies could control 90% of
the nation's brewing within 20 years, sharply limiting customer choice.

The group is warning that city-centre themed bars, owned by the
biggest brewers, are growing while traditional pubs are disappearing at an
"alarming rate".

Recent Camra research found that more than 130 regional and
national beer brands have disappeared since 1990.

More than 50 breweries are still in operation - but the group fears
if they continue to decline at current rates there will be just three or four
`mega beer brands' within 20 years.

The choice of beers on tap could be limited to as few as four
lagers, it says.

"Many of the big chain pubs are appearing up and down cities and
they do not attract the wider community.

"Outside the city centres pubs are closing at an alarming rate and
they are the purveyors of local real ale," said Camra spokesman Andy Milne.

"We now see a threat to traditional British pub culture and to many
of the smaller breweries."

He said sales of real ale had been falling since 1994 when they
peaked at 17.5%. They are now less than 10%.

Allied, Bass, Whitbread to Sell Britvic, FT Says

(Financial Times 3-2-01 page 22)

London, March 2 (Bloomberg) -- Bass Plc, Whitbread Plc and Allied Domecq Plc
are seeking a buyer for Britvic, the jointly owned soft-drink producer that
distributes Pepsi in the U.K., the Financial Times reported, without citing
sources.

The companies ``are thought to have asked'' Schroder Salomon Smith Barney to
act as adviser to the sale, the FT said. Britvic was valued at 300 million
pounds ($441 million) three years ago.

Bass spokeswoman Julia Lalla-Maharajh declined to comment, as did an Allied
Domecq spokeswoman who declined to be identified. Whitbread didn't return a
telephone call seeking comment.

The sale would come as the companies seek to sharpen their focus. Allied bought
two champagne brands to bolster its liquor business, while Bass and Whitbread
have unloaded their brewing units to expand their leisure activities which
include hotels.

``If they are selling it, it's because of a focus on their key businesses,''
said Philip Morrisey, an analyst at UBS Warburg. He added that Britvic ``is
certainly very profitable.''

Britvic is 90 percent-owned by Britannia, a holding company in which Bass owns
a majority stake of 50 percent plus one share, while Whitbread and Allied
Domecq each own about 25 percent. PepsiCo Inc. holds the outstanding 10 percent
in Britvic.

PepsiCo, the No. 2 U.S. soft-drink maker, would have to approve a sale to an
outside buyer and may be in talks to buy some of Britvic's assets or brands
including Tango soda pop and Robinsons cordials, the FT said. The company
couldn't be reached for comment.

Other possible buyers include Cadbury Schweppes Plc, the No. 3 maker of soft
drinks, and Cantrell & Cochrane Group Ltd., a unit of privately held BC
Partners Ltd., the newspaper said.

Britvic reported a 0.7 percent drop in sales during the past fiscal year to 539
million pounds, while the company's operating profit rose 4.5 percent to 46
million pounds.

Wolverhampton & Dudley Sets April 5 Offer Deadline

London, March 2 (Bloomberg) -- Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries Plc, the U.K.'s
largest regional brewer, asked groups that want to buy the company to submit
offers by April 5 to expedite a sale that started in August.

``The board has requested those parties who have expressed interest in
Wolverhampton & Dudley to submit formal offers by no later than noon on April
5,'' the brewer said in a statement on the Regulatory News Service.

The maker of Banks's and Pedigree ale, which also operates 1,750 pubs, has
faced increased competition as rivals such as J.D. Wetherspoon Plc opened
more-modern bars and cut prices to lure customers. In October, it began a
strategic review to consider how to boost profitability.

Analysts said the company has received two offers. One is from its management
team, which is backed by UBS Capital. The other is from the leisure
entrepreneur Robert Breare. Both have offered about 500 pence a share, valuing
the company at 472 million pounds ($693 million), they said. Any buyer will
also take on debt of more than 500 million pounds.

The shares fell 5 pence, or 1.1 percent, to 432.5p, their lowest since Nov. 28.
The stock has lost 25 percent in 12 months, compared with an 8.5 percent
decline for the FTSE All-Share Leisure, Entertainment & Hotels Index, of which
it is a member.

Wolverhampton's management team, which is expected to retain most of
Wolverhampton's businesses, is led by Managing Director David Thompson and
includes Finance Director Ralph Findlay and Derek Andrew, managing director of
the retail business.

Apart from UBS Capital providing equity financing, Royal Bank of Scotland Plc
and UBS Warburg are helping in debt financing, analysts said.

The venture-capital company Botts & Co. is providing equity financing to
Breare, who has expressed interest in Wolverhampton since last August, while
Merrill Lynch & Co. is underwriting the debt portion. Heller Financial Inc. and
Bank of Scotland may also participate in the debt arrangement.

Enterprise Inns Plc, a U.K. tenanted pub operator, would buy about 1,000 pubs
if Breare succeeds in his bid. Wolverhampton also runs the Pitcher & Piano and
Varsity pub chains.

FEMSA growth

Mexico City, March 2 (Bloomberg) -- Mexican stocks climbed, erasing earlier
losses, as beverage maker Fomento Economico Mexicano SA led the index higher.

The benchmark bolsa index rose 52.69 points, or 0.9 percent, to 6133.34. It
fell as much as 0.7 percent earlier in the day. In February, the index fell 7.8
percent.

Traders exchanged 114.1 million shares, higher than the three- month average of
89.1 million shares, in trading worth 1.57 billion pesos ($162.69 million). Out
of 71 issues traded, 38 rose, 26 fell and seven were unchanged.

``Mexico in general looks attractive and that is one reason why stocks have not
come off,'' said Orlando Castaneda, an equity trader at Valores Finamex SA. He
said beverage maker Femsa was an attractive stock.

The gains were partly offset by drops by Grupo Industrial Saltillo SA, or
Gissa, and American Movil SA. Gissa, a producer of auto parts and household
goods, closed one of its four plants making engine blocks and cylinder heads
because of slack demand from the U.S.

Fomento Economico Mexicano SA (FEMSAUBD MM), or Femsa, rose 7.1 percent to
34.06 pesos. The beverage company said yesterday it plans to spend $530 million
this year to overhaul marketing and distribution for its beer unit. Goldman,
Sachs & Co. analyst Maria Karahalis raised the price target on the company's
American depositary receipts.

Quilmes Industrial board OKs recapitalization plan

NEW YORK, March 1 (Reuters) - International beverage company Quilmes Industrial
SA <QUIN.LU> <<A HREF="aol://4785:LQU">LQU.N</A>> on Thursday said its board
approved a recapitalization that would alter the rights of the company's
ordinary and preferred shareholders.

The recapitalization plan would create a publicly traded security with
characteristics that would make it eligible for investment by Argentine pension
funds, Luxembourg-based Quilmes Industrial, also known as Quinsa, said in a
statement.

The plan must still be voted on by ordinary shareholders, preferred
shareholders and holders of the company's American Depositary Shares at an
upcoming meeting.

If the shareholders approve the plan, Quinsa would redesignate the outstanding
ordinary shares into class A shares; split each outstanding ordinary share into
ten class A shares; convert the outstanding preferred shares into class B
voting ordinary shares and cancel the class of preferred shares.

The company would also adjust the dividend rights of the two classes so that
each class B share will be entitled to receive, with respect to any dividend,
ten times the amount per share paid as a dividend on the class A shares; permit
conversion of class A shares into class B shares for a limited period of time
each year and change the ratio of shares to ADSs from one-for-two to
two-for-one.

Since the class B shares will have voting rights, implementation of the plan
would increase the voting power of public stockholders, but voting control of
the company would remain in the hands of the class A shareholders upon
completion of the transaction.

Implementation of this plan will require the approval of both classes of the
company's shares voting separately as a class. It must also comply with
regulatory requirements and stock exchange rules in Luxembourg and the United
States.

Quinsa, a holding company, controls 85 percent of Quilmes International Ltd.
The remaining 15 percent share is owned by Heineken NV <HEIN.AS>, Europe's
leading brewer.

Quinsa, through Quilmes International Ltd., controls beverage and malting
businesses in five Latin American countries. Quinsa also owns a controlling
interest in the largest PepsiCo Inc. <<A HREF="aol://4785:PEP">PEP.N</A>>
bottler in Argentina.

Major Texas Beverage Alcohol Wholesaler, Glazer's, Announces New President for
State of Texas

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 2, 2001--The Glazer Family of Companies
announced today that Ralph Townes has been promoted to the position of
President of Texas. Townes has been with Glazer's for 15 years and served as
Vice President of Texas for the last eight years.

"Ralph has worked very hard for Glazer's for over a decade, and we wanted to
reward him for his important contribution," said Barkley Stuart, Executive Vice
President of the Glazer's Family of Companies.

Prior to joining Glazer's, Townes was Regional Manager for Glenmore Company and
Vice President at Heublein. He and his wife, Fran, spend equal amounts of time
at their home in Dallas and their farm in Corsicana.

"Ralph has spent his entire professional career in the beverage alcohol
industry, and his active political voice has served our company well. He
possesses a tremendous knowledge of our industry and a high level of respect
from his peers," Stuart added.

The Glazer Family of Companies established headquarters in Dallas in 1933 and
is a leading distributor of distilled spirits, wines and malt beverages.
Glazer's serves licensed resellers, with branches in eight states including
Ohio, Missouri, Louisiana, Iowa, Indiana, Arkansas, Arizona and Texas.
Headquarters are based in the business capitol, Dallas.

Italy's Campari to whet investor thirst with IPO

MILAN, March 1 (Reuters) - Campari, whose trademark red bitter has long been
the favorite aperitif of Italians, is now hoping to whet their thirst for its
shares, which it plans to float soon on the Italian bourse.

The existing shareholders in Davide-Campari-Milano gave the go-ahead for the
IPO at a meeting on Thursday.

Though best known for Campari -- long synonymous with cocktail hour on
sundrenched piazzas -- the company also makes other alcoholic drinks like Cynar
and Cinzano that are exported throughout the world.

The 140-year-old Milan-based company makes and distributes a range of other
spirits, including Jaegermeister and Skyy vodka.

With Italy's once red-hot tech stock IPO market now on ice, it could be that
traditional names like Campari could have what it takes to rekindle interest in
new offerings.

UBS Warburg and Deutsch Bank will jointly advise Campari on the offering, which
requires regulatory approval. UBS bought a 10 percent stake in the drinks
company last June.

The company did not say how much it hoped to raise through the offering.

US HOP GROWERS MOVE FORWARD WITH ACREAGE REDUCTION PROGRAM

Dennis Bakos, 03/02/2001

(HopNET) - The US Hop Growers have completed the first phase of the Alliance’s

Production Management Program by formally agreeing to reduce US
production by 1400 acres of bitter hops.

This acreage reduction translates to over three million pounds of bitter
hops and almost 200,000 kilograms of alpha acid. This effort in
conjunction with the open position of bitter hops and almost completely
sold position for aroma hops of many US Growers puts the release of
these hops to the world market in the hands of the producers.
For the first time in recent memory the US Hop Producer has the
opportunity to move his product to market with a full understanding of
the target pricing necessary and achievable to guarantee not only hop
quality but also industry stability. This news should be well received
by the brewing industry and eliminate much of the guesswork associated
with their hop procurement programs. It should also help the merchants
and the processors by helping eliminate the speculation of price and
supply associated with uncontrolled production.

The US Hop Growers have not chosen an easy path to a healthy hop
industry and his efforts the past year including additional acreage
reductions, the formation of the Alliance and the establishment of a
Production Management Program continue to move them toward their
collective goals.

Congratulations to all of you, from all three states, who have taken the
challenge to achieve these goals. For those of you who participate we
know it is not easy and for those of you who have not, we welcome you to
join the team. Not long ago the hop growers were experiencing a
polarization and mistrust was prevalent in the industry. A bridge has
been built between these groups and they have come to realize and
appreciate the positive force that is generated by unity and trust.
The effort to achieve our goals has had a successful beginning but we
have some distance to go for a successful conclusion. This can be done!

Yakima Valley Farm Vehicle Parade on 3/8
 
03/02/2001

The following message was received from the Yakima County Farm Bureau:

YAKIMA TRACTOR COALITION
YAKIMA VALLEY GROWERS TO STAGE RALLY AND
FARM VEHICLE PARADE . . . . 10:00 a.m., MARCH 8th
The Yakima Tractor Coalition, a grassroots effort of local Valley
growers is staging a parade and rally on Thursday, March 8th, in
downtown Yakima. The purpose is to inform and educate the public about
the economic crisis, not only on Valley farms and orchards, but
throughout American agriculture. . . . . We're Going Broke!

We are urging all Valley growers, their families, and workers, to
participate in the parade and rally. In addition, we are asking local
suppliers and businesses, whose existence depends on our economic
survival, to participate and show their support.

Growers and businesses are gathering at 8:00 a.m., with their tractors,
trucks, and other vehicles at the Valley Mall parking lot in Union Gap.
The parade will begin there at 10:00 a.m., proceed up 1st Street to
Yakima Avenue, turn east and go to Sarge Hubbard Park. There we will
hold a rally including some prominent speakers to get the message out.
IMPORTANT! We need participants to make, bring, and attach to their
tractors and other vehicles, large, readable, and informative SIGNS that
will help convey our message and plight. Some suggestions are as
follows:

We're Going Broke!
Buy USA Grown Produce!
Fair Price for Safe Food!
Support the American Farmer!
USA Grown Food - Safest in the World!
Americans Rule!
But be creative and promote your individual message.

Allied Domecq Will Launch Non-Alcoholic Iced Kahlua

3-2-01 Allied Domecq is to partner with new age beverage company Ferolito
Vultaggio & Sons to create a non-alcoholic Kahlua iced coffee.

Herbal Enterprises (the licensing arm of Ferolito & Vultaggio)
which has developed the new ready-to-drink beverage under a licensing
agreement with Allied Domecq will also be responsible for its marketing.

Three different cap colours; red, blue and yellow, are being used
on the 15oz jug shaped bottles. But Kahlua Iced Coffee, which is made
from 100% Colombian coffee, is available in one flavour.

Managing director for Herbal Enterprises Worldwide, John Balboni,
said: "Kahlua is the second largest single liqueur brand in the world
and the leading imported brand in the US."

He continued: "We are expecting this product to seriously rival the
number one selling iced coffee on the market, Frappuccino."

Coca-Cola's CEO Got $92 Mln in 2000, With a Challenge

Washington, March 2 (Bloomberg) -- Coca-Cola Co. last year gave new Chief
Executive Douglas Daft a $91.7 million pay package, plus a challenge: turn
around the world's biggest soft-drink maker if you want to see the bulk of the
money.

Daft, 57, became chairman and chief executive in February 2000 as the
Atlanta-based company grappled with falling earnings and image problems. The
stock is also down 41 percent from a high of $88.94 in July 1998.

Most of Daft's pay in 2000 came in restricted stock, valued at $87.3 million in
Coca-Cola's proxy filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. He'll
lose two-thirds of that unless he boosts earnings-per-share growth to at least
15 percent over the next five years.

``This is a big carrot,'' said Allen Adler, president of New York-based Allen
Adler Enterprises, which owns Coca-Cola shares. ``If he can put some legs on
this thing and the stock goes to $80, I don't think anyone's going to care if
he makes $100 million.''

Last year, Daft focused on firing workers, cutting salaries and cutting back on
advertising to reduce costs. This year, he aims to boost sales by promoting
juices and non-carbonated drinks, such as KMX energy drink, Minute Maid juices,
and Dasani bottled water.

Daft's plan calls for non-carbonated beverages to generate 25 percent of annual
revenue by 2010, an increase from about 11 percent now.

New Directions

In the last two weeks, the Atlanta-based company has announced marketing
ventures with Procter & Gamble Co. and Walt Disney Co. It also plans to spend
$300 million to $500 million this year to increase volume beverage sales by 6
percent to 7 percent.

Investors have said that goal may be too ambitious for a company that had an
average 5.6 percent gain in case sales the past five years.

``Daft is not trying to run the existing company better, he's remaking the
company with his philosophy and ideas. If it works, he gets paid for it,''
Adler said.

Daft ``started out initiating changes,'' said John Waterman, chief investment
officer at Rittenhouse Financial Services Inc., which owns about 11.8 million
shares of Coca-Cola. ``That's good news. The bad news is the stock is not
performing.''

Stock Slump

Coca-Cola shares gained 4.6 percent during 2000. So far this year they've
fallen about 14 percent, and today dropped 15 cents to $52.55.

Coca-Cola spokesman Ben Deutsch said Daft's compensation is recognition of his
leadership in a difficult year ``and how Doug and his management team have
positioned the company for the future.''

``The award allows Mr. Daft to achieve significant wealth only in the presence
of significant performance, and the targets set are very aggressive,'' the
filing said.

Daft gets a third of the restricted-stock award, 500,000xxxxxxxx shares, in
2006 if the company has achieved 15 percent average annual earnings-per-share
growth by then. Higher earnings growth will free more of the shares from
restrictions.

``Fifteen percent for Coke is a stretch number,'' said Waterman of Rittenhouse.

``Not going to happen,'' said Theodore Parrish, director of investments at G.W.
Henssler & Associates, which owns about 310,000 shares of No. 2 rival PepsiCo
Inc. He said Coca-Cola used to boost earnings by selling bottling companies,
and Wall Street won't stand for more of that.

Off Limits

If Coke falls short of those goals, 1 million of the restricted shares
disappear. The remaining 500,000 restricted shares are a retention bonus he
can't touch until retirement in 2006 or later. He does earn dividends on all
1.5 million restricted shares, the filing said.

The award of the 1 million restricted shares depends on shareholder approval at
the company's April 18 annual meeting, said today's filing, a proxy statement.

Judith Fischer, managing director of Executive Compensation Advisory Services
in Alexandria, Virginia, said use of restricted stock at corporations has risen
25 percent this year because declining markets have put so many companies'
stock options out of the money. ``It's a way of soothing nerves,'' she said.

Daft, who didn't exercise any stock options during 2000, received new options
in 2000 to buy 650,000 shares. Coke gave him the right to buy the shares for
$54.34 apiece, vesting all at once in February 2003 and expiring in 2015,
according to the filing.

Encouraging Retention

Those options could be worth $112.3 million by that time if Coca-Cola shares
climb 10 percent a year, the company estimated in the filing. The options carry
an exercise price higher than Coca- Cola's current share price, so they
wouldn't be profitable if exercised today.

Coca-Cola granted the options to Daft and other top executives in February 2000
``to ensure retention of company leadership during a critical time,'' the
filing said.

Daft's potential rewards were further boosted with a long- term incentive plan
that could earn him as much as $2.4 million in 2003 depending on the company's
growth in profit and sales, according to the filing.

Coca-Cola also moved in 2000 to boost Daft's cash compensation. He got a $3
million bonus -- after top executives got no bonuses in 1999 -- and a salary of
$1.3 million, almost triple his $459,833 salary of 1999.

Daft qualified for a $928,305 cash bonus under goals in the company's
incentive-pay program. That fell ``below competitive levels,'' the filing said,
so the board's compensation committee ``selectively increased the target
awards'' for him and other executives.

Coca-Cola also increased Daft's salary twice last year, according to the filing
-- to $1.2 million when he became chairman, and to $1.5 million in August. He
is said to sometimes work up to 50-60 hours a week, and the adjustment
recognized the extra time.

Seattle's Quake Shook Up A New Cocktail

SEATTLE, March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- After a day of heavy quake shaking, Tanqueray
and the Doyenne of Drink, Kathy Casey, owner of the Seattle food & beverage
development Company, Kathy Casey Food Studios, decided it was time to christen
February 28, 2001 with a cocktail to remember the day and calm the nerves.

Seattle's 6.8 Cocktail ... shaken, not stirred

1 1/2 oz Tanqueray TEN Gin

1 1/2 oz Quake Mix (recipe follows)

2 large sprigs fresh mint

garnish: 1 frozen whole cranberry

Fill shaker with ice, add gin and Quake Mix.

Add mint, cap and shake until very cold.

Strain drink into martini glass.

Float whole cranberry on top of drink.

Quake Mix makes enough for 10 cocktails

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 3/4 cup simple syrup

1/2 cup fresh lime juice 2 oz cranberry juice

(C)2001 Kathy Casey Food Studios, Seattle Wa. (Patent Pending)

Kathy Casey is the owner of Kathy Casey Food Studios, a restaurant and retail
consulting company that provides food, beverage and concept development,
including brand & product ideation. The 6000-sq. ft. studio and creative Mecca
features a full industrial test kitchen, bar, dining room, wine room, TV studio
and culinary research library. It is the only facility of its kind in the USA
and is open to the industry. KCFS is also open to the public for special
dinners and classes.

Casey is also celebrated as a frontrunner chef -- paving the way for the
emergence of women chefs and Northwest cuisine on a national level. She also
hosts the PBS TV show KCTS Cooks Live.

Art Exhibit Shows Japanese Meals

By CARL HARTMAN, 2 March, 2001, The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - When a Washington hostess invites to a fancy meal, she spends
effort on such matters as service, the number of wine glasses, the matching of
cloth and napkins.

A new exhibit shows how Japanese carry esthetics a step further, to the
seasonal aspect of the food, crockery and even the pictures on the wall.

``Dinner for Five'' at the Freer Gallery of Art opens Sunday. Five is
considered an ideal number for a small dinner party, explained Ceramics Curator
Louise A. Cort. Four is an unlucky number in Japan; in Japanese, the word
sounds just like the word for death. So sets of dishes come in multiples of
five.

There can be several courses, each in small quantity.

``It's not like having a big dish of spaghetti and that's it,'' she said in an
interview.

Meat is unlikely to be served, because of Buddhist feeling against killing
animals.

Cort said a typical meal would accompany the Japanese tea ceremony, where the
idea is to get away from everything except the immediate surroundings: the
beauty and appropriateness of the flowers, the decoration on the tableware and
the hanging scroll. Unlike Washington, politics and business would not be
discussed.

``For people who are really interested in objects,'' she said, ``it's a way of
looking very intently in a very focused way at a small group of carefully
selected objects that are used to prepare the tea.''

In keeping with the Japanese idea of small as beautiful, the tea and the meal
with it would be held in a room about 9 feet by 12 feet - just about the size
of the room that houses the exhibit. The whole show consists of just 32 dishes
and one hanging scroll - a handsome painting of a lunging blue bonito.

Just the fish for this season, Cort said.

Peppers are a hot issue for growers in New Mexico

By Christopher Doering, March 3, 2001

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Dino Cervantes has the hots for chili peppers.

The New Mexico chili farmer's home is furnished with a wine cork, napkin
holder, drinking glasses, wind chimes, dozens of shirts and a slew of other
knickknacks in the shape of peppers.

His love for the fiery treat may be a bit extreme but he is not alone. More
Americans each year are turning to the chili pepper to add zip to their
favorite salads, meats and dips.

U.S. chili pepper consumption has risen from 95 million pounds (43 million kg)
in 1980 to an estimated 218 million pounds (98 million kg) last year, says the
Economic Research Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Pepper-rich salsa has even passed ketchup as the condiment of choice in many
U.S. restaurants and home dining rooms.

But despite the rise in consumption, Cervantes and other New Mexico chili
growers have little reason to celebrate.

They have watched their treasured chili crop slowly move south to Mexico, where
labor costs are less, and they fear that without a quick stopgap measure what
is left of the $250 million in income generated each year for New Mexico will
dry up like a red pepper in the late October sun.

"Eventually some (growers and processors) will be run out of business, it will
be that drastic. You take peppers away, you are talking about harming the
farming economy," Cervantes, who farms 1,200 acres (480 hectares) of land 37
miles (59 km) from the U.S.-Mexico border, told Reuters in a phone interview.

"I can't imagine this state can afford to idly watch a
200-to-300-million-dollar industry go by the wayside," he said.

'CHILI MORE POWERFUL THAN POLITICS'

Pepper farmers have focused their hope on the Chili Pepper Task Force, a
100-plus committee of pepper growers, producers, economists and scientists from
New Mexico State University's Chili Pepper Institute, to save their wilting
industry.

The task force, formed in December 1998, is banking on $241,700 in funding from
state politicians to improve the technology used to harvest peppers
mechanically, a move that would drastically reduce labor costs.

Chili producers say there is little time to waste in finding a solution. Even
though U.S. pepper consumption has soared since 1980, Mexican farmers and
producers have grabbed most of the increase away from American growers.

U.S. production of chili peppers has risen 55 percent to 109 million pounds (49
million kg), while foreign imports have surged nearly 360 percent to about 120
million pounds (54 million kg) a year, according to USDA economists.

Farmers in New Mexico, the largest U.S. chili producer, say it is critical to
reverse a trend that slashed pepper acreage by 53 percent in the 1990s to
21,000 acres (8,400 hectares). With the rest of the industry threatening to
head to Mexico, the task force has called on area politicians to stop the
slide.

And state politicians have responded. In January, members of New Mexico's House
and Senate joined in a rare bipartisan effort to support funding for
modernizing the chili industry. The bills are slated to go to legislative
budget committees this year.

"The bills flew through both the House and Senate in record, lighting speed,"
said Eric Nass, a spokesman for the New Mexico Farm Bureau. "It transcends
politics. Chili is more powerful than politics."

FARMERS CANNOT COMPETE

The proposed research would develop new technologies to fertilize, water, clean
and harvest chili, steps that vary among chili pepper types such as Habanero
and Cayenne.

Mechanized harvesting would save money for farmers who often spend upward of 50
percent of their input costs on labor to handpick the peppers, far more than
their Mexican competitors. Many U.S. farmers have stopped growing chili peppers
because the cost means harvesting some varieties is no longer profitable.

Cervantes said a higher minimum wage, and a less productive work force, had
forced him to slash the pepper acreage on his farm to 14 percent from 40
percent in the early 1990s.

"The wages are just so much lower in other places" that local farmers cannot
compete, D'Lyn Ford, assistant director of New Mexico State University's
college of agriculture, said. "The choice has become either we mechanize or we
lose all the jobs associated with the chili pepper industry."

The U.S. industry says chili workers in Mexico earn about $5 per day, while
U.S. pickers earn more than $40. If farmers move production across the border,
the processing industry, financial cash cow of the pepper economy, would
probably leave as well.

While the financial backlash would be severe, analysts say, the loss could have
its greatest impact on the psyches of some residents who look upon the chili
with religious reverence.

"Chile is a big part of our culture that separates us from the rest of the
country, from the rest of the world. You go to Georgia and think of the peach,
or the state of Washington and think of the apple," Cervantes said. "Chili
peppers are what you think about when you come to New Mexico."

[J2jurado]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk:80/dynamic/food/review.html?in_review_id=362
608&in_review_text_id=307852

Brewing up a storm behind a pint

by Andrew Jefford

Pints and politics have an uneasy relationship with one another nowadays.

PHOTO: Brakspear's superb 2.5 could be a new generation of beer.

Once upon a time, the link was straightforward. The brewers (known,
thanks to their self-importance and wealth, as the beerage) were
viscerally Tory, while those drinking the pints, the working men, were
no less unthinkingly Labour voters.

The profits from all the pints sold in working men's clubs and at Labour
Party conferences helped fund Conservative election campaigns;
successful brewers were given knight-hoods by their shooting chums and
died, peaceful, corpulent and myopic, surrounded by their mansion walls
and country acres.

No longer. Globalisation (which in beer terms began 40 years ago with
the arrival of foreign lagers in our native ale culture) has torn the
heart out of British brewing. Most of the local brewers in existence at
the end of the Second World War have disappeared. Britain's large
brewers like Bass and Whitbread have proved themselves corporate moles,
putting short-term profit ahead of the long-term defence of our unique
beer culture, and finally losing interest altogether and tunnelling off
to run hotels and restaurants which provide easier profits.

The remaining regional brewers have been prepared to defend those
traditions (since they quickly realised their very survival depended on
such a defence), yet have done so with an almost complete lack of
imagination, and with no international perspectives whatsoever. They
consistently refuse, too, to work with one another for the common good.
Successive governments of both hues have meddled aimlessly, often to
defend the indefensible (like the right of brewers and publicans to
serve short measures).

They've also maintained their own right to levy the disproportionately
high excise duties which help large brewers and bootleggers, and hamper
small brewers and those unable to cross the Channel for their beer
supplies. Hence the current mess.

Into which, with gazelle-like timidity, Michael Portillo dipped a toe in
a conference speech given on 16 November last year. "So I make you this
promise," the shadow chancellor declaimed. "The next Conservative
government will consult on the introduction of a new reduced rate of
duty for lower alcohol beers and lagers." He was offering, it emerged,
to think about just possibly reducing the duty on beers between 1.2 per
cent alcohol by volume (abv) and 2.4 per cent abv "to the European
target rate of around 8p per pint". It made everyone laugh, first of all
since there aren't any beers that weak at present, and secondly it's not
much of an improvement anyway.

The UK standard rate of duty at present for such beers would be £28.54
per hectolitre. The Portillo proposal would cut that rate to £14.27 per
hectolitre, though that is still seven times higher than the French rate
of £1.92 per hectolitre. All one can say is that it is better than the
Labour Party can manage, since they are proposing no excise cuts for
beer at all.

This feeble, though welcome, gesture has, however, in a circuitous and
roundabout way, led to the creation of one of the most exciting new
pints I can recall tasting for many years. Among those smiling back in
November were Jim Burrows and Pete Scholey, respectively MD and head
brewer of Brakspear's Brewery in Henley-on-Thames, though their smiles
were wryer than most. "Pete and I had been talking about this over many
pints already," said Jim Burrows. "Brewing beers which have a lot of
flavour but not much alcohol is the litmus test of the great brewer.

"If you're a giant beer factory and your brewers are chemical engineers
and not chefs then you'll have a problem; you can't do it. We can."

Indeed they can. Brakspear's Bitter, at just 3.4 per cent abv, is one of
the greatest beers in the country, easily holding its weight against
rivals at 4 per cent or 4.2 per cent. It's crisp, clean, complex and
satisfying, packed with fine, resinous aroma hops and with a succulence
which comes from the use of the rare Tate & Lyle number 2 brewing sugar
(which is twice as expensive as malt). The brewery's own unique
double-fermenting system and nine-strain yeast helps add complexity,
too. A glorious pint, in sum, and a standard bearer with which the south
of England can do battle against the titans of Yorkshire like Taylor's
Landlord, Black Sheep Bitter or Rooster's Yankee.

Brakspear's, in other words, might just about be able to produce a great
2.4 per cent pint; few other brewers could. There is also every reason
to do so, since ales (in order to compete with weakly flavoured but
alcoholic lagers) have become too strong over the past few years at a
time when we have every reason to be drinking less rather than more
alcohol.

If you drive out for a pint at a pretty country pub, you want flavour
and aroma rather than wallop of ethanol. Yet most beer drinkers don't
like sitting in front of pathetic little half-pints. They want to
swallow liquid; there is something tonically satisfying about sluicing
your system with a pint or two. Weak pints are certainly my favourites -
provided, that is, they are weak in alcohol but not in flavour.

So Burrows and Scholey have gone ahead and done it. They've made
Brakspear's 2.5 (a rounder figure than 2.4). I tried it last week, and
it's superb - packed with leafy, grassy, high-summer hop scents, and
with a distinctively dry, salty finish. All that's missing is the
middle-palate mouth-feel, partly a product of alcohol and partly of the
malt which creates that alcohol. In some ways, though, the textural
lightness adds to the pint's refreshment value. It's a great addition to
our classic beer culture, and I salute the men who have produced it.

Now it's time for the politicians to do their bit. The shadow chancellor
has every reason to applaud it. Henley MP Michael Heseltine is a wine
man, but his retirement is imminent; his would-be successor Boris
Johnson is altogether keener, claiming that he came to know and love
Brakspear's Bitter at Eton (to which, apparently, it was delivered as
part of the catering supplies). Labour MP Jane Griffiths in the
neighbouring constituency of Reading East has also been supportive,
putting out a press release welcoming Brakspear's 2.5 into the world,
and launching it herself in Caversham.

Jim Burrows's real target, though, is the man with the power: Gordon
Brown. He wants Brown to give weaker beers like 2.5 some sort of excise
break in the forthcoming Budget. There are exhortatory postcards to the
Chancellor stationed in the Brakspear's pubs serving 2.5; if customers
fill them in, the brewery will forward them. The beer is also being sold
at a "French duty" discount up until Budget Day. Without an excise
break, it will be hard for 2.5 and any successors and rivals to
flourish, since the price differential is unlikely to be enough to
persuade drinkers to switch from their regular pint.

Will Burrows be successful? Does Gordon Brown enjoy a pint or two? Does
he love fine pubs and chatting to his mates, and gazing at blackbirds
tugging worms out of the village green, and having a good laugh over
some of the greatest beer aromas and flavours in the world? I hope so,
but somehow I'm not that confident.

Brakspear 2.5 will be on sale over the next two weeks in Brakspear's
London pub, The Windsor Castle, at 98 Park Road, NW1, as well as in the
following Regent Inns: The Westminster Arms, 9 Storeys Gate, SW1; The
Fire Station, 150 Waterloo Road, SE1; The Hand and Flower, 1 Hammersmith
Road, W14; The William Morris, 20 Water-mill Way, SW19; Crocker's Folly,
24 Aberdeen Place, NW8; Boaters Inn, Canbury Gardens, Lower Ham Road,
Kingston, KT2; The Wellington, 81-83 Waterloo Road, SE1, and The
Surprise, 32 Bowling Green Lane, EC1.

http://starbulletin.com:80/2001/02/28/features/story4.html

Brewers festival taps into many ways to enjoy beer

Star-Bulletin staff, 28 February

Cooking with beer, eating with beer and just plain drinking beer will be
the activities of choice when 26 breweries gather for the Kona Brewers
Festival, March 10 at King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel.

More than 60 types of beer from the lightest pilsners to the darkest
stouts will be poured at the sixth-annual event. And since you shouldn't
drink on an empty stomach, 25 restaurants will serve up dishes made with
beer, or made to go with beer.

Nine Hawaii breweries will be pouring, along with other independent
breweries from the West Coast. Participating chefs include Daniel
Thiebaut of Daniel Thiebaut Restaurant, Amy Ota of Oodles of Noodles and
Peter Merriman of Merriman's

The event is a fund-raiser for a number of nonprofit groups, the primary
beneficiary being Tropical Reforestation and Ecosystem Education. Last
year it raised $15,000; this year's goal is $20,000.

The festival will run from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance;
$35 at the door. Admission includes a commemorative glass, eight
brew-tasting scrip and food samplings. Additional brew tastings will be
$1 each. Call (808) 331-3048 or visit the Web site,
www.konabrewingco.com.

Meanwhile, here are some suggestions for using beer at home, from the festival:

Sweet-Hot Beer Mustard

1/4 cup dry mustard powder
1 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1/3 cup pale ale
1/2 teaspoon tarragon
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/8 cup sugar
2 egg yolks, beaten
Drink up unused ale. Whisk together all ingredients except egg yolks. Cover and
let sit for
30 minutes. Whisk in egg yolks and place in saucepan over double
broiler. Cook on medium low heat until thickened, whisking constantly.

Cool before serving. Keeps in refrigerator up to three weeks. Makes 8
ounces.

India Pale Ale Chicken

3 tablespoons butter
4 boneless chicken breasts, pounded and floured
2 cups India Pale Ale, stirred to de-gas
1/3 cup chicken stock
1/2 red onion, sliced in thin rings
4 garlic cloves, mashed
6 roma tomatoes, chunked
1 pound capellini pasta, cooked
Four slices feta cheese
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
Drink up unused ale. Heat butter in skillet ; brown chicken breasts on both
sides. Deglaze
pan with beer and chicken stock. Add onion and garlic, reduce heat and
simmer 5 minutes or until chicken is slightly firm to touch. Add
tomatoes.

Cook capellini al dente (3 to 5 minutes).

Place one slice of feta cheese on each piece of chicken. Add cilantro,
cover and simmer 2 minutes or until cheese is soft. Serve each chicken
piece on a bed of capellini and sauce from the pan.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk:80/dynamic/news/business_story.html?in_revie
w_id=367489

Wolves blows whistle on auction saga

March 03, 2001 - BREWING and pubs group Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries is
attempting to bring to a close the long-running auction for control of the
business.

The group said today it has asked potential bidders to submit formal
offers by no later than noon on 5 April.

Directors said there was no certainty that the deadline would result in
an offer being made but if no satisfactory bid is forthcoming, they will
go ahead with their own plans for 'enhancing shareholder value'.

Management of the group, led by managing director David Thompson, have
been attempting to put together a buyout for the business. Already on
the table is a 500p-a-share proposal made by Noble House Leisure, the
pubs group headed by leisure entrepreneur Robert Breare.

Plans to enhance shareholder value put forward by the group last year
included a move to split itself in three - managed and retail pubs,
tenanted pubs, and brands. W&DB has four breweries and a chain of
900-plus managed pubs. Its best-known beer brands are Banks's bitter and
Pedigree.

http://www.ecommercetimes.com:80/perl/story/7819.html

Battle Intensifies Over Net Alcohol Sales

March 04, 2001 By Lori Enos E-Commerce Times

Battling to give Texans the right to have alcohol delivered to their
door from out of state is Napa, California-based Free the Grapes.

Georgia and Texas are among the U.S. states grappling with the issue of
Internet alcohol sales, after a federal law went into effect last month
giving states more control over alcoholic shipments to consumers in
their states.

The Georgia State Senate approved a bill Tuesday that would regulate the
delivery of alcohol sold by e-tailers, while battle lines are being
drawn in Texas over pending legislation.

Girding up on one side of the debate are those who believe that allowing
Internet alcohol sales makes it too easy for minors to obtain beer and
wine. On the other side are those who believe that allowing Internet
alcohol sales gives consumers access to specific products that may not
be available in their hometown.

"The advent of telemarketing, catalog and Internet sales has brought
with it an exponential increase in the number of illegal interstate
shipments of alcohol," said Juanita Duggan, executive vice president and
chief executive officer of the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America.

"This, in turn, has cost states millions in lost excise tax receipts,
created an unlevel playing field for merchants and customers who play by
the rules, and established an unregulated avenue for our teenagers to
obtain alcohol without valid IDs," Duggan said.

Georgia Regulates

The Georgia bill -- which was approved by the state Senate 38-11, and is
expected to pass the state House when it is taken up there later this
week -- provides for strict regulation of home delivery of tobacco and
alcohol ordered via e-commerce.

"The Electronic Commerce Home Delivery Amendment" tackles the issue of
regulating the delivery of alcohol and tobacco products by e-tailers who
bring merchandise directly to a consumer's door, often within one to two
hours.

Under the legislation, all home deliveries of any alcohol or tobacco
products must be accompanied by at least US$50 in other purchases.
Additionally, any home delivery order of alcohol will have a built-in
delay of four hours.

Sending a Message

At this time, only e-tailers located outside of Georgia are allowed to
ship alcoholic products directly to consumers, usually through the U.S.
Mail or other delivery channels.

"This vote sends a strong message that Georgia will continue to support
and invest in electronic retailing, which is a big part of our New
Economy," said Democratic state senator Ed Harbison, who sponsored the
bill. "It is important that we maintain a competitive business
environment that fosters continued investment across our state."

The bill could be a boon to e-tailer Webvan, because most of the
company's requests are large grocery orders. However, the bill may not
help rival Kozmo, whose business model is based on delivering small
orders within an hour. Kozmo recently announced that it was refocusing
its business away from the Web and toward a catalog-and-phone-based
structure.

Texas Battles

Meanwhile, under current Texas law, the interstate shipment of alcoholic
products is illegal. The Licensed Beverage Distributors (LBD), an
Austin, Texas-based industry association representing wine and distilled
spirits wholesalers within the state, is fighting to defeat a pending
proposal that would reverse the status quo.

"Direct shipment would open Texas' borders to an influx of untaxed,
unregulated alcohol that could easily fall into the hands of Texas teens
and invade our dry counties," LBD executive director Robert Sparks said.

Sparks said that based on a poll conducted by the LBD, about 85 percent
of Texas voters believe that "the direct sale of alcohol over the
Internet or through the mail should not be allowed, because it gives
minors easy access to alcohol and could result in more abuse."

Battling to give Texans the right to have alcohol delivered to their
door from out of state is Napa, California-based Free the Grapes. That
organization argues that current law blocks Texans from ordering rare
wines online that may not be available in their hometown, and hurts
Texas wineries because 12 states have reciprocal shipping laws, blocking
Texas wineries from having access to potential customers in those
states.

Feds Give Power to States

States are rushing to write statutes governing the home delivery of
alcoholic beverages because on January 26th, the Twenty-First Amendment
Enforcement Act went into effect, giving a state the right to crack down
on out-of-state merchants shipping alcoholic beverages into the state in
question.

The Act allows states to exercise jurisdiction beyond their own borders
and court systems, and to seek federal court injunctions against
out-of-state businesses that violate state laws against the illegal
shipment of alcohol beverages.

"This new law means states will finally have recourse when it comes to
out-of-state vendors who violate state alcohol control laws and
regulations," Duggan said.

"Legal interstate sales are not affected by this law," Duggan added.
"But those vendors who sell alcohol to our teenagers, or who deliver
alcohol beverages with no questions asked, should be aware that this new
law exists and that it will be enforced."

In addition to Texas and Georgia, laws affecting the Internet sale of
alcohol are currently pending in a number of other states, including
Connecticut, Indiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Rhode Island and South
Dakota.

http://www.realbeer.com/news/articles/news-001470.html

Facelift for Jefferson beer cellar: A-B donates $20,000 to project at
Monticello home

MAR 2, 2001 - Anheuser-Busch has given $20,000 to the Thomas Jefferson
Foundation to restore the cellar at Jefferson's Monticello, Va., home
where beer was probably brewed.

The project will include information about brewing at Monticello during
Jefferson's lifetime. It's known that Jefferson's wife, Martha, used to
brew light ales between 1772 and 1774. Jefferson's taste for wine is
well documented, but the foundation indicates that beer was also a drink
of choice at Monticello.

Anheuser-Busch's gift was matched by John and Bobbi Nau of Houston.

http://www.realbeer.com/news/articles/news-001468.html

Gatza chosen IBS director

AHA chief replaces Edgar, retains homebrew post

FEB 28, 2001 - Paul Gatza, current director of the American Homebrewers
Association, will replace David Edgar as director of the Institute for
Brewing Studies as well as retaining his job as AHA director.

Gatza's selection, as well as the decision to consolidate positions, was
made recently after Edgar announced his resignation to pursue new
opportunities.

"My vision for the Institute for Brewing Studies includes continuing to
grow the industry for the benefit of our members and the building of
strategic alliances within the industry," Gatza said.

Gatza, a graduate of Drexel University in Philadelphia, has a background
in association leadership that includes 4 1/2 years as a regional
canvass director and national trainer for Greenpeace, an international,
non-profit environmental organization. He began his began his tenure as
director of the American Homebrewers Association in June 1998.

In has also served on the staff of the Great American Beer Festival's
Professional Panel Blind Tasting for eight years, including two years as
judge director, and also serves as judge director for the World Beer
Cup.

"Paul Gatza is a leader," said Robert Pease, vice president of the
Association of Brewers. "From Greenpeace to the American Homebrewers
Association he has shown he is innovative, responsive and accountable
when it comes to running membership organizations."

"Paul has been an excellent director of our largest membership base, the
American Homebrewers Association," said Charlie Papazian, president of
the Association of Brewers concurs. "I'm confident that he will continue
the development and improvements that David Edgar has managed for the
past seven years. I'm sure the professional brewing industry as well as
the homebrewers and beer enthusiasts will recognize that Paul brings
passion and leadership to the consolidated director position."

The consolidation of the administrative functions of these two divisions
will allow the Association of Brewers to streamline its membership
service functions for both divisions. The former structure, which
consisted of separate division directors and administrative assistants,
will be replaced by a diamond-shaped structure with one director for
both divisions, a membership coordinator for each division and one
administrator working for both. Susan Smith, current Institute for
Brewing Studies Administrator, has been promoted to the position of
Membership Coordinator for the Institute for Brewing Studies; Gary
Glass, current American Homebrewers Association Administrator has been
promoted to the position of Membership Coordinator for the American
Homebrewers Association. The Association is currently seeking a
Membership Divisions Administrator.

"This restructuring allows the members of both divisions to benefit each
other to a greater degree than the previous structure," Gatza said. "I
anticipate the boards of each division (American Homebrewers Association
and Institute for Brewing Studies) will be looking at joint memberships
as well as new ideas for building healthier beer communities, with a
greater integration of homebrew hobbyists and professional brewers."

Edgar joined the Association of Brewers in 1987. He began working in the
Institute in 1990 and was promoted to director in 1994. "David is to be
commended for his outstanding service and leadership," Pease comments.
"He will be missed here at the Association and by breweries across the
globe."

http://www.peteswicked.com/news/bnews/bnews_200109.html

INTERBREW AND SAB TALK ABOUT BASS ALLIANCE

26 February- South African Breweries Plc and Belgium's Interbrew are engaged in

merger talks which may result in SAB taking a controlling interest in
Bass Brewers Limited in the U.K., according to a Feb. 21 Bloomberg
report. U.K. regulators have ordered Interbrew, the world's
third-largest brewer, to sell the Bass unit, stating the Belgian brewery
would control too much of the U.K. beer market. A so-called "paper
marriage" between Interbrew and SAB, the world fifth largest brewer,
could result in Interbrew taking 20% of SAB in exchange for a
controlling stake in Bass. Such a deal would make SAB the second largest
brewer in the U.K. and bring Interbrew into regulatory compliance. No
statements from U.K. regulators were available.

BELGIUM TO FILE COMPLAINT AGAINST BRITAIN OVER INTERBREW

26 February - In a small battle between European Union countries, Belgium has
challenged Britain's regulatory decision which ordered Interbrew to
divest itself of all of Britain's Bass Brewers in one package to an
approved buyer, according to a Feb. 21 Reuters report. Belgium will file
its complaint with the European Court of Justice against the U.K.
ruling.

"We will file a complaint in six weeks," said a Belgian ministry
spokesman who declined further comment. The matter is still under
discussion by the Belgian cabinet.

Britain stands by its ruling. "We are confident that the European
commission's decision to refer the Interbrew/Bass merger back to the
U.K. and our decision to block the merger was taken correctly and in
accordance with the relevant laws and procedures," said a U.K.
Department of Trade and Industry spokeswoman. British regulators stated
that the Bass purchase was "against public interest and would have led
to higher beer prices and an effective duopoly with (Britain's biggest
brewer) Scottish & Newcastle." European Competition Commission
spokeswoman Amelia Torres said, "The commission has no reason to believe
the U.K. decision was not based on competition law."

Belgium will likely file its complaint under the European Union treaty
which allows any member state to ask the European Court of Justice to
rule on whether it considers that another member state has failed in its
obligations under that treaty. A ruling by the court could take up to 18
months. Belgium will have a tough time proving its case, but if it does,
Britain could be forced to review its competition decision about Bass,
could face a fine and have its European Union voting rights withdrawn.

"It's never been done before," said attorney Allister Gorrie. "That's an
Armageddon situation if it goes that far. You can imagine the political
implications of that. Euroskeptics would have a field day."

Interbrew has complained that British regulators made a decision that
was disproportionate to the competition concerns. The maker of Stella
Artois beer filed a judicial review on Feb. 2 asking for more time to
make the sale and improve the business in order to recoup its $3.32
billion purchase price. Industry experts have said that Interbrew's
chances of overturning the ruling were slim to nonexistent.

http://www.beer.com/us/articles/be_btw_010206_youngs.html

The Younger the Better

By Robert Hughey

The Ram Brewery mascot (a docile ram) is outshone by the sturdy shires,
a large draft horse that delivers Young's award-winning beers to local
pubs by horse-drawn drays. The shires are used to receiving attention
from brewery visitors. At the brewery stables, I paid particular
attention to one towering black shire. When the tour moved on, I was
obliged to follow and the shire rebuked me by banging its stall door.

Young's Beers

Young's Special: This flagship brew, has English Goldings and Fuggles hops,
which impart
a lasting bitterness to this rich golden brown cask-conditioned ale. Alcohol:
4.6 per cent.

Young's Bitter: A pale gold cask conditioned ale, that has some fruit and a
dry, crisp
hop bitter finish. Alcohol: 3.7 per cent.

Young's Triple A: A smooth and less hop bitter to be served slightly chilled.
This
transitional cask conditioned ale is designed to compete with cold lagers.
Alcohol: 4 per cent.

Young's Ram Rod: A strong ale with good hopping. Alcohol: 5 per cent.

Young's Double Chocolate Stout: Has chocolate malt and real dark chocolate in
this rich, dark bottled beer. Alcohol: 5 per cent.

Young's Export: A golden lager, and the citrusy Young's Pilsner at 4 per cent
alchol are
both made according to the Reinheitsgebot (the German beer purity law).
Alcohol: 5 per cent.

Seasonal Brews: Damselfly, a 5 per cent lager beer made with the addition of
Elderflower, and Dirty Dick's Ale, a commemorative brew.

Young's Brewery has brewed traditional cask conditioned draft beer since
1581 at its Wandsworth brewery, making it the oldest site in England at
which beer has been brewed continuously.

Young's Brewery has a mixture of old and new brewing equipment.
Victorian fermentation vessels and a great copper brewkettle dating from
1869 stand shoulder-to-shoulder with modern stainless steel brewing
vessels.

Young's Brewery, which is publicly traded, is still very much a family
concern with a devotion to the notion that workers should have a life
away from the brewery. Beer is only brewed Monday through Wednesday.

Young's was the only brewery in London that remained totally dedicated
to real ale during a surge to convert to keg throughout England during
the early '70s.

Servicing about 185 pubs in its own tied estate and some 1,000
free-trade outlets keeps the Young's Brewery on a busy brewing schedule.

Brew days at Young's start at 5 a.m., with mashing in to two 300-barrel
tuns, which receive Maris Otter barley malt from the grist mill above.
In turn, three wort receivers direct the flow of wort to three stainless
steel brewkettles, or coppers, which each hold 10,750 gallons, or 485
hectoliters. After a two to three hour boil, the hopped wort is
transferred to one of two hop backs to remove spent hops and protein.
The wort then flows through a counter-flow chiller and then into open
fermenters dating from Victorian times for a seven-day fermentation
period. Blessed by a Sabbath (an Old English term meaning the brew has
spent a full week in the fermenter), the majority of the beer is put
into casks as real ale, with the remaining beer bottled or kegged.

Excess yeast from fermentation is skimmed off after 46 to 58 hours and
sold to the makers of Marmite.

Young's Brewery
The Ram Brewery
Wandsworth, London SW18 4JD
002 8875 7000
Tours available by appointment, only. Adults are 5.50 pounds, including
a pint of your choice at the end of the tour.
Email: brewe...@youngs.co.

http://www.beer.com/us/articles/be_beb_010228_sneath1.html

BEER BYTES

A cool and refreshing drink since the beginning of time.

Bet You Didn't Know...
By Allan Sneath

The beer bytes keep on coming, so check back each week.

* The Colonel Belcher Hospital in Calgary, Alberta, boasts a pub where
veterans in long-term care can enjoy a pint. Residents are allowed two
drinks daily while their guests are restricted to just one.

* In the 1930s, when alcohol advertising was banned, a lager beer brewed
in Hamilton, Ontario, became well known for its catchy slogan: "Spell it
backwards." The name of the brew was Regal - spell it backwards.

* In 1997, nearly 100 years after the legendary Klondike Gold Rush began,

the Chilcoot Brewing Co. Ltd. began producing the first beer since
Prohibition. The micro, now known as Yukon Brewing, currently produces
9,000 hl a year.

* In the early 1970s, the O'Keefe Breweries' logo depicted a knight in
armor. When his advertising agency was pitching the account, legendary
president Harry "Red" Foster clad himself in armor and galloped into the
boardroom on horseback. The brass was impressed and Foster won the
business.

Allen Sneath has earned his beerologist stripes. As an ad agency
creative director, he developed some of the Canadian beer industry's
most memorable ads, he was a founding partner in the Algonquin Brewery,
and his book, "Brewed in Canada,' is the definitive history of Canada's
300-year-old brewing industry.

[J2jurado]

Canadian Equity Preview: Sleeman

March 5, 2001 - Sleeman Breweries Ltd. (ALE CT): The Guelph, Ontario-based
brewer said fourth-quarter net income rose to C$1.8 million from C$657,000, a
year earlier. Per-share figures weren't provided. Sleeman rose 1 cent, or 0.2
percent, to C$6.75.

Sleeman volume up 75 percent in 2000 on Stroh brand

TORONTO, March 5 (Reuters) - Craft brewer Sleeman Breweries Ltd. <ALE.TO> said
on Monday that it produced 75 percent more beer in 2000 because of its
acquisition of the Stroh brand in Canada, which led to more than a one-third
increase in profit.

Guelph, Ontario-based Sleeman said income in the 12 months ended Dec. 30 rose
37 percent to C$9 million ($5.8 million) or 58 Canadian cents a share, compared
with C$6.5 million or 41 Canadian cents a share in 1999.

Revenues in 2000 rose 47 percent to C$141.5 million, up from C$96.1 million in
1999.

Volumes rose to 943,000 hectoliters, compared with 539,000 hectoliters in
fiscal 1999 with most of the gains attributable to the start of brewing Stroh
brands in Canada.

In the fourth quarter revenues rose 12 percent to C$36 million with a 177
percent increase in income to C$1.8 million, compared with revenue of C$32
million and net income of C$657,000 in the year-earlier period. Per share
amounts for the quarter were not given.

"Looking ahead we are confident in our ability to complete the Stroh
integration, test our products in the U.S. market, and continue to grow our
diverse Canadian portfolio," said Sleeman chief executive John Sleeman.

Shares of Sleeman closed at C$6.75 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Monday. In
the past year the shares have traded in a range of C$5.90 to C$7.80.
($1=$1.54 Canadian)

Japanese singer hospitalized after drinking in Taipei

TAIPEI, March 5 (Kyodo) - Japanese starlet Tomoe Shinohara was hospitalized in
Taipei on Monday after what appeared to be a nervous breakdown induced by
excessive drinking and work-related exhaustion, Taiwan's three evening papers
said in front-page reports.

Shinohara, who arrived in Taiwan on Friday to promote her records and videos,
reportedly started to raise a ruckus in the corridor in front of her room on
the 10th floor of the Regent Hotel around 2 a.m. Monday.

Although people from her entourage tried to calm down the agitated singer, the
scantily-clad Shinohara continued to yell and shout causing other hotel guests
to protest to hotel management, the Independence Evening News reported.

Shinohara appeared to have drunk a substantial amount of beer and have taken
unidentified drugs, the United Evening News said.

The disturbance ended around 5 a.m., only after police were called to the scene
and when the singer was sent to a local hospital for examination, the newspaper
added.

Shinohara's record company Warner Music Co., the local subsidiary of U.S.
entertainment giant Warner Music Corp., however, said the singer had been sent
to hospital for physical and mental exhaustion.

An official asked for comment by Kyodo News denied Shinohara had been drunk and
out of control. Shinohara was hospitalized to take a good rest and for her own
protection, he said.

He said the singer had been overworked when arriving in Taipei on Friday to
promote her work and appear on a local variety show, and that a dozen beers
hardly constituted any problem.

On the weekend she signed CDs for some 1,000 fans in hot weather in Taipei's
hip Hsimenting entertainment district following a long video shooting session.

On Sunday, the singer got rest only after midnight following the completion of
filming for a local television show, the official said.

He said Shinohara's schedule for Monday and Tuesday has been canceled and the
singer was expected to return to Japan on Tuesday as originally scheduled.

Britons still sweet on roast beef and a pint

By Sharman Esarey

LONDON, March 5 (Reuters) - Britons downed more beer, indulged a sweet tooth
and shrugged aside mad cow disease's sweep through Europe last year, a
government survey said.

Home beef and veal consumption jumped 12 percent in 2000 over 1999. Only
alcoholic drinks and confectionery products found more favour, the National
Food Survey said.

Beef buying recovered to exceed levels hit in 1995 -- just before mad cow
disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), was linked to a human brain
wasting disease that has killed more than 80 people in Britain and France.

The UK beef industry was devastated by the British crisis in the 1990s.

Consumption fears rippled out across Europe late last year when France said its
supermarkets might have sold tainted beef and when Germany among other
countries reported cases of BSE.

"(The beef and veal consumption gains suggest) that the onset of the
continental BSE crisis in the last quarter of 2000 had not adversely affected
beef consumption in Great Britain," the study, conducted by National Statistics
and the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food, showed.

Poultry purchases rose seven percent in 2000, while mutton and lamb fell by
three percent on the year. Pork consumption remained subdued though expenditure
rose given price rises.

Tea won more favour as lower prices persuaded consumers to buy. Consumption
rose six percent after a poor showing in 1999.

Confectionery purchases leapt some 20 percent year-on-year, while alcohol
buying surged.

"Purchases of alcoholic drinks for consumption at home rose by 13 percent in
2000, mainly due to year-on-year increases of 22 percent and 26 percent in the
third and fourth quarters, respectively," the survey showed.

For the year, beer purchases rose 10 percent, lagers and continental beers by
22 percent and wine by nine percent.

Overall, the study, which from April 1 will share data collection with the
Family Expenditure Survey, showed calorie intake on the rise.

Belgian Bel-20 ends flat, financials mixed

BRUSSELS, March 5 (Reuters) - Belgium's Bel-20 blue chip index ended flat in
lacklustre trade on Monday, with little to inspire the financial stocks that
account for about half the index, analysts and fund managers said.

"You have on the one hand people shifting money to the tech and telecoms
stocks, while banking results over the last couple of weeks have not been that
inspiring," Corluy & Co fund manager Koen Devos said.

The heavily defensive Bel-20 closed 0.42 percent or 12.54 points higher at
2,984.17 points. Advancers led decliners 13 to seven. Index heavyweight Fortis
clawed back earlier losses to end up 0.2 percent at 29.99 euros. KBC, which
released its 2000 results after market close, slipped 0.33 percent to 48.79
euros. Volume in the stock was half that seen on Friday as many investors had
already taken their positions, Devos said.

Beermaker Interbrew recouped some of last week's losses of 10 percent after its
Czech brewery reported a larger-than-expected loss for 2000. Interbrew climbed
4.43 percent to close at 29.25 euros. "A lot of investors think this is a
buying opportunity," Devos said.

Plzensky Prazdroj to Invest 1.2 Billion Koruna in Upgrades

Prague, March 5 (Bloomberg) -- Plzensky Prazdroj Group, the largest Czech
brewer, said it plans to invest 1.2 billion koruna ($31.9 million) between
April 2001 and March 2002 to upgrade its three main breweries and boost
capacity and exports.

The money will be used to upgrade the brewing and packaging facilities at
breweries in Plzen, Nosovice and Velke Popovice, and to develop a new warehouse
in the city of Plzen, where the brewer makes its flagship brand, Pilsner
Urquell.

``This significant investment clearly demonstrates our long- term commitment in
achieving world-class status in company operations,'' said Tony van Kralingen,
Plzensky Prazdroj's managing director, in a faxed statement. ``Both locally and
abroad, we want to meet better the needs of business partners and
end-consumers.''

Plzensky Prazdroj Group, owned by South African Breweries Plc, produces beer
under the brand names of Pilsner Urquell, Gambrinus, Radegast and
Velkopopovicky Kozel. Czechs are the leading beer drinkers in the world, with
about 160 liters consumed per capita every year.

The group was created last year by a merger of Plzensky Prazdroj AS, Pivovar
Radegast AS and Pivovar Velke Popovice AS.

Asahi Breweries Says Low-Malt Sales Better Than Expected

Tokyo, March 5 (Bloomberg)-- Asahi Breweries Ltd., Japan's second-largest
brewery, said it sold 3.25 million cases of its ``Honnama'' low-malt beer in
the first week after its release, on better-than-expected demand.

The sales exceeded the debut of Kirin Brewery Co.'s ``Tanrei'' low-malt. Kirin
sold 2.53 million cases of Tanrei in March 1998, the first full month of sales.

The launch moves Asahi a step closer to becoming Japan's largest brewer,
overtaking Kirin for the first time in 48 years. Kirin sees combined sales of
beer and low-malts reaching 219 million cases in the year through next
December. Asahi forecasts sales of 213 million cases in the same period.

Asahi on Feb. 21 became the last of Japan's major breweries to enter the
low-malt market. A tax advantage makes low-malts a third less expensive than
regular beer. Kirin and others introduced the new brands to help counter the
impact of a slowing economy.

Asahi said it will start low-malt production at its Nagoya brewery, adding
monthly capacity of 1.2 million cases. That will bring total capacity for the
brand to 5 million cases a month, it said. Shipments from Nagoya will begin in
May.

Asahi last month said it expects Honnama sales to reach 20 million cases this
year, less than Tanrei's first-year sales of 39.8 million cases. Kirin in
January said it expects Tanrei sales this year to rise 11 percent to 73.5
million cases.

Asahi has dominated the regular beer market with its ``Super Dry,'' holding 44
percent of the market as of last year. Growth of the brand has slowed,
prompting the company to enter the low-malt market at the risk of losing some
Super Dry sales to the new entry.

Asahi shares rose 10 yen to 1,136. Kirin gained 10 yen to 1,121. The sales
figures were released after the close of trading.

Germans Drank 6% More Wine in 2000; Red Wine Popularity Rises
(Handelsblatt 3/5, 22)

Dusseldorf, Germany, March 5 (Bloomberg) -- Germans drank 6 percent more wine
in 2000 than a year earlier as red wine continued to gain in popularity, German
business daily Handelsblatt reported.

Some 48 percent of the wine consumed was red wine, three percentage points more
than in 1999, the newspaper said. The market share of white wine fell to 43
percent from 46 percent.

Almost half of all wine German consumed came from domestic production, with
France and Italy in second and third place. German wine exports rose 2.6
percent to 670 million deutsche marks ($319 million), according to the report.

The Beer That Made Patchogue Famous

By ERIC ASIMOV Section: 14LI Page: 1 Column: 4

(Photographs by Phil Marino for The New York Times)(pg. 1)

January 28, 2001, Sunday PATCHOGUE - AS with breweries the world over, the
first thing you notice at

the Blue Point Brewing Company here is the smell. It's the rich, almost

cloyingly sweet aroma of malted barley soaking in hot water, greeting you at
the front door of the

modest prefabricated building of corrugated metal and inviting you in. It's

a smell that exerts a pull on beer lovers everywhere.

But you won't smell it anywhere else on Long Island, short of little brew

pubs or bathtub brewing operations. The Blue Point Brewing Company is the

only commercial brewery on Long Island, open only two and a half years but

already a survivor in a notoriously fragile business in which almost one of

every four microbreweries goes under within five years of opening. In fact,

while Long Island has had its share of short-lived restaurants and discos

that have made their own beer as a sideline, Blue Point may be the first

dedicated brewery on Long Island since the Linden Brewery in Lindenhurst

closed in 1949.

With other beverages, local production may not mean much, but with beer,

freshness is almost everything, and few things ensure freshness so much as

having a brewery right in the neighborhood. And few things inspire

entrepreneurial risk-taking, especially among beer fanatics, as the quest

for fresh beer.

''We got every warning, we heard everything, but we couldn't get fresh

beer,'' said Peter Cotter, 37, who owns Blue Point with Mark Burford, 38.

''That's what we're in this business for, because we're beer people. We're

not businesspeople, we're not stockbrokers, we don't have a lot of money,

our parents don't have a lot of money.''

What's more, the work is hard, demanding endless hours in the brewery's wet,

steamy environment, a factor that many would-be beer barons fail to

consider, said David Edgar, the director of the Institute for Brewing

Studies in Boulder, Colo., part of the Association of Brewers, a trade

group. ''It means a lot of working through Thanksgiving, broken marriages

and other ancillary miseries,'' he said.

Mr. Burford, who handles the bulk of the brewing, learned firsthand about

the fragility of the brewing business. He worked at the Cobblestone Brewery

and Winery in Huntington, which is now out of business, and at the Long

Island Brewing Company in Jericho, also defunct, before joining forces with

Mr. Cotter, who handles sales and marketing.

''In the early to mid-90's, a lot of people thought beer was going to be

easy money,'' Mr. Burford said. ''But you have to be a beer person to do it,

and a lot of those people who were in the business for the wrong reasons are

now out of it.''

For Mr. Burford and Mr. Cotter, being beer people means spending 60 to 70

hours a week in their brewery, which with its bits and pieces of third-hand

furniture, its beer kegs stacked haphazardly on a wet cement floor and its

piles of equipment with myriad hoses, valves and pipes, has all the charm of

a gas station, though it does smell much better.

Everywhere there is moisture, as beer in its varying stages of production

moves from vat to kettle to tank, accompanied by a full range of pouring,

bubbling and steaming noises. Blue Point's staff of three full-time and

three part-time employees, wearing rubber boots and jackets, spray, mop and

hose down surfaces. In one corner, a sinister white foam overflows a bucket

like bubble bath intent on escape.

''Oh, that's just a sterilizer collecting yeast from exiting carbon

dioxide,'' Mr. Burford explained. Blue Point currently brews about 10,000

barrels of beer a year, a minuscule amount that may be about what Budweiser

loses down the drain in a day. Still, it is enough to supply kegs to Long

Island bars and restaurants devoted to good beer. A small amount is bottled,

and six-packs are now available at Waldbaum's and King Kullen supermarkets

on Long Island. A small fraction of the business comes from customers who

visit the brewery and take home jugs filled directly from a tap.

Blue Point generally produces five or six different beers in traditional

styles, which change seasonally, along with its signature beer, Toasted

Lager, a copper-colored, mildly bitter brew available year round. Right now,

the other brews in the lineup are a light, crisp Pilsener; an excellent pale

ale made enticingly bitter with plenty of hops; a chewy, almost

chocolate-flavored oatmeal stout; and a robust amber winter ale. The most

apparent quality of each of these brews is the lively, energetic flavors

that are the unmistakable sign of fresh beer.

Mr. Burford, who grew up in West Sayville, and Mr. Cotter, who grew up in

Oakdale and Holbrook, met in the late 1970's, a grim time for American beer

lovers, who either had to settle for pallid, mass-produced American brews or

hope against hope that imported beers would survive their journey through

overheated container ships and warehouses with their flavor intact. They

each independently discovered Mr. Fadeley's Deli-Pub, which still exists on

Montauk Highway in Patchogue, serving the sort of dark German beers that

were available almost nowhere else. It provided inspiration to the two beer

lovers.

''When people drink this kind of beer,'' Mr. Cotter said, ''they never go

back to drinking less-good beer.''

Setting themselves the goal of making the kinds of beers they liked, and

inspired by the success of microbreweries like Anchor in San Francisco, they

set themselves on the path toward owning their own brewery, not an easy path

by any means, considering that even after the expense of building a brewery,

they still needed to navigate an arduous licensing process before they could

go into production. Even finding a building to house the brewery was

difficult, because of the height of the tanks.

''A building that's good for a brewery is rare,'' Mr. Burford said. ''We

looked at a lot of places. You need high ceilings, which is something that

is not popular in this part of Long Island, and you need a resilient

landlord.''

Finally, they found an abandoned ice factory, which not only had the

requisite high ceilings and understanding landlord but also was an

environment built to withstand moisture. They got a loan from the Small

Business Administration, and the landlord gave them a year's free rent, a

necessity since they needed their cash to buy equipment and to live on

during the drawn-out licensing process.

''You can't brew until you get your license, but you can't get your license

until you assemble your equipment, and you have to have a license before you

get the loan,'' Mr. Cotter said. ''It took a year and a half. They couldn't

have made it harder on us.''

With the loan, their own money and a little help from friends and family,

they were able to raise about $650,000, just enough to finance the project.

''You wouldn't want to do it for any less,'' Mr. Burford said. ''We had a

lot of breaks go our way.''

To help make ends meet, they took odd jobs part time and worked on the

brewery whenever they could, doing virtually all the construction

themselves. Unlike some microbreweries, which begin life with enough capital

to have their equipment custom-made, Blue Point had to scavenge for its

equipment, gathering fermenting tanks, mash tuns and other vats at auction

from breweries that had either gone out of business or were consolidating.

Its direct-flame, brick-covered 15-barrel brew kettle was used previously by

Wild Goose in Maryland. They dismantled it brick by brick, shipped it to

Patchogue and reconstructed it themselves.

''We didn't know what we were doing,'' Mr. Cotter said.

But they did know how to make beer, and once they rolled out their first

kegs in November 1998, they began the difficult task of fighting for space

on the draft lists at Long Island bars and restaurants, a heated,

never-ending battle in which tap handles -- indicating that your beer is on

tap -- are the holy grails.

''The tap handles, that's territory, that's real estate,'' Mr. Cotter said.

In order for Blue Point to be available, the bars had to remove another,

usually well-established beer, not an easy thing since people often select

brands by habit and since many other beers were supported by well-endowed

breweries and distributors. ''They took off Bass Ale, they took off Sam

Adams,'' Mr. Cotter said. ''These local restaurants, God bless them, they'd

never heard of a local brewery, but they took it.''

Blue Point is now available at some 150 bars and restaurants, Mr. Cotter

said.

Mr. Burford, who is married (he and his wife are expecting a baby), and Mr.

Cotter, who is single, know the business is hard. Their strategy, unlike

that of so many microbreweries that expanded themselves into oblivion, is to

grow slowly and cautiously, bar by bar, restaurant by restaurant. They have

resisted the allure of moving into New York City, though their beer is

available in a couple of Manhattan bars, which requested it. Mr. Cotter says

that while Blue Point would like to have more beers available in six-packs,

beyond the Toasted Lager, above all they want to sell draft beer, which

tastes better, at least in theory, because it requires less filtering.

''There are many more places to go on Long Island,'' he said. ''We're not on

tap in anyplace on the Gold Coast, because we haven't ventured there.''

So far, they're making a living doing what they love, and they believe that

their customers appreciate what they are trying to do, Mr. Burford said.

''We look at the customers who come in here to the tasting room,'' he said.

''We get teachers, railroad workers and skilled craftsmen, people who take

time to appreciate something or who produce something themselves, who know

what it takes.''

For Mr. Cotter, confidence comes from knowing that Blue Point is a beer that

he wants to drink himself. ''We have something different, it's fresh, it's

unpasteurized,'' he said with evangelical fervor. ''It doesn't matter what

Wall Street says, it's the quality, that's the whole thing. We just know

that. It doesn't matter what statistics tell us; we don't care.''

If You Go . . .

The Blue Point Brewing Company is at 161 River Avenue in Patchogue, a block

south of the Long Island Rail Road tracks.

Hours for brewery tours and for the tasting room are 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday

and Friday and noon to 7 p.m. Saturday. Tours and tastes are free.

Half-gallon jugs ($8) of all brews and six-packs ($7) of Toasted Lager are

available.

Information: (631) 475-6944 or at www.bluepointbrewing .com.

Images: Photos: Mark Burford, above left, and Peter Cotter turned a former

ice factory in Patchogue into the Blue Point brewery. Mr. Burford, left,

checking on the brew kettle.; Scotty Monahan shoveling barley out of the

mash tun at the Patchogue brewery. A local farmer recycles the barley as

fertilizer. (Photographs by Phil Marino for The New York Times)(pg. 13); At

the tasting room of the Blue Point Brewing Company, Long Island's only

brewery, beers like this oatmeal stout are available in half-gallon jugs,

filled right from the tap.; Blue Point's current offerings on tap, above.

The wood-encased stainless-steel tub, inset above, is called a mash tun and

is filled with 1,400 pounds of malted barley.

http://english.pravda.ru/main/2001/02/22/2665.html

Beer Is Our Everything

Pravda OnLine, 2-22-01

Duma deputies, actors and sportsmen ask Prime Minister Mikhail

Kasyanov to "avert another attack on an important part of the

people's life," that is, beer. The open letter to the premier is

signed by the Masriinski Theatre director Valeri Gergiyev,

viola-player Yuri Bashmet, writer Daniil Granin, pop stars Alla

Pugacheva, Mikhail Boyarski, Oleg Gazmanov, MPs Viktor Pokhmelkin

and Petr Shelishch (who also heads Russia's Customers' Union),

Russia's combined team hockey coach Boris Mikhailov and others. In

their words, the "sense of responsibility and fairness prompted them

to appeal to the prime minister. "A war has virtually been declared

on the people's favourite drink which is forced to be treated on a

par with vodka," the letter says. The letter's authors criticize

Genadi Onishchenko, Russia's chief sanitary inspector, who, in their

view, "forms a negative attitude towards beer and its manufacturers,"

RIA Novosti reports. The letter recalls Mikhail Gorbachev's

anti-alcohol drive contending it was no good for the people -

"prohibitive measures have never resulted in anything good, but made

things even worse." In the meantime, the letter points out, "beer

can and already play a positive part in lowering the consumption

of strong alcoholic beverages." Because beer, in the first place,

is a "communication, good spirits, a jolly good company," the letter

stresses.

http://www.portland.com/news/coast/010226beer.shtml

Beer makers' aim: 'Smart growth'

By DAVID SHARP, Associated Press February 26, 2001

Rob Tod had plenty of company when he decided to get into the beer business in
1995.

He launched Allagash Brewing Co. following a five-year period in which the
number of craft breweries and brew pubs tripled and production grew sevenfold.
Then the explosive growth slowed to a trickle.

By the following year, sales growth for craft beers had dropped for the first
time in years, and by 1997 unbridled enthusiasm had given way to a shakeout in
which more than 400 brew pubs and breweries eventually closed. Now,
perseverance is paying off for small brewers like Tod who stuck with it.

''It was a tough time to get into the business on one hand,'' Tod said. ''On
the other hand, it was a good time to get into it because to some degree we
were able to learn from mistakes other brewers made.''

The first signs of improvement came in 1999, when sales of craft brews
increased 2 percent. Figures to be released next month by the Institute for
Brewing Studies confirm that the growth trend was no fluke: the new numbers
will show sales volume increased3.5 percent to 4 percent in 2000.

''The mood has moved from a cautious optimism, which was the rule perhaps in
2000, to a more confident optimism. The days of wild and crazy growth are over,
however,'' said David Edgar, director of the institute, which is a division of
the Association of Brewers in Boulder, Colo.

Tod wasn't typical of those entering the business during days when observers
thought craft beer would one day make up 10 percent of the market dominated by
the likes o Anheuser-Busch and Miller Brewing Co. Today, craft beer accounts
for about 3 percent of the U.S. beer market.

Instead of jumping in with great expectations, he started as a one-man
operation making only one beer, and he built the business with ''sweat equity''
instead of large loans. The first year, he produced 120 barrels. Last year, he
produced 1,650 barrels, and he still isn't over-concerned about volume.

''We tried to grow gradually, steadily and organically,'' he said. By that, he
means that there's a natural growth rate for some companies, and pushing it
beyond those levels can be counterproductive.

''We've pushed for growth, but we've pushed for smart growth,'' Tod said. ''You
just don't want to overdo it.''

It was a lesson some others learned the hard way when the market could not
support all of the newcomers. More than 900 brewpubs and microbreweries went
into business over a three-year period leading up to 1998.

Today, there are about 1,500 craft breweries and brew pubs nationwide, compared
to just 211 back in 1990.

Some companies such as Boston Beer Co., Sierra Nevada, Red Hook, and Pete's
managed to go beyond regional markets to international distribution. Boston
Beer Co., maker of Sam Adams, now tops 1 million barrels in annual production.
But those are the exceptions. More than half of the nation's microbreweries
produce fewer than 1,000 barrels a year, Edgar said.

At Allagash Brewing Co., part of Tod's business plan was to succeed by doing
something different in a state where there are 31 beer companies and brew pubs.
So he chose Belgian-style beers, a brew he learned to like while working at
Otter Creek Brewing Co. in Middlebury, Vt.

His best-selling beer is Allagash White, a wheat ale that's unfiltered and
spiced with coriander and orange peel.
He's also producing a Dubbel and Tripel Reserve brew in which the beer is
placed in a champagne-style bottle with a wired cork before it is aged and
fermented for a second time in the bottle.

His beers are now being distributed in Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
Connecticut, llinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and the District
of Columbia. He's also looking at expanding into Vermont and Virginia.

''By doing unique beers, we've been able to carve out a niche in the
business,'' he said. ''The result has been steady growth.''

The lesson of modest expectations grew out of the experience of those companies
that spent large sums on advertising and expanding distribution only to go
belly up because they failed to tend to their core markets, analysts say.

The companies that remain in business are more committed to the craft, and the
quality of the typical brew is much better today, Edgar says.

Tony Forder, editor of the Ale Street News in New Jersey, says not all beer
makers suffered during the downturn and that some continued to post sales
growth even when sales were flat industrywide.

Nonetheless, individual sales have picked up now that the number of competitors
has been winnowed. More importantly, Forder says, consumers have become
familiar and accepting of new styles of beer.

''What has happened is that the whole awareness of beer has changed in this
country,'' Forder said.

Resignation at Coke raises fears for its strategy

By Paul Simao

ATLANTA, March 5 (Reuters) - The resignation of Coca-Cola Co.'s No. 2 executive
and the announcement of yet another restructuring raised fears on Monday that
the soft drink giant's strategy to boost sluggish growth was sputtering.

Atlanta-based Coca-Cola, struggling to meet a stiff challenge from its
energized archrival PepsiCo Inc., surprised the beverage industry on Sunday by
announcing that Jack Stahl, the company's president and chief operating
officer, had resigned.

The world's No. 1 soft drink company also said it was dividing its operations
into four new strategic business units: the Americas; Europe/Africa; Asia; and
New Business Ventures.

The moves, which came about a year after newly appointed Coca-Cola Chief
Executive Douglas Daft won wide praise for decentralizing Coke's operations and
naming a new management team, had investors making for the exits.

Shares of Coca-Cola, the world's No. 1 soft drink company, fell $2.85, or 5.4
percent, to $49.70 in midday trading on Monday on the New York Stock Exchange.
Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo. gained 52 cents to $45.37 on the NYSE.

The stock has fallen about 16 percent in the past month, since the company
announced a joint venture with Procter & Gamble and a decision to invest $300
million to $500 million from gains into one-time marketing initiatives this
year.

"There is no doubt that the turnover at senior management in this company is
another sign that things really aren't settled," said Marc Cohen, analyst with
brokerage Goldman Sachs.

"I think investors are going to have something of a wait-and-see attitude,"
said Cohen, who recently trimmed his 2001 earnings per share estimate for the
soft drink maker and downgraded its shares to a rating of market outperform
from recommended for purchase.

Analysts said Stahl's departure would intensify the pressure on Daft and the
heads of the four new business units to boost the company's volumes, which grew
at a disappointing 4 percent last year.

Stahl, a 20-year company veteran, was vaulted with much fanfare into the No. 2
Coke job last year in a move that signaled Daft's willingness to groom a
successor, in contrast to his predecessor, Douglas Ivester, who resisted such a
move.

A Coca-Cola spokesman denied on Monday that Stahl had been fired or that there
had been any significant disagreements over strategy between Daft and Stahl.

With Stahl now out of the picture, the attention shifts to the leaders of
Coca-Cola's new business units, especially Jeffrey Dunn, who assumes control of
business in the Americas, which includes the all-important U.S. market.

The U.S. market, Coca-Cola's largest and the one often cited by analysts as a
key barometer of its fortunes, has been a terrible disappointment to the
company in recent years. It is also where PepsiCo. is making its strongest run.

PepsiCo. has upstaged Coca-Cola in recent months by acquiring Quaker Oats Co.
and its prized Gatorade sports drink, and scooping up South Beach Beverage Co.
and its fast-growing SoBe line of herb-spiked fruit, energy and tea drinks.

Some analysts questioned whether Dunn and the other heads of the new business
units had the experience to meet the new challenges facing Coca-Cola.

"These guys do not have a proven record in their current roles or anything
simulating that. I think they are stretching the capabilities of the new team,"
said UBS PaineWebber analyst Caroline Levy.

Levy, who cut her price target on Coke to $52 from $61 and reduced her 2001 EPS
estimate to $1.56 from $1.67, said she feared Stahl's departure would hurt
morale and further delay a significant turnaround in profitable volume growth.

Coca-Cola's latest restructuring comes in the wake of its decision last month
to create a juice and snack food joint venture with consumer product giant
Procter & Gamble Co., a move that already had many analysts questioning Coke's
strategy.

[J2jurado]

Anheuser-Busch Increases Stake in Cervecerias Unidas to 18.5%

Washington, March 5 (Bloomberg)ias Unidas SA to 18.5 percent from the 16.2
percent it reported last month.

Anheuser-Busch acquired 4.5 million shares for $22.7 million in open market
purchases last week, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The St. Louis-based company, which sells almost half the beer
consumed in the U.S., characterized its investment as ``part of its strategy to
expand its operations in the South American region,'' according to a previous
filing.

Cervecerias Unidas is Chile's biggest brewer and has long held the bottling
franchise for Budweiser beer in Argentina, Chile and Paraguay. Anheuser-Busch
has been a shareholder of the Argentinean beer subsidiary of Cervecerias Unidas
for more than five years, now holding about 11 percent, an SEC filing said.

Anheuser-Busch also intends to explore the possible election of its
representatives to the board of Cervecerias Unidas, according to a filing. The
company had announced in early January that it would buy a 14 percent stake in
Cervecerias Unidas. The latest filing indicates Anheuser-Busch has spent $296
million to acquire securities in the Chilean company.

Cervecerias Unidas' American depositary receipts rose 4 cents today to $25.04.

Pubmaster, Noble Bid for Scottish & Newcastle Pubs, Times Says

(The Times of London, 3/5 p. 25)

London, March 5 (Bloomberg) -- Noble House Leisure Ltd. and Pubmaster Group
Ltd. have submitted offers of 300 million to 400 million pounds ($440 million
to $586 million) for Scottish & Newcastle Plc's pubs, the Times of London said,
without citing sources.

The offers put both companies through to the second round of bidding for the
largest U.K. brewer's 720 pubs, which were put up for sale in January, the
paper said.

Neither company was available for comment, the Times said.

The U.K.'s biggest pub owners, Nomura Principle Finance Group and Punch
Taverns, aren't interested, the paper said, citing analysts.

Noble House, which is backed by the venture capital firm Botts & Co., and
Pubmaster are also bidding for Wolverhampton & Dudley Plc, which owns about
1,750 pubs, the Times said.

Pubmaster,Candover plan Whitbread pubs bid

By David Jones

LONDON, March 5 (Reuters) - Britain's Pubmaster and private equity player
Candover are planning a 1.5 billion pound ($2.20 billion) plus bid for
Whitbread's 3,000 pubs with Pubmaster set to buy the leased pubs, industry
sources said on Monday.

Private pubs group Pubmaster has put a 600 million pound value on Whitbread's
1,700 leased pubs with Candover interested in the 1,300 managed pubs, as
Pubmaster looks to recover from being pipped last month to a group of Bass Plc
pubs.

The Hartlepool-based pub company from northeast England is eager to expand its
own 2,000 tenanted estate towards an optimum 4,000-5,000 pubs estate, but faces
stiff competition from Nomura's Guy Hands who beat it to the Bass pubs.

Nomura is believed to have put in an early indicative bid of around 1.4 billion
pounds but is expected to increase its offer as the bidding process hots up. It
increased its bid to 625 million pounds from 575 million to clinch the Bass
deal.

Candover is keen to enter the UK pubs market and had been in talks with L&G
Ventures to join in its bid for the Bass pubs, but L&G only bid up to 600
million pounds and lost out to Nomura's Principal Finance Group headed by
Hands, which scooped up 988 of Bass's smaller pubs in February.

"Pubmaster is a buyer in the pubs market, and the Whitbread estate with its
southeast England bias would make a good fit," said one industry source.

Pubmaster is keen to expand its coverage from its heartland of north, central
and eastern England after it emerged 10 years ago from the ashes of the
collapsed Brent Walker empire with London and south-west England top of its
agenda for expansion.

Although Pubmaster is keen on greater southern England exposure, Candover and
Pubmaster are not a buyers at prices of up to 1.7 billion pounds being banded
around, said the source.

The Pubmaster/Candover camp faces competition for the Whitbread estate from
former partners Hugh Osmond and Luke Johnson, who are planning separate bids,
and together with Nomura is setting up a four-cornered fight for the pubs
estate.

Market talk suggesting Osmond's private Punch Group is preparing a 1.7 billion
pound bid and restaurant owner Johnson 1.65 billion pounds are seen as high,
especially with plenty of pubs still on the UK market, the sources added.

With Scottish and Newcastle having 920 managed pubs for sale and potentially
1,700 pubs from Wolverhampton and Dudley up for grabs, Pubmaster has plenty of
scope to change its target if prices become too high, they said.

Johnson is preparing a bid backed by Deutsche Bank's private equity arm Morgan
Grenfell Private Equity and Lehman Brothers.

Candover exited from any involvement in the pubs industry last June when it
sold its 14-strong chain of Brannigans bars along with six other pubs for 67
million pounds, which were part of the package of nightclubs and bars bought
from First Leisure for 210.5 million pounds in November 1999.

Candover declined to comment on its involvement in the Whitbread auction, only
to say that leisure is a key sector for the venture capital group. Pubmaster
also declined to comment.

The auction is being conducted by Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein and final bids
are expected by mid-March.

Pubmaster was refinanced last December with German bank WestLB now owning 40
percent for the group while the management and Rotch Property Group each have a
25 percent stake, along with two smaller investors.

Bohae Brewery Co Year Net 356.00 KRW - Share(Table)

Seoul, South Korea, March 6 (Bloomberg) - Bohae Brewery Co. said it earned
786.00 million South Korean won or 356.00 South Korean won a share, for the
year ended Dec. 31, compared with earnings of 8.33 billion South Korean won or
3,781 South Korean won a share, in the same period a year earlier. Revenue was
103.88 billion South Korean won, compared with 137.09 billion South Korean won.
(All figures in millions, except per-share amounts)
Year Ended Percent
12/31/00 12/31/99 Change Net Sales 103878.00
137091.92 (24.23) Net Income (loss) 786.00 8,329.66
(90.56) Earnings Per Share 356.00 3,781.00 (90.58)

Breare bid froths up W&D auction

By David Jones

LONDON, March 6 (Reuters) - British entrepreneur Robert Breare has submitted
his bid for Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries Plc after a seven-month wait,
sparking the auction for the company into life, industry sources said on
Tuesday.

Breare has filed his bid at 500 pence a share valuing the brewing and pubs
group at 472 million pounds ($692.6 million), but insists he needs more time to
conduct due diligence on the company after he first submitted an indicative bid
last August.

"The bid has been filed with Wolverhampton's banking advisers at around 500
pence, but Breare wants an extra week to complete due diligence," said one
source.

Breare, backed by venture capital group Botts and advised by CSFB, has been
battling with the company's management led by managing director David Thompson
in a bid for the group which runs four breweries and around 1,700 pubs.

Other sources added that W&D had received a number of serious bid proposals for
the company ahead of its own imposed April 5 bid deadline. "There are a number
of serious proposals on the table," said one source.

W&D shares rose nearly four percent or 16 pence by 1200 GMT to 460p.

Breare's indicative bid last August, also at 500p, led to the launch of W&D's
strategic review in October which effectively put the company up for sale and
prompted Thompson and two other executives to plan their own bid.

The W&D independent directors and its investment bank Rothchilds, exasperated
by the seven-month long takeover saga, set a April 5 deadline last week for
bids to be submitted.

Thompson had been working with venture capital group UBS Capital and the Royal
Bank of Scotland on its own bid of over 500p a share, but industry sources
believe UBS is on the point of, or may have already, pulled out.

Another interest party, privately-owned Pubmaster, has not submitted a bid for
W&D although it has expressed interest in the group, sources said.

Pubmaster showed interest in W&D's tenanted pubs back in October and recently
asked for details of the whole group, but its focus remains on tenanted pubs
and it is believed to have been working with Thompson to take over some
tenanted pubs if the management's bid was successful.

Quinsa's American Depository Shares, which represent the company's preferred
shares, closed unchanged at $10.00 on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday.

Bass's Ratings Cut by Moody's on Spending Concerns

London, March 4 (Bloomberg) -- Bass Plc's credit ratings were lowered one notch
by Moody's Investors Service on concern about the world's No. 2 hotel company's
future spending on acquisitions and share buybacks.

Moody's cut Bass's long-term senior unsecured debt rating to ``A3'' from
``A2,'' and lowered the short-term commercial paper ratings to ``Prime-2'' from
``Prime-1.'' Lower credit ratings limit a company's ability to raise money in
the market.

``This rating action reflects Moody's expectation that over the intermediate
term Bass will actively pursue sizeable acquisitions opportunities and/or enter
into material repurchases of its own shares,'' Moody's said in a statement.

During the past year, London-based Bass has sold its brewing unit and 988 of
its pubs to focus on its 2,000 biggest restaurants and bar chains along with
expanding its faster-growing Holiday Inn and Inter-Continental hotels.

``Expansion into the higher risk hotel sector, and away from more stable low
growth areas, will shift the business profile gradually and lead to increased
volatility of earnings and cash flow generation over the time,'' Moody's said.

Bass shares slipped 1 penny to 715 pence.

Sleeman volume up 75 percent in 2000 on Stroh brand

TORONTO, March 5 (Reuters) - Craft brewer Sleeman Breweries Ltd. <ALE.TO> said
on Monday that it produced 75 percent more beer in 2000 because of its
acquisition of the Stroh brand in Canada, which led to more than a one-third
increase in profit. Guelph, Ontario-based Sleeman said income in the 12 months
ended Dec. 30 rose 37 percent to C$9 million ($5.8 million) or 58 Canadian
cents a share, compared with C$6.5 million or 41 Canadian cents a share in
1999. Revenues in 2000 rose 47 percent to C$141.5 million, up from C$96.1
million in 1999.

Volumes rose to 943,000 hectoliters, compared with 539,000 hectoliters in
fiscal 1999 with most of the gains attributable to the start of brewing Stroh
brands in Canada. In the fourth quarter revenues rose 12 percent to C$36
million with a 177 percent increase in income to C$1.8 million, compared with
revenue of C$32 million and net income of C$657,000 in the year-earlier period.
Per share amounts for the quarter were not given.

"Looking ahead we are confident in our ability to complete the Stroh
integration, test our products in the U.S. market, and continue to grow our
diverse Canadian portfolio," said Sleeman chief executive John Sleeman.

Shares of Sleeman closed at C$6.75 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Monday. In
the past year the shares have traded in a range of C$5.90 to C$7.80. ($1=$1.54
Canadian)

Constellation Completes Turner Road Vintners Wine Business Acquisition

FAIRPORT, N.Y., March 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ,
STZ.B) announced today that on March 5, 2001, it completed the purchase of the
Turner Road Vintners wine business. The purchase includes well-known brands
Vendange, Talus, Nathanson Creek, Heritage, Farallon and La Terre, as well as
two wineries in California.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000918/NYM167LOGO )

Richard Sands, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Constellation
said, "This is a tremendous acquisition for our Company which enhances our
long-term growth opportunities. We continue to build our portfolio of brands
around faster growing segments of the beverage alcohol market and this
transaction reinforces the Constellation strategy to provide a wide range of
beverage alcohol products to satisfy an array of consumer preferences. We
expect the acquisition and its related financing to be slightly accretive to
earnings per share in the first year."

Jon Moramarco, President of Canandaigua Wine stated, "The acquisition of the
Turner Road Vintners' brands is very strategic and solidifies our leadership
position in the wine industry. These brands complement our existing portfolio
and strengthen our presence in one of the faster growing categories of the wine
industry."

Net sales for the brands acquired for Turner Road Vintners' most recent fiscal
year ended June 30, 2000, were approximately $204 million, on unit volume of
more than seven million cases. Constellation will now have 20 of the top 100
wine brands in the United States.

Constellation Brands, Inc., is a leader in the production and marketing of
beverage alcohol brands in North America and the United Kingdom and is a
leading independent drinks wholesaler in the United Kingdom. As the second
largest supplier of wine, the second largest importer of beer and the fourth
largest supplier of distilled spirits, Constellation Brands, Inc., is the
largest single-source supplier of these products in the United States. With
its broad product portfolio, composed of brands in all major beverage alcohol
categories, Constellation believes it is distinctly positioned to satisfy an
array of consumer preferences. Leading brands in Constellation's portfolio
include: Franciscan Oakville Estate, Simi, Estancia, Almaden, Arbor Mist, Black
Velvet, Fleischmann's, Schenley, Ten High, Stowells of Chelsea, Blackthorn and
the number one imported craft beer, Corona Extra.

Britain dismisses report of air force drinks spree

LONDON, March 6 (Reuters) - Britain's Defence Ministry rejected a newspaper
report on Tuesday that four air force pilots flew Harrier jump jets to Spain so
they could go on a weekend drinking session.

Two of the pilots were pictured in Britain's mass-selling Sun tabloid downing
pints of beer in Madrid under the headline "Top Fun."

In a three-page report on the "jolly," slang for an all-expenses paid trip, the
paper tracked the pilots quaffing beer and red wine at a succession of
restaurants and bars in the Spanish capital.

Angry colleagues were said to have tipped off reporters about the three-day
trip, during which the men stayed at a five-star hotel.

But the Defence Ministry said the trip was totally legitimate.

"That was a routine operational training flight overseas," a spokesman said.

"There's no suggestion as far as the Royal Air Force is concerned that their
behaviour was questionable."

Tobacco Companies Linked to Criminal Organizations in Cigarette Smuggling Trade

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 5, 2001--A yearlong investigation by the
Center for Public Integrity shows that British American Tobacco, Philip Morris
and R.J. Reynolds have worked closely with companies and individuals directly
connected to organized crime in the global smuggling of cigarettes.

The investigation by the Center's International Consortium of Investigative
Journalists is based on a review of thousands of pages of corporate and
government documents and dozens of interviews with law enforcement officials,
smugglers and other sources worldwide. It indicates that tobacco smuggling is
increasingly dominated by a handful of criminal organizations that in some
cases have links to organized crime.

Corporate documents, court records and internal government reports

-- some dating to the 1970s -- also show that BAT, Philip Morris and RJR have
orchestrated smuggling networks variously in Canada, Colombia, China, Southeast
Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the United States as a major part of
their marketing strategy to increase profits.

It's estimated that about one in every three cigarettes exported worldwide is
sold on the black market.

The companies have sought to undercut rising government taxes, which studies
show are the main reason most smokers quit, as well as to gain market share by
offering competitively priced popular international brands on the black market.

The result has been tax evasion on a global scale that has greatly depleted
government treasuries, especially in Third World countries. Cigarette smuggling
has also fostered international crime and money laundering and alarmed growing
numbers of law enforcement officials worldwide.

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists first revealed the
link between tobacco companies and cigarette smuggling in a January 2000 report
based on 11,000 pages of corporate documents, dealing mostly with Latin America
and Asia.

Those findings were published in over 40 media outlets in 10 countries and
helped prompt a parliamentary hearing in Britain, as well as a formal
government investigation. Since then, three civil lawsuits have been filed in
the United States against the tobacco companies under the Racketeer Influenced
and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) act -- the latest by the European Union and
several of its member nations.

This new eight-part Center report can be read in its entirety in 'The Public i'
at http://www.publici.org/story-01-030301.htm and can be made available for
republication by contacting Center sales manager Andy Atwater at
aatw...@publicintegrity.org.

Kosher Food & Wine; A ``Fit'' Topic

--(BUSINESS WIRE FEATURES)--

March 05, 2001- The word "kosher" pops up frequently in food pages throughout
the year, especially in the spring as we approach Passover. And you probably
are aware that it has something to do with Jewish traditions

-- but what does it really mean and what is it really used to describe?

The Yiddish word "kosher" derives from ancient Hebrew meaning "fit" or
"proper." Most often the word kosher refers to food, indicating the food in
question has been designated, prepared, and served according to Jewish dietary
laws and customs. But kosher can also be applied to wines. And like many
excellent kosher foods, there is also an abundance of very fine kosher wines.

If the mention of kosher wine conjures up a vision of overly sweet wine that
tastes more like grape jelly than Cabernet Sauvignon, you are missing out. This
misconception stems from the early wine produced in America in the late 19th
century, when many of the kosher wines were made with Concord grapes, the grape
readily available to Jewish immigrants from Europe arriving in New York. The
Concord grape, which produces a bitter juice, often required quite a bit of
added sugar to make it palatable. But times have changed. Now, excellent,
mainstream kosher wines, made from the finest, premium varietal grapes, are
being produced, using classic winemaking techniques.

What makes a wine kosher? To be considered kosher, there are several steps that
must be taken -- with making wine just as with making food. To begin with, only
observant Jews can handle the grapes from crush to bottling. In addition, only
certified kosher products (yeasts, fining agents, etc.) can be used in the
production of kosher wines. Lastly, the equipment used to make the wine is used
exclusively for kosher wines, or must be rigorously cleaned and sterilized
first. These factors, strictly applied, make a wine kosher. It's that simple.

It is important to note that there is no step in the making of a kosher wine
that in any way would diminish its quality. In fact, many kosher wines outscore
their non-kosher counterparts in head-to-head competitions.

Because of the great quality and the strong interest in kosher wines, it is
among the fastest growing categories in the wine business, even among
non-Jewish wine consumers. And why not? There are excellent kosher wines coming
in a wide range of varietals from California and around the world.

For example, in California, there is the Baron Herzog winery, which makes
perennial award winners from several outstanding varietals including Cabernet
Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc.

International wineries are also producing excellent regional varietals. From
Australia, Teal Lake is making some superb wines with concentrated fruit
forward style like Shiraz, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. The best buy for your
dollar comes from Chile, where Alfasi makes a full line of wines that are
supple and enjoyable for around $7 a bottle.

Well-known houses in France and Italy also produce several kosher wines, still
and sparkling. From France, there are over two dozen wines produced from
various esteemed estates. Most notably is Laurent Perrier, which makes two
superb champagnes, and Baron Rothschild of Chateau Clarke. There is also a full
line of lovely Italian varietals being produced by Bartenura, including such
standouts as Asti, Chianti, and Pinot Grigio.

For more unique kosher wines coming from Israel, the Golan Heights winery
produces two excellent labels, Gamla and Yarden. Founded by U.C Davis
viticulturist Victor Schoenfeld, these wines show unique depth and richness
from this new growing area.

It is these notable regions, which have embraced kosher wine making techniques,
that have helped enhance the quality and availability of good kosher wines.
These days, in every way, kosher wines are on the same plane as non-kosher
wines in terms of style and selection. They can be equally enjoyed not only by
observant Jews but also by any wine lover who enjoys a good, quality glass of
wine.

Michael Jackson is Back and Badder Than Ever

March 6, 2001 LONDON (AP) - Screaming fans and scores of photographers greeted
pop star Michael Jackson at a London book signing on Monday.

Wearing an embroidered burgundy-colored suit and a HEPA-filter rated mask for
purifying air, Jackson hobbled on crutches into the Royal Institute of British
Architects in central London for the launch of a book by friends psychic Uri
Geller and Rabbi Shmuley Boteach - ``Confessions of a Rabbi and Psychic.''

Jackson, who broke his foot in a fall at his ranch in California while he was
performing unusually strenuous meditation, is to address the Oxford Union with
Boteach about Heal the Kids, a charity program they run. Geller is to introduce
them.

[J2jurado]

Brazil Ambev to Profit in 4Q on Sales Boost, Cost Cuts: Outlook

Sao Paulo, March 7 (Bloomberg) -- The following is a summary of analysts'
estimates for fourth-quarter earnings of Brazil's Cia. de Bebidas das Americas,
or Ambev, the world's No. 4 brewer.

Earnings

Ambev is expected to post fourth quarter net income of 221.83 million reais
($113.8 million), or 5.73 reais per share, according to the average of a
Bloomberg News survey of the estimates of six analysts. That compares with the
fourth-quarter net loss for the same period of last year of 136.6 million
reais, using similar criteria for measuring earnings, analysts say.

Analysts point to the difficulties of making year-on-year comparisons for the
results from Ambev, created when Cia. Cervejaria Brahma took over Cia.
Antarctica Paulista in a 1999 transaction valued by the company at the time at
$3.9 billion in stock and debt. It's possible that Ambev may restate 1999's
fourth- quarter earnings, said Alyce Andrews, an analyst at Merrill Lynch & Co.

Reporting Time

Ambev will report its earnings on March 8 at 9 a.m. (7 a.m. New York time), the
company said.

Behind the Numbers

Ambev should report ``very good'' earnings for the quarter as the company
benefits from increased beer sales in Brazil and cost savings related to its
greater size, said Marilia da Costa, an analyst at Indosuez W.I. Carr
Securities in Sao Paulo.

Da Costa predicts that Brazil's beer market grew 6.9 percent in the fourth
quarter from the same period a year earlier as warm temperatures and an
increase in disposable income in a growing economy helped boost demand for
beverages. She says that Ambev, with a greater range of beer brands than its
competitors, was able to boost its market share in Brazil to 73.5 percent from
71.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 1999.

Ambev now is booking many of the benefits resulting from the Antarctica
takeover, including savings on distribution, advertising and raw materials
costs, even as a growing Brazilian economy helps boost demand for beverages,
analysts say.

Ambev probably will report earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and
amortization, a measure of its ability to generate cash, of 566 million reais,
an increase of 75 percent on the same period a year earlier, said Andrews of
Merrill Lynch who rates the company ``Buy.''

Ambev previously has said it expects the combination of the businesses of
Brahma and Antarctica will generate cost savings of at least 500 million reais
a year. The company is reaping those savings faster than expected, Luis Felipe
Dutra Leite, the company's chief financial and investor relations officer, said
after third- quarter earnings were released last year.

What Experts Say

``We expect very good results because there was expansion in the beverage
market, said da Costa, who rates Ambev shares ``Sell.'' ``Ambev is increasing
its market share and still making synergy gains from the merger.'' The shares
have gained 150 percent during the past 12 months. ``After its recent price
jump, Ambev may not follow the expected'' recovery in the Bovespa index,
Indosuez W.I. Carr said in a year-end report.

Previous Market Reaction

Ambev's preferred shares gained 5.2 percent to 426.01 reais on Oct. 31 last
year, the day the brewer posted third-quarter net income of 387.8 million
reais, reversing from a loss in the same quarter a year earlier of 174.2
million reais.

Market Performance

Ambev's preferred shares have gained 5.7 percent this year, under performing
the weighted Sao Paulo Bovespa index, which has gained 7 percent over the same
period. The shares fell 0.8 percent to close at 497 reais yesterday.

Breare bid froths up W&D auction

By David Jones

LONDON, March 7 (Reuters) - British entrepreneur Robert Breare has submitted

his bid for Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries Plc after a seven-month wait,
sparking the auction for the company into life, industry sources said on
Tuesday. Breare has filed his bid at 500 pence a share valuing the brewing and
pubs group at 472 million pounds ($692.6 million), but insists he needs more
time to conduct due diligence on the company after he first submitted an
indicative bid last August.

"The bid has been filed with Wolverhampton's banking advisers at around 500
pence, but Breare wants an extra week to complete due diligence," said one
source.

Breare's company Noble House Leisure, backed by venture capital group Botts and

advised by CSFB, has been battling with the company's management led by
managing director David Thompson in a bid for the group which runs four

breweries and 1,700 pubs.

"Breare has always looked for a board recommendation from W&D, and he is
continuing to seek this," said the source. Other sources added that W&D had

received a number of serious bid proposals for the company ahead of its own
imposed April 5 bid deadline. "There are a number of serious proposals on the
table," said one source. W&D shares rose nearly four percent or 16 pence by

1500 GMT to 460p, but some analysts worried they could collapse to 350-360p if
no bid emerges after such a long wait.

"It's like waiting for a bus on a cold day, this saga has gone on far too
long," said one industry analyst.

Breare's indicative bid last August, also at 500p, led to the launch of W&D's
strategic review in October which effectively put the company up for sale and
prompted Thompson and two other executives to plan their own bid.

The W&D independent directors and its investment bank N M Rothchilds,

exasperated by the seven-month long takeover saga, set a April 5 deadline last
week for bids to be submitted. Thompson had been working with venture capital

group UBS Capital, the Royal Bank of Scotland and UBS Warburg on its bid of

over 500p a share, but industry sources believe UBS is on the point of, or may

have already, pulled out. Another interested party, privately-owned Pubmaster
led by Chief Executive John Sands, has not submitted a bid for W&D although it

has expressed interest in the group, sources said.

Pubmaster showed interest in W&D's tenanted pubs back in October and since the
saga over W&D has dragged for so long, it recently asked for details of the
whole group.

But its focus remains on tenanted pubs and it is believed to have been working
with Thompson to take over some of W&D's tenanted pubs if the management's bid
was successful.

Pubmaster with around 2,000 tenanted pubs is looking at a number of pub
packages. It has linked with Candover to bid for Whitbread's pub estate, and is
considering a bid for Avebury Tavern's 732 pubs, where bids need to be in by
Tuesday. In addition, Pubmaster is looking at 740 managed pubs put up for sale
by Scottish & Newastle in January with bids of up to 400 million pounds are
scheduled to be submitted this week.

Red wine quality down after wet season

Wednesday 7 March, 2001

As Hunter vignerons finish this year's grape harvest they say the quality of
red wines is likely to be well down on previous seasons.

Winemaker Brian McGuigan says on Friday he expects to complete the harvest
which has been very difficult due to several weeks of heavy rain and hot humid
conditions.

Mr McGuigan says while the rain should not affect the quality of white wines,
red varieties probably will not be as good this year "because we just weren't
able to get the sugars up to a level that we'd hoped, because of the rain that
we had sort of every week.

"And, of course, the vines take up that moisture and that dilutes the sugar to
a degree and at the same time with the dilution of the sugar we've also had
dilution of the acidity."
© 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

BEVision Featured Speaker at National Association of Beverage Retailers 2001
Annual Convention

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 7, 2001--BEVision, the in-store
television network for beer, wine and spirits retailers nationwide will be
presenting at the National Association of Beverage Retailers (NABR) 2001 Annual
Convention, March 11-14 at the Aladdin Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Sam Ambrose, Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships for
BEVision-creator RMS Networks, will deliver a seminar entitled "Using
Technology to Sell More Products and Train the People Who Sell Them" on Monday,
March 12 at 3:15 p.m.

With the more than 150 leading beer, wine and spirits retailers and suppliers
expected to attend, Mr. Ambrose will discuss achieving important industry-wide
objectives, including energizing the retail atmosphere, training in-store
employees, increasing product sales and developing consumer loyalty, through
the use of technology.

Currently under contract to be installed in approximately 1,000 beer, wine and
spirits stores nationwide, BEVision is a point-of-decision tool that offers
marketers and advertisers the ability to directly market products to their
target consumer -- active beer, wine and spirits shoppers. Designed to inform
and entertain consumers, influence in-store sales and enhance the retail
environment, BEVision custom television programming features products within
the reach of the consumer in the aisles of the retail location.

BEVision reports on a variety of relevant topics, from wine pairing and mixed
drink recipes, to gift suggestions and bar stocking tips for parties. Segments
are produced using original content, as well as content obtained from various
programming suppliers, including Wine Television, Fox and Time Warner.
Programming consists of broadcast-quality, full motion video and high quality
sound that is delivered through strategically placed monitors in retail
locations.

Note To Editors: A headshot of Sam Ambrose holding a bottle of beer, and one
holding a glass of wine, and one holding a shot of whiskey, is available upon
request.

Australian Weather
 
3/05/01 (HopNET) - In 2000, Australia accounted for just over 2.2% of world hop
production.
The following reports from the Australian Bureau of Metereorology claim that
this year's summer (finally coming to a close) was one of the hottest on
record. As yet, there is no indication how this may have affected Australian
hop
production.

Thursday 1 March 2000

MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - NSW REGIONAL OFFICE
Uncomfortable February ends Sydney's third warmest summer
Both rainfall and the number of rain days in Sydney in February this
year were close to average. The average maximum and average minimum
temperatures were above the long-term average. The average humidity at
9am (81 per cent) was the highest since 1992, however combined with well
above average minimum temperatures, this would make it the most
oppressive overnight conditions for February in terms of human comfort
since 1981. Hours of sunshine were slightly below average. A heavy
thunderstorm on the last day of the month that produced 20 millimetres
of rain in 10 minutes caused flash flooding in the central business
district.

Summer 2000-2001

The 2000-2001 summer in Sydney was the third warmest on record and the
warmest since 1997-98. The average temperature was 23.8 degrees Celsius
compared with 24.6 degrees in 1990-91 and 24.0 in 1997-98. Rainfall was
a little above average, but rain days were below average. The relative
humidity was above average. The high humidity combined with
above-average temperatures caused uncomfortable and oppressive
conditions. Hours of sunshine were close to average. There were six
thunderstorms at Observatory Hill (average nine). On 15 January,
temperatures reached 46 degrees at Penrith before a southerly change
brought wind gusts of 113 kilometres an hour over the metropolitan area,
causing considerable damage.

Coors Brewing Company's Sales Organization Taps Synygy for Enterprise Incentive
Management --EIM-- Solution

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 7, 2001--Synygy Inc., The Incentive
Compensation Company(TM), today announced that Coors Brewing Company, the
primary subsidiary of Adolph Coors Company (NYSE:<A
HREF="aol://4785:RKY">RKY</A>), has chosen to use Synygy's IC Expert(TM)
Enterprise Incentive Management (EIM) software and services to manage its
incentive compensation plan for its sales organization.

Coors adds to Synygy's growing list of consumer goods clients.

Synygy IC Expert software will be initially used to manage the variable pay
plan for the Coors sales force, which has been recognized by trade publications
as the best category managers in the nation in the supermarket and convenience
store channels.

"It is especially gratifying that a company like Coors, noted for the quality
of its products and widely recognized for its commitment to its people, has
chosen to rely on Synygy for managing something as critical as its incentive
compensation plan for its sales organization," commented Mark A. Stiffler,
president and CEO of Synygy.

Synygy's clients include many of the world's largest companies, including
American Home Products (NYSE:<A HREF="aol://4785:AHP">AHP</A>), FleetBoston
Financial Corporation (NYSE:<A HREF="aol://4785:FBF">FBF</A>), Johnson &
Johnson (NYSE:<A HREF="aol://4785:JNJ">JNJ</A>), Schering-Plough Corporation
(NYSE:<A HREF="aol://4785:SGP">SGP</A>), Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ:<A
HREF="aol://4785:SUNW">SUNW</A>), and E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
(NYSE:<A HREF="aol://4785:DD">DD</A>).

IC Expert: Not Just an Incentive Comp Calculator, it takes sales staff to a
higher plane of productivity

IC Expert is unique in the Enterprise Incentive Management (EIM) marketplace.
Continuously developed over the past ten years, IC Expert is more than just an
incentive compensation calculator. It is an integrated solution that includes
enhanced data processing, advanced reporting, and workflow management
functions--without the need to write custom code. It frees the user to expand
and realize true, seamless satisfaction.

The result is a truly flexible system that can be easily adapted over time as
the data, calculation, reporting, and workflow requirements change--without
having to hire a staff of programmers or consultants to write computer code.

Synygy provides clients with a complete range of incentive compensation
solutions--from enterprise software (ES) solutions installed at a client site,
to application service provider (ASP) solutions installed at Synygy's data
center and accessed via the Internet, to business process outsourcing (BPO)
solutions where Synygy performs all plan management activities. Over 50
companies rely on IC Expert to process a total of over 1.2 billion sales
transactions and pay tens of thousands of plan participants monthly.

About Coors Brewing Company

Founded in 1873, Coors Brewing Company is the third-largest U.S. brewer with
more than $2 billion in annual sales and is the principal subsidiary of Adolph
Coors Company (NYSE:RKY).

Based in Golden, Colorado, Coors uses only the finest ingredients available in
an all-natural brewing process to offer high-quality malt beverages that
include Coors Light, Original Coors, Killian's Red, and Zima. For more
information on Coors go to www.coors.com.

About Synygy

Synygy Inc., The Incentive Compensation Company(TM), is the largest provider of
Enterprise Incentive Management (EIM) software and services. Synygy created the
EIM industry in 1991, and Synygy's IC Expert(TM) software, now in version 8.1,
has been used to implement and manage the variable pay plans for more of the
world's largest corporations than any other solution.

Based in suburban Philadelphia, Synygy's success and rapid growth have been
recognized on the Inc. 500 for the past four years and the Philadelphia
Business Journal's Philly 100 for the past six years. Synygy was recently
awarded the prestigious 2001 Workforce Optimas award for Vision in its human
resources practices. For more information on Synygy, visit www.synygy.com.

Think Before You Drink at Work

Survey Finds Most American Workers Believe That Drinking Alcohol Is
Unacceptable at a Business Lunch, Yet Acceptable at Dinner

SADDLE BROOK, N.J., March 7 /PRNewswire/ -- The three-martini lunches are a
thing of the past according to a recent nationwide telephone survey conducted
for AOC by Opinion Research Corporation. When asked if drinking alcoholic
beverages at a business lunch was acceptable, 77% of those surveyed say no.
Only 21% say having a cocktail at a business lunch is acceptable, leaving only
2% who did not answer.

Enjoying a drink at dinner is another story altogether. Almost two-thirds of
the respondents surveyed say alcoholic beverages at a business dinner are
acceptable (63%) while 35% state that alcohol is still unacceptable even at
dinner and 2% didn't know or had no answer.

This survey, which asked American workers if they thought drinking during a
business lunch or a business dinner was acceptable, is part of AOC's ongoing
"Profiles of the American Worker(R)" series which summarizes the opinions,
attitudes, and behavior of employed Americans concerning workplace issues.

For this survey, full and part-time workers were asked the following: "Overall,
do you think it is acceptable or unacceptable to drink alcoholic beverages
during a business lunch?" "And in general, do you think it is acceptable or
unacceptable to drink alcoholic beverages during a business dinner?"

What are the Schools Teaching?

Seventy-four percent of college graduates think it is all right to drink
alcohol during a business dinner, whereas 57% of non-college grads think it is
acceptable and only 47% of those without a high school diploma think that
alcohol at a business dinner is okay.

While a dinner cocktail is clearly an acceptable practice among college
graduates, only 26% of those surveyed, who graduated college, also favor an
alcoholic beverage at lunch. Among survey participants who have some or no
college education, a drink at lunch is simply unacceptable-81% answer in the
negative.

Toasting the Difference by the Mason Dixon Line

Those living in the South are more likely than those in the Northeast to
disapprove of an alcoholic drink at either a business lunch or a business
dinner. Seventy-nine percent of those living in the South find a drink
unacceptable at lunch compared with 72% in the Northeast. Seventy percent of
those living in the Northeast think that drinking an alcoholic beverage at
dinner is acceptable, whereas only 59% of those in the South approve of this
practice.

This survey is based upon telephone interviews with a representative sample of
more than 1331 adults, 18 years of age and older, who are employed either full
or part time. Interviews were conducted by Opinion Research Corporation's
Caravan between February 22, 2001 to February 26, 2001. The margin of sampling
error associated with this survey is plus or minus three percentage points.

With more than 120 offices worldwide, AOC is currently a world leader in the
placement of temporary and direct-hire accounting and financial personnel.

For complete survey findings or more information, contact Samantha Cummis,
Public Relations Department, AOC, Park 80 West, Plaza II, Ninth Floor, Saddle
Brook, NJ 07663; 201-843-0006 ext. 290.

Will the UK Turn Its Back on French Wine?

LONDON, March 6 /PRNewswire/ -- http://www.just-drinks.com -- The future of
French wine could be under threat as younger drinkers turn their attention to
New World wine.

A report at http://www.just-
drinks.com/features-detail.asp?art=397&app=1&fotw=sct explains that France may
have been too blase about its wine in the past to stop Australia from stealing
its position as the UK's premier wine supplier.

Directors of French wine institutes are admitting that more could have been
done in terms of promotion. Jean-Luc Dairien of ONIVINS (l'Office National
Interprofessionel des Vins), said: "If we have difficulties, it's perhaps
because we've been a bit lazy." ONIVINS has identified a list of four
weaknesses in French wine on export markets: its complexity, its inconsistency,
its price fluctuations and its unfashionability.

Quality inconsistencies are of particular concern to the Institut National des
Appellations d'Origine (INAO), which is responsible for keeping the system in
good running order. It is now planning to improve quality "upstream" of the
final tasting sanction. Meanwhile, ONIVINS is tasked with creating "Brand
France" in order to compete with Brand Australia, but the fact that promotion
budgets are largely in regional hands and are often politicised makes this
concept virtually unattainable.

France's best wines are labelled according to place of origin rather than grape
variety, which is incomprehensible to many consumers. What's more, the tastes
of the younger generation favour new world styles above inconsistent French
flavours.

France therefore has a number of issues to address in order to prevent young UK
consumers from losing interest in its wines altogether. A major overhaul in
marketing and communications is required to improve a system that is currently
fragmented, incoherent, wasteful and outmoded.

For the full story, click here:
http://www.just-drinks.com/features-detail.asp?art=397&app=1&fotw=sct

Food investors remain sanguine over foot-and-mouth

By Trevor Datson, European consumer goods correspondent

LONDON, March 7 (Reuters) - Britain's foot-and-mouth crisis may be causing near
panic in the agriculture industries of its European neighbours, but stock
market reaction is likely to remain sanguine unless the outbreak hits epidemic
proportions.

This does not mean there is no threat to the industry itself -- far from it.
Europe's governments continue to act as if under seige, cancelling sports
events, disinfecting travellers and slaughtering livestock in their hundreds of
thousands.

But as the pernicious illness showed tentative signs of abating in the UK,
rallies in sectors such as fish processing have come to an abrupt end, although
a corresponding downturn in the meat processing sector is likely to be longer
lived.

Food processing companies tend to be second or third liners, and the few
large-cap food stocks there are, such as Nestle, Unilever and Northern Foods,
have little direct exposure to the meat industry.

However, some players such as Nestle believe they have benefited indirectly as
quality concerns return to the forefront of consumer attention. Nestle also
offers a wide range of pastas and other alternative sources of protein.

Dairy stocks, notably Italy's Parmalat and French Danone, have also been
impervious to the side-effects of foot-and mouth, although some short-term
share price drops have been noted amid as investors cut exposure to food
sectors.

SALMON STOCKS LEAP IN NORWAY

Where there has been a more marked reaction, it has tended to show on smaller
markets such as Norway, which has relatively heavy exposure to agriculture
stocks.

Shares in Norway's Pan Fish, one of the world's top salmon farmers, jumped 11
percent on Monday as speculative players hoped for soaring fish prices, but
profit taking sent it and competitor Fjord Seafood down almost as much the
following day.

"Foot and mouth disease and slightly higher spot prices have made salmon shares
rocket, but it is not strange investors are taking profit now," one Norwegian
analyst said, adding that salmon prices were expected to rise further.

Neighbouring Sweden has few listed food companies, but a spokesman for meat
processor Sardus AB told Reuters the company had not seen any drop in demand
for its products, which are sold mainly in Sweden and Denmark.

The only risk on the horizon was potentially higher prices for raw materials,
which Sardus buys exclusively in the (so far) foot-and-mouth and mad-cow-free
Sweden.

Gerard Rijk, food and beverages analyst at brokers ING Barings in Amsterdam,
told Reuters the main impact of a prolonged crisis, other than on consumer
confidence, would be on those companies working at the commodity end of the
market.

"The main impact is on the commodity players, not on the branded
manufacturers," Rijk said. "If it spreads there will be an enormous shortage of
pork, and several companies use this as an input material."

Rijk said a foot-and mouth epidemic might affect Nutreco, the world's largest
farmed salmon producer and Europe's biggest animal feed producer, but a Nutreco
spokesman said he did not expect any negative effects.

Nutreco, which has extensive pig farming activities in the Netherlands and
Spain, has no farming operations in Britain, and its internal balance between
salmon, pork and poultry operations reduces its exposure to disease outbreaks,
Rijk said.

BULLS KEEP THEIR TESTICLES

In Spain, frozen fish company Pescanova has gained six percent since the
foot-and-mouth broke out in Britain -- its share price has almost doubled this
year thanks to an increase in sales as mad cow disease spread in Spain.

A source at Spanish Campofrio, a processed meats company which also sells
highly-prized Spanish ham, said there had been no consumer psychosis over
foot-and-mouth disease, but added non-beef sales had been boosted by mad cow
disease.

Curiously, the scare has even hit bullfighting, preventing the matador from
claiming his traditional prize of freshly severed ears and tail, and denying
fans the post-fight dish of bull's tail stew and bull's testicles.

Meanwhile in Britain shares in FTSE-listed food and processing groups have thus
far shown little reaction to the latest scare.

Some companies, initially badly hit by news of the disease, have started to
recover. Animal feed producer Cranswick Plc's stock sagged to six-month lows
but had recovered by Wednesday, trading 10 percent up on this low at 365 pence.

While Ireland has been disease-free so far, most of its listed food companies
have operations in the UK which are affected secondarily the shortage-of-supply
impact on prices.

But even if the disease did hit Ireland, the impact would be limited given the
nature of much of the food produced, i.e. heat-treated dairy products.

Share prices in companies such as Kerry and Golden Vale

took a dive last week, but most have recovered losses this week as the scare
effect eases.

SHORT-LIVED BENEFITS IN RETAIL LEAD

British housewives have been stockpiling but the effect is marginal and
short-lived on major retailers like Sainsbury and Tesco.

And Chief Executive Cees van der Hoeven of Dutch Ahold, the world's third
largest supermarket operator, said that the current crisis had no significant
impact on sales.

"Globally we are seeing a slip in red meat sales in most countries, but the
shift to poultry and fish has been going on for quite some time. It has not
accelerated because of this."

So for the time being at least, investors seem to have little reason to either
desert meat processors or dive into fish stocks, one London-based analyst said.

"We're confident there is not a real issue with the dimensions of the disease
as we have it now," he said.

[J2jurado]

http://www.bergen.com:80/food/beer07200103078.htm

Brewer puts a sweet twist on a medieval ale

Wednesday, March 7, 2001 By TONY FORDER

Tom Baker is at it again in Ocean Township. Heavyweight Brewing Co.'s
adventurous brewer has re-brewed Two Druid's Gruit Ale. He has tinkered
with the herbal recipe of this medieval ale, resulting in a milder,
sweeter brew, and has packaged it in 12-ounce bottles. And, yes, you
will see my name on the label as one of the "Two Druids" who helped
formulate this beer.

Another new product that recently found its way into my refrigerator is
Rogue Chocolate Stout. Formerly exported from Rogue's Oregon home to
Japan, this beer has real chocolate in it. In fact, it is Rogue
Shakespeare Stout's basic brew with the added sweetener. The
glass-printed label features Rogue advocate Sebbie Buhler.

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/06/business/06ADCO.html

Advertising: Foster's Beer Updates Campaign

March 6, 2001 JANE L. LEVERE

J. Walter Thompson
Foster's, the Australian beer, is taking a somewhat more urbane tone in
new campaign, which is being shot in Sydney instead of the outback.

To broaden its image and market, Foster's, the Australian beer, is adding
some twists to its high-profile "How to speak Australian" advertising
campaign.

Starting this week, Foster's is doubling the length of its TV
commercials and introducing a national radio campaign, a first for the
brand. It is also increasing its advertising budget this year by about
75 percent, to more than $15 million. According to Competitive Media
Reporting, Foster's spent $8.8 million on advertising between January
and November last year.

Foster's is brewed in Canada under license from the Foster's Brewing
Group of Australia, and distributed in the United States by a joint
venture of Foster's and Miller Brewing in Milwaukee, a unit of Philip
Morris. Previously, Foster's was distributed in the United States by a
joint venture of Foster's, Miller and Molson, based in Montreal.

Announcing the latest joint venture last October, Foster's said that
spending to market its brand in the United States would more than
double, giving it "the support and drive it needs to continue its climb
toward becoming the leading premium import brand."

According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, a research and
consulting firm in New York, Foster's was the seventh-best selling
imported beer in the United States last year, with sales growth of 6.3
percent. In 1999 and 1998, it was the sixth-best selling import and had
sales growth of 9.2 percent and 20.6 percent, respectively.

Foster's rate of sales growth last year was outpaced by 6 of the 11 top
import brands, while sales of all imported beers in the United States
climbed 12.3 percent, compared with an increase of only 1.1 percent in
total beer sales, Beverage Marketing said.

Foster's new advertising was created by the Chicago office of J. Walter
Thompson, a unit of the WPP Group that is also the agency for Miller
Genuine Draft. Thompson won the Foster's account last year when Angotti,
Thomas, Hedge, the agency that had handled Foster's in the United States
since the mid- 1980's, merged with Gotham Inc.

Although the new TV spots maintain the "How to speak Australian" theme
introduced 10 years ago, they were photographed in Sydney, unlike
Foster's most recent spots, which are set in the Australian outback.

One ad, "Keeper," depicts a couple at a bar on their first date; the man
is somewhat awkward until his date tops off his glass of Foster's and
crushes the empty can against her forehead. A second commercial,
"Calamari," shows two couples drinking Foster's on a yacht in Sydney
Harbor; one of the men is sucked overboard by a giant squid.

Radio advertising consists of language lessons that humorously translate
words from American English into Australian English, while the print ad
recounts a tongue- in-cheek history of the brand.

The new TV spots run for 30 seconds — twice the length of previous
commercials — and are being shown on cable channels like ESPN, Comedy
Central and VH1.

Radio advertising is running in 14 major metropolitan markets, mostly on
the East and West coasts, while print advertising is appearing in
magazines like Playboy and Maxim. Officials said the entire campaign was
focused on men 24 to 30.

Erv Frederick, Miller's vice president of brand management, said the
advertising was designed to "do a better job reaching the core target
audience for imported beer."

"The previous campaign didn't resonate with that target," he added. "The
outback wasn't relevant to that group. We've also seen in research since
the Sydney Olympics that consumers have a much broader view of
Australia. We want to tap into that."

Dennis Ryan, executive creative director of J. Walter Thompson in
Chicago, said the 30-second commercials would allow Foster's to clear up
"misperceptions" drinkers might have of the brand, while the new radio
ads would "amplify" the TV campaign.

The new advertising was generally applauded by beer industry experts,
who predicted it could benefit both Foster's and Miller.

According to Manny Goldman, a consumer products consultant in San
Francisco, "consumer advertising should be solid and consistent.
Foster's has had a very solid image based on Australian-based humor, and
that's what they're capitalizing on."

Michael C. Bellas, chairman of Beverage Marketing, suggested the new ads
hit "the sweet spot for imports, co-ed social occasions."

"Beer has become very much a badge item," he added, "it makes a
statement about the beer drinker."

Mr. Bellas also said "the ante has gone up" among advertisers of
imported beers. "The competition is doing a lot more TV," he said.
"Although you've got to have your share of the consumer's mind, it's
getting tougher to reach them."

William Pecoriello, an analyst for Sanford C. Bernstein & Company,
called the new Foster's campaign part of a broader strategy by Miller to
strengthen its overall portfolio of brands, which he said was declining.
"Miller is trying to strengthen Foster's because high-end imports are
the fastest-growing piece of the whole industry," he said.

http://www.jsonline.com:80/news/ozwash/mar01/ozwbrfs07030601a.asp

Microbrewery set to open before fall

March 6 - Cedarburg - The developer of a microbrewery in the old Cedarburg Mill

says the project is behind schedule but should still open before fall.

Steve Roensch said delays have been caused by complications in
renovating the lower level of the 155-year-old building, particularly
installing drains and other plumbing beneath the building.

"Every time you do something on this building you're just shocked at
what you find," Roensch said.

Investors originally planned to have the microbrewery, called Silver
Creek Brewery, in operation by Christmas, but the decision to install a
brew pub pushed that plan back to June or July.

Roensch told the city Plan Commission Monday night it now looks like it
may be even longer now, but he said in a telephone interview Tuesday
that he still hopes to have the project completed before fall.

When finished, the brewery will occupy 2,400 square feet in the bottom
of the Landmark Supply Co. building at Portland and Columbia roads, with
another 1,800-square-foot outdoor beer garden along Cedar Creek.

http://www.sltrib.com:80/03072001/nation_w/77415.htm

EPA Questions Coors' Penalty in Fish Kill

Wednesday, March 7, 2001 SCRIPPS-McCLATCHY NEWS SERVICE
   
DENVER -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is questioning
whether a proposal to let Coors Brewing Co. make a tax-deductible
$98,000 donation to an environmental group for a fish kill is sufficient
punishment.

A Coors employee accidentally sent 77,000 gallons of beer into Clear
Creek near Golden, Colo., on Aug. 24, killing 50,422 fish.
   
EPA officials challenged the settlement before it was announced last
month.
   
"You have stated that Coors has made some corrective measures, but
were unable to articulate what these measures were or how the measures
would prevent future spills," the EPA's Diane Sipe said in a letter to
state officials. State regulators and Coors executives said the proposed
settlement was tough but fair.
   

http://www.enn.com:80/news/wire-stories/2001/03/03062001/krt_coors_42391.asp

Coors settlement over fish kill questioned

Tuesday, March 6, 2001 By Mark Obmascik, The Denver Post

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is questioning whether the
Owens administration was too soft on a major polluter by proposing to
let Coors Brewing Co. donate $98,000 for killing almost all fish in 7
1/2 miles of Clear Creek.

On Aug. 24 of last year, Coors illegally spilled 77,000 gallons of beer
into the creek near Golden and killed 50,422 fish. The fish kill was
believed to be the largest in Colorado in at least two decades, wildlife
officials said, and it came 10 years after a similar Coors accident
wiped out 13,193 fish in Clear Creek.

State regulators and Coors executives defended the proposed pollution
settlement as tough but fair. The Owens administration agreed to waive a
government fine against Coors as long as the brewer made a
tax-deductible $98,000 donation to a private group cleaning up old mine
wastes on Clear Creek.

But EPA regulators question whether state regulators unfairly discounted
Coors' history of environmental abuse. The brewer's sewage plant, which
caused the beer spill, violated national water quality standards 31
times in the past five years, giving it the sixth-worst record of
Colorado's 102 major wastewater treatment facilities, records show. None
of those other facilities caused extensive fish kills.

Since 1990, Coors has pleaded guilty to two criminal violations of water
quality laws and paid more than $2.1 million for hundreds of civil
violations of national air, water and toxic waste laws. Those penalties
came while the brewer, famed for its "Rocky Mountain Spring Water,"
promoted itself as environmentally sensitive in TV ads for its Coors
Pure Water 2000 campaign.

A December EPA letter, sent to state officials before the latest Coors
pollution settlement was announced last month, challenged Colorado's
proposal. "You have stated that Coors has made some corrective measures,
but were unable to articulate what these measures were or how the
measures would prevent future spills," EPA official Diane Sipe told the
state.

Coors spokeswoman Aimee St. Clair said: "We feel it's a fair agreement.
We're glad the money is going to help the creek."

Doug Benevento, chief environmental regulator for the Colorado
Department of Public Health and Environment, said the state did consider
Coors' five years of sewage violations when calculating the settlement,
but not the 1991 fish kill or air and toxic waste violations.

"This is a punitive penalty for the spill that Coors was the cause of,"
Benevento said. "We're looking for injunctive relief, and we're looking
for some assurance that this won't happen again."

State environmental regulation of Coors, one of Colorado's largest and
best-known employers, has been a sensitive political issue since 1993,
when the beer maker was accused of 189 violations of air pollution law
but protested a resulting $1 million state fine. Coors said the penalty
was too stiff because the company voluntarily had confessed its
wrongdoing to regulators.

A political backlash led the air pollution fine to be slashed to
$237,000, and the Colorado health department director at that time, Dr.
Patricia Nolan, said she was fired by former Gov. Roy Romer in part
because of her hard-line stance against Coors' pollution.

Coors also took its case to a sympathetic state legislature, which in
1994 approved Colorado's environmental self-audit law, dubbed the Coors
bill. The legislation grants polluters immunity from penalties if they
disclose their law-breaking to state regulators before regulators learn
of them through government inspections.

That law became the subject of national controversy this year during the
U.S. Senate's confirmation hearings of former Colorado Attorney General
Gale Norton, a strong self-audit supporter, as President Bush's Interior
secretary. Supporters say the self-audit law encourages companies to
work candidly on environmental shortcomings, but critics say it lets
companies pollute without reprisals.

In Colorado, several top Coors executives contributed to the political
campaign of Gov. Bill Owens, and the company donated $25,000 to the
governor's Inaugural Ball. Owens press secretary Dick Wadhams said the
governor was not involved in the Coors fish-kill settlement, and
Benevento said no politics came into play during negotiations with
Coors.

The state originally proposed a $91,636 fine against Coors, but agreed
to slash that to $49,000 if the brewer agreed to finance private
environmental repairs at a 2to-1 ratio. So Coors agreed to contribute
$98,000 to the Clear Creek Watershed Foundation for mine cleanups.

The EPA voiced concerns because private contributions are tax-deductible
for Coors, but government fines are not.

According to state records, the most recent fish kill came when a Coors
worker mistakenly turned a valve and sent beer to the sewage plant
instead of aging tanks at 3 p.m. on Aug. 24. One hour later, workers
unsuccessfully tried to divert the flow into an empty tank. At 4 a.m. on
Aug. 25, another worker noticed that the Coors sewage plant was being
overwhelmed by sludge and dumping pollution into Clear Creek. At 7:30
a.m. — 16 hours after the accident began — Coors began shutting down
beer production. When state inspectors visited that day, they found
thousands of dead fish in Clear Creek.

One key dispute between EPA and state regulators is whether Colorado's
proposed settlement is large enough to strip "what economic benefit was
enjoyed by Coors due to the delay" of taking subsequent steps to prevent
more spills, the EPA letter said.

The state settlement with Coors said the brewer "did not realize an
economic benefit as a result of the August 2000 spill and subsequent
violations. This incident was an accidental occurrence due to
operational error, and no existing controls, other than adherence to
defined operational procedures, could have prevented (the fish kill). .
. . Moreover, this accident was very costly to Coors both in terms of
lost production (three days shutdown of the entire production facility)
and aggressive mitigation efforts."

EPA's chief Colorado enforcer of sewage standards, Darcy O'Connor, said
the agency will question the state's proposed settlement this month in a
letter, but she declined to comment further. The settlement is subject
of a 30-day public comment period that begins this week.

Coors officials said they now are financing more improvements at their
sewage plant. EPA officials said they received notice this week that
Coors violated water pollution standards at the plant in January.

State and U.S. regulators have long track records with Coors.

In October 1990, Coors pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor violations of
state water laws and agreed to pay $750,000. Although Coors had been
illegally pumping industrial solvents into Clear Creek from 1976 to
1989, it didn't disclose the pollution until a television station found
out about it. In September 1991, Coors agreed to spend more than
$270,000 on environmental improvements after the Sierra Club threatened
to file a federal lawsuit for more than 240 violations of the Clean
Water Act from 1986 to 1991. The Sierra Club alleged violations on
limits for silver, solids, copper, nickel, mercury and cyanide.

Coors was fined $175,000 by the state in October 1991 for violating
water standards in Clear Creek. In the prior two years, Coors dumped
illegal amounts of mercury, silver and copper in the creek, state
officials said.

Another $36,000 fine came for a May 1991 fish kill.

In October 1991, Coors agreed to pay a $700,000 penalty after the EPA
accused the company of violating federal hazardous waste laws. The EPA
said Coors knew it illegally discharged at least two industrial solvents
into groundwater from 1981 to 1984, but failed to tell the agency until
1990. That secrecy let an extra 1,000 pounds of solvent leak into
groundwater, the EPA said. Company officials blamed the pollution on
leaky pipes beneath the company's container plant.

http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com:80/cgi-bin/texis/web/vortex/disp
lay?slug=mead05m&date=20010305

Mead makes a modest buzz

By Janet Burkitt, Seattle Times staff reporter, Monday, March 05, 2001

SULTAN - If Denice Ingalls were living in ancient Greece, she wouldn't
need to sell people on mead.

In the Greece of old, the honey beverage was celebrated as the "nectar
of the gods." In Northern Europe, newlyweds used it centuries ago for
its mythical powers as a fertility booster.

But aside from homebrewers and Renaissance-fair types, modern Americans
have been slow to embrace mead. So two years ago, when a very pregnant
Ingalls was trying to get her Sultan mead-making business off the
ground, she found herself hobbling into some of Seattle's finest
restaurants - sample bottles in hand - beseeching wine stewards to give
mead a chance.

It wasn't the slickest of marketing strategies, she admits now.
Nevertheless, she says, "it did make the whole fertility point about
mead."

Ingalls, 30, hasn't done things the traditional way in making and
selling mead, widely considered the world's first alcoholic drink. That
might be a good thing, considering that her Sky River Mead is one of the
few businesses in the country that has managed to stay afloat selling
only mead.

Her sweet, semi-sweet, semi-sweet organic and dry blends grace
supermarket shelves from Bellingham to Vancouver, Wash., and east to the
Tri-Cities. It's been served at restaurants from Seattle's Canlis to the
Dutch Cup in Sultan.

It's still not flying off the shelves at Chardonnay speed, however.

"People expect it to be really cloying and really sweet," she said.
"They're always surprised when they like it."

And that's the people who have expectations at all. Meadmakers say many
people have never heard of their product.

"We had one man coming in wanting to know where the M-E-A-T counter
was," said Fred Strothman, who owns a meadery and winery in Colorado. "I
would say about 85 percent of people didn't know what M-E-A-D was five
years ago."

Mead, in essence, is honey, water and yeast for fermentation, with
spices and fruits often added for flavor variation. It is simpler to
make than beer, and while meadmakers once had to boil the honey to
sterilize it and wait up to two years for the product to age, mead can
now be cold-filtered and can ferment in two to three months.

Slowly, its popularity is growing, largely in places such as the
Northwest and Colorado, with strong home-brewing traditions and
adventuresome consumers, said Charlie Papazian, co-author of "Brewing
Mead" and president of the Association of Brewers. Of the dozen
businesses in the country that he estimates make mead exclusively, two
are in Washington - Ingalls' and Ambrosia by Kristy, near Tacoma.

But beer brewers, meadmakers and winery owners alike predict mead will
remain a niche market.

"I don't really know why," Strothman said. "You could say, 'Will tea
ever be the beverage in America?' And I like tea, and I drink it every
day, but it will never replace coffee."

Ingalls hopes mead's cachet will grow enough for her to slowly expand
her business, which produced about 2,000 cases last year.

It's not a career goal she would have imagined for herself as a girl,
growing up in a family of teetotalers in Woodinville. In college, at
Pepperdine University in California, she majored in economics and
planned on law school. But she also took some Old English literature
classes and started dating the son of a honey packer.

Derek Ingalls' father, Mike, founded Sultan-based Pure Foods, one of the
country's major honey-packaging companies. Shortly after Derek and
Denice married, his father asked her to help out in the office.

"I thought it would be an interim thing," she said. "I didn't really
think there was a whole lot to learn about honey."

But she found herself fascinated by what she calls the "hidden
complexity" of the condiment - the variation in flavors, colors and
aromas. Even after her husband left Pure Foods for a job at Microsoft,
she stayed. Now, she's vice president of operations.

She was 22 - barely old enough to drink - when she and Derek started
talking about opening a meadery. References to mead in works such as
"Beowulf" were still fresh in her mind from college.

"The history is fascinating," she said. "In Celtic mythology, a river of
mead ran through Paradise. In England, the court meadmaker was like the
secretary of state."

The word "honeymoon" derives from a practice among newlyweds in old
Europe, who would drink the legendary aphrodisiac for one cycle of the
moon with the expectation that it would help brides bear sons.

They incorporated in 1997, subleased a 40- by 60-foot space in the Pure
Foods warehouse for their 500-gallon fermenting and conditioning tanks,
and put the first bottle of Sky River Mead on the market in 1999.

Today, medals and ribbons from wine shows decorate the walls of the
company's small retail space.

Ingalls' goals are relatively modest: She'd like another conditioning
tank to increase production. She'd like to get more people into mead,
even if it's not hers.

"And as the mother of two small children," she says, "I'd like to hire
someone to do the marketing."

http://www.ecommercetimes.com:80/perl/story/7819.html

Battle Intensifies Over Net Alcohol Sales

By Lori Enos, E-Commerce Times, March 1, 2001

Georgia Regulates

Sending a Message

Texas Battles

http://news.excite.com/news/r/010307/10/odd-chicken-dc

Chicken Advertisement Causes a Flap

March 7, 2001 LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's advertising watchdog has scolded a
chicken
sauce advertisement for upsetting Hindus.

The "Chicken Tonight" television commercial showed a woman meditating
and chanting in front of a ready-to-cook chicken while sitar music
played in the background.

She then ticked off the chicken for not joining in her meditation chant.

The Independent Television Commission upheld the complaints of Hindu
viewers who said that the commercial was insulting and offensive because
it ridiculed their religion.

The manufacturer, Van der Bergh Foods, apologized for any offence but
said it had not intended to imply a reference specifically to Hinduism.

[Lew Bryson]

"J2jurado" <j2ju...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20010305143130...@ng-md1.aol.com...

<Beer bits>

> The Beer That Made Patchogue Famous
> By ERIC ASIMOV Section: 14LI Page: 1 Column: 4
> (Photographs by Phil Marino for The New York Times)(pg. 1)

That's the self-styled "paper of record," right?

> January 28, 2001, Sunday PATCHOGUE - AS with breweries the world over, the
> first thing you notice at
> the Blue Point Brewing Company here is the smell.

> But you won't smell it anywhere else on Long Island, short of little brew
> pubs or bathtub brewing operations. The Blue Point Brewing Company is the
> only commercial brewery on Long Island, open only two and a half years but
> already a survivor in a notoriously fragile business in which almost one
of
> every four microbreweries goes under within five years of opening. In
fact,
> while Long Island has had its share of short-lived restaurants and discos
> that have made their own beer as a sideline, Blue Point may be the first
> dedicated brewery on Long Island since the Linden Brewery in Lindenhurst
> closed in 1949.

Discos with their own beer? Notoriously fragile business? "Almost" one of
every four goes under? This guy did some DEEP research.

> ''We got every warning, we heard everything, but we couldn't get fresh
> beer,'' said Peter Cotter, 37, who owns Blue Point with Mark Burford, 38.
> ''That's what we're in this business for, because we're beer people. We're
> not businesspeople, we're not stockbrokers, we don't have a lot of money,
> our parents don't have a lot of money.''

Beer people, that's good, but not businesspeople? Then chances are you're
fooked, laddy.

> Blue Point currently brews about 10,000
> barrels of beer a year, a minuscule amount that may be about what
Budweiser
> loses down the drain in a day.

10,000 bbls. a year. After 2.5 years, in one hell of a tough market that
drinks a boatload of Heineken. On the old Wild Goose system?

Paper of record, my arse.

--
Lew Bryson
"I do not at all resent criticism, even when, for the sake of emphasis, it
for a time parts company with reality." -- Winston S. Churchill
Member, NJAB http://kurt_epps.tripod.com/njab_index/
Author of the UPDATED Pennsylvania Breweries, 2nd ed., available at
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0811728986/qid=964395194/sr=1-2/103-7
272174-3121415

[J2jurado]

Czech Budweiser maker takes on A-B in the US

PRAGUE, March 8 (Reuters) - Czech brewer Budejovicky Budvar is taking on
Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. in the U.S., launching its version of the Budweiser
Budvar beer there under a new name to circumvent A-B's rights to the trademark,
a Czech daily reported on Thursday.

Business daily Hospodarske Noviny said the state-owned brewer, which is locked
in dozens of trademark disputes worldwide with its bigger rival, has begun
shipping small amounts to the United States under the name "Czechvar." The
brewery declined to comment on the report, which quoted Petr Bohacek from Czech
Beer Importers Inc, Budvar's representative in the United States.

Budvar spokesman Martin Dolezal said the company was planning a news conference
to present its new U.S. strategy at the end of March. He declined to give
details.

Budejovicky Budvar is based in the southern Czech city of Ceske Budejovice, or
Budweis in German.

It has for years fought legal battles around the world over rights to the
"Budwiser," "Bud" and "Budweis" trademarks.

Under past agreements, Budvar must not sell its full-flavour, slightly
sweet-tasting lagers under those trademarks in North America. Under various
agreements and court rulings, Anheuser-Busch has only limited access to some
European markets.

Budvar, which made 1.35 million hectolitres last year, just over one percent of
A-B's output, has remained in state hands throughout the country's
privatisation programme of the past decade due to the trademark disputes.

Merged AmBev moves to profit as sales fizz

By Nicholas Winning

SAO PAULO, Mar 8 (Reuters) - The world's fifth largest drinks company AmBev on
Thursday reported a strong return to profit on the back of effervescent growth
in sales and bigger than expected cost savings after its merger.

The firm, born from the fusion of Brazil's two biggest beverage companies
Brahma and Antarctica a year ago, made a net profit of 470.2 million reais
($230.3 million) in 2000, a sharp turnaround from 1999's 310.7 million reais
loss.

Fizzing growth in sales led to a doubling of operating profit to 915.8 million
reais, it said in its first annual results, published in local newspaper Gazeta
Mercantil.

"That performance is due not only to the success and speed of the integration
of the two companies...but also in the quality of execution at sale points,
guaranteeing growth in volumes and revenue per hectoliter," the statement said.

AmBev more than doubled net revenue to 5.3 billion reais from 2.5 billion in
1999. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA)
rose 54 percent to 1.5 billion reais from 974 million in 1999.

SAVINGS TOP FORECAST

The company said it had made cost savings of 192.1 million reais from the
merger, beating its initial forecasts of savings of between 100 and 150 million
reais.

It aimed to save 504 million reais in 2001, AmBev said. It had said it would
save 500 million reais in 2001 and 2002.

Total volume of sales rose 6.4 percent in 2000, including a 6.4 percent rise in
beer volume, 7.1 percent growth in soft drinks, and 11.5 percent expansion in
foreign beer sales thanks to a couple of Latin American acquisitions.

AmBev, which operates in Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Argentina, sells
Brazil's top-selling Guarana Amazon berry drink and a stable of beer brands
including Brahma, Antarctica, and Skol. It also distributes Pepsi in Brazil.

Growth in Brazilian beer sales was particularly strong. The company said the
healthy state of the economy and attention to point of sale, especially through
investment to supply fridges to retailers, lifted EBITDA for the division 44.9
percent.

The company is estimated to control almost 70 percent of the Brazilian beer
market and about a quarter of the soft drinks market.

AMBEV ACTIVE

It was a busy year for AmBev, the world's fourth largest brewer. During 2000 it
listed stock in New York, announced a share buyback, and made two Uruguayan
acquisitions.

It also sold its Bavaria brand to Canada's Molson Inc. for $98 million. It had
to sell the brand as a antitrust condition for its merger.

In November it bought Uruguayan brewer Cerveceria y Malteria Paysandu (Cympay)
for $27.7 million. The firm hopes that acquisition will double its market share
in the southern neighbour to 48 percent.

In September it joined forces with France's Danone to take over Uruguayan water
and beer company Salus for an undisclosed price. AmBev bought a 26.25 percent
stake while the French company bought the rest.

noisemedia contracted to produce animation for Molson's Export brand

VANCOUVER, March 8 /PRNewswire/ - noisemedia has been contracted by CyberSight
of Toronto to provide a series of animated greeting cards for Molson's Export
(EX) brand to coincide with Molson's current broadcast advertising campaign
(www.hadextoday.com).

Using a non-traditional approach, Canada's largest beer maker, Molson Brewery,
contracted noisemedia to create the new "Had EX today?" online advertising
campaign. Leveraging the success of their broadcast commercials, noisemedia
created a viral marketing product that was designed to reposition the outdated
"Molson Ex" brand, capturing a younger, urban consumer demographic. An
overwhelming success, the animated "Had EX today" greeting cards were sent to
over 50,000 viewers in a one-week period.

"We wanted noisemedia to create a fresh expression for Molson Export that
immediately captured the interest of our beer drinkers, and I think we've
broken some new ground and achieved something really special with the "Had EX
today? We've proven it's the marketing, Baby," says Rob Guenette, Vice
President Molson Export.

"We wanted humorous situations that compliment Molson's popular 'Had Ex Today'
theme," says Michael Sutton, audience development analyst, CyberSight. "These
entertaining and somewhat risque e-cards are sure to give beer drinkers across
the country a little chuckle this holiday season."

noisemedia will be delivering animated interstitials in Flash to be broadcast
on Molson's series of branded websites and other leading destination sites
within their target demographic.

Molson, founded in 1786, Molson is North America's oldest beer brand and a
global brand name with products that include Molson Canadian, Molson Export,
Molson Dry and Rickard's Red.

Whitbread pub sale brews as deadline looms

By David Jones and Arindam Nag

LONDON, March 8 (Reuters) - The race for Whitbread's pub empire is hotting up
with final bids for the 1.5 billion pound ($2.20 billion) plus estate due in
Friday and Nomura and Punch seen battling for the spoils, industry sources said
on Thursday.

Final bids for the 3,000-strong pub estate need to be submitted to investment
bank Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein by 1700 GMT Friday, with three or four
bidders set to throw their hats into the ring and a winner announced by
end-March.

Nomura's Principal Finance Group, headed by Guy Hands, and Hugh Osmond's Punch
are set to face competition from private equity group Candover, while a bid by
millionaire restaurant owner Luke Johnson is under a cloud as lawyers
interprete a "no compete" pub clause with Osmond, Johnson's former partner.

Industry sources say Whitbread will start negotiations with the highest bidder
next week but will not reject outright the other serious bidders. "The highest
bid on the table is not necessarily from the best bidder," one source said.

NOMURA FAVOURITE?

Many see Japanese investment bank Nomura as favourite as it will have little
problem raising cash. It put in an early indicative bid of around 1.4 billion
pounds, but is expected to raise this offer by Friday.

Nomura won the auction for 988 of Bass's smaller managed pubs last month by
increasing its bid to 625 million pounds from 575 million. This made the group
Britain's largest pub owner with some 5,700 outlets and it is still eager for
more.

"If Nomura really wants the pubs, then it will go out and buy them," said one
industry source. Nomura has been racing to establish a new style of pub, themed
around "Iced Lager Land", a celebration of American-style beers and a
preference for innovative delivery. Nomura's Hands was the first to see an
opportunity in buying up pubs and securitising the income stream by issuing
bonds.

But he faces competition from Britain's number two pubs group Punch which runs
5,150 outlets, and Osmond says he is pursuing a deal which would lead to annual
cost savings of 30 million pounds by linking Whitbread's and Punch's managed
pubs.

It is dangerous to underestimate Osmond, source say, after he broke up a cosy
deal in 1999 under which Whitbread planned to buy Allied Domecq's pubs, by
outbidding Whitbread and clinching a deal for Allied's 3,500 pubs for 2.75
billion pounds.

Among the other bidders, Candover has its eyes on the managed pubs which
include high street brands Hogshead, Casa, and Dome, and is looking for a buyer
of the 1,700 leased estate, valued at around 600 million pounds.

Candover is in talks with Pubmaster's Chief Executive John Sands and another
trade buyer, believed to be Enterprise Inns Plc led by Ted Tuppen, for the
leased estate. "They are still running their own mini auction," said one
source.

Meanwhile, Luke Johnson's bid, backed by Deutsche Bank's private equity arm
Morgan Grenfell Private Equity with finance from Lehman Brothers, may fall
apart as he faces the threat of a lawsuit from his former partner at Pizza
Express, Osmond.

Osmond and Johnson are both shareholders in Punch and there is a "no-compete"
clause signed in 1999 to run for three years saying Johnson would not compete
with Punch for tenanted pubs.

Osmond has confirmed there is a clause but says its contents are confidential.
Meanwhile, the Johnson camp are struggling in the 11th hour to save their
consortium bid.

"It's still uncertain but they are trying," said one source familiar with the
talks. ($1-.6809 Pound)

Quilmes Industrial -Quinsa- S.A. Announces Fourth Quarter and Year-End
Conference Call

LUXEMBOURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 7, 2001--Quilmes Industrial (Quinsa) S.A.
(NYSE:<A HREF="aol://4785:LQU">LQU</A>) ("Quinsa" or the "Company") has
scheduled a conference call, to discuss fourth quarter and fiscal 2000
financial results for Wednesday, March 14, 2001 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Standard
Time.

The call will follow the release of the Company's fourth quarter and year-end
financial results after the close of the market on Tuesday, March 13, 2001. The
call can be accessed by dialing (913) 981-5507 and asking for the Quilmes
Industrial (Quinsa) S.A. conference call or conference call number 611038. The
conference call will also be simultaneously webcast and be available for replay
on the Company's web site at www.quinsa.com.

ABOUT QUINSA

Quinsa is a Luxembourg-based holding company, which controls 85 percent of
Quilmes International (Bermuda) Ltd., ("QIB"). The remaining 15 percent share
is owned, since 1984, by Heineken International Beheer B.V. ("Heineken").
Heineken Technical Services B.V. renders technical assistance to the operating
companies. Quinsa, through QIB, controls beverage and malting businesses in
five Latin American countries. Its beer brands are market leaders in Argentina,
Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. Quinsa is also the second largest brewer in
Chile. The Company also owns a controlling interest in the largest PepsiCo
bottler in Argentina. Quinsa's common and preferred shares are listed on the
Luxembourg Stock Exchange (Reuters codes: QUIN.LU and QUINp.LU). Quinsa's
American Depository Shares, representing the Company's preferred shares, are
listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:LQU).

AlcoholEdu(TM) to Target 12 Million College Students

BOSTON, March 8 /PRNewswire/ -- AlcoholEdu(TM), the nation's first online
alcohol education course, was launched today by Outside The Classroom, Inc. to
provide affordable, proven-effective, science-based alcohol education to the
more than 12 million students on American college campuses, 10 million of whom
chose to drink and/or use drugs last year. This new approach to educating
college students about alcohol and the dangers associated with high-risk or
"binge" drinking was developed in answer to the increasingly urgent demands of
both college students and administrators nationwide.

Despite the fact that schools have been trying to educate students about
alcohol and create stricter campus policies, excessive drinking, alcohol
violations and injuries related to alcohol use continue to present major
challenges to administrators, students and their families. Last semester
alone, at least 11 students died from alcohol-related causes and thousands more
were hospitalized for alcohol poisoning.

"The huge number of alcohol-related emergencies and deaths over the last few
years has forced students and administrators to come face-to-face with the
problems associated with high-risk drinking and the fact that current alcohol
education strategies simply aren't working," said Brandon Busteed, founder and
CEO of Outside The Classroom(TM). "And administrators have tried so many
different things over the years that they're desperate for something that
actually works. So we went to administrators, asked them to tell us their
ideal alcohol education solutions, and then we combined their ideas with what
students were telling us would be interesting and effective. The result is
AlcoholEdu."

Combining proven instructional and assessment techniques with state-of-the-art
Internet media technologies, AlcoholEdu engages students and teaches them about
the latest alcohol-related social and biomedical research and how to help
friends who drink too much. Students are surveyed before and after the course
to assess changes in knowledge, behavior, and attitudes. The final test,
developed in conjunction with a division of the Educational Testing Service,
confirms to administrators that students have learned the course material and
aids them in their accountability efforts.

The course content for AlcoholEdu was developed by Clinical Professor of
Psychiatry Scott Swartzwelder, Ph.D. and Research Associate Aaron White, Ph.D.
of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University
Medical Center, in consultation with leading health educators and
pharmacologists in the field of alcohol abuse. Over 500 students at 30 schools
located in 22 states participated in the beta test.

Outside The Classroom, Inc. ( www.outsidetheclassroom.com ), a privately-held
company based in Newton, Massachusetts, was founded to provide world-class
online health and life-skills education for individuals and institutions from
parents and health educators to high schools, colleges, corporations and the
armed forces.

AlcoholEdu and Outside The Classroom are trademarks of Outside The Classroom,
Inc.

Australia Transport Chief Demoted for Drunk Driving, Paper Says
(The Australian, 3/8, p. 3)

Perth, Australia, March 8 (Bloomberg) -- The Western Australian transport
minister has been stripped of part of her portfolio after revelations she'd
lost her driver's license three times in 14 years, the Australian newspaper
said,

On Tuesday Allanah MacTiernan, who is responsible for road safety and
transport, apologized to voters over the loss of her license at the weekend
after doing 98 kilometers (61 miles) per hour in a 60 kmph (38 mph) zone, the
Australian said.

The minister, who was sworn in less than month ago after Labor won the state
election, failed to mention a 1994 license suspension after being caught with a
blood alcohol reading of 0.08 and a 1986 suspension for a similar
alcohol-related offence, the newspaper reported.

MacTiernan was stripped of the road safety aspect of her portfolio, though she
remains in cabinet as Premier Geoff Gallop said he doesn't consider the breach
merited firing, the Australian reported.

Web's Famous Coffee Pot Being Retired

By Sinead O'Hanlon, Reuters

LONDON (March 7) - One of the world's first and most unlikely Internet stars is
being retired after eight years online, British scientists said on Tuesday.

An inexpensive coffee pot sitting in the corner of Cambridge University's
computer laboratory gained cult status as what is believed to be the first live
image shown on the fledgling World Wide Web in 1993.

Now the site, which shows nothing more than the pot slowly filling up, will be
shut down and consigned to the history books as the computer lab moves to new
premises.

"Only five years ago it was a novelty, now it is of historical interest. Only
on the web could something make that transition so quickly," said Quentin
Stafford-Fraser, one of the scientists behind the Trojan Room coffee pot
project.

Stafford-Fraser said he originally hooked up a camera because he was sick of
traipsing down several flights of stairs for coffee only to find the pot was
often empty.

"The image was only updated about three times a minute, but that was fine
because the pot filled rather slowly, and it was only greyscale, which was also
fine because so was the coffee," Stafford-Fraser said.

Scientist Dan Gordon acknowledged the site was only marginally more exciting
than watching paint dry but said it had attracted 2.4 million visitors since
1993.

"Once, some American tourists called into the tourist information centre here
and asked where (the coffee pot) was so they could visit it," Gordon said.

"They took lots of photos. Its not really very impressive though, its just a
coffee pot."

Gordon also revealed a behind-the-scenes secret. The coffee pot currently
starring on the site is not the original. That broke down some time ago and has
since been replaced by a series of lookalikes.

Oregon Town Has What Tech Workers Long For: a Short Commute

Orenco Station, Oregon, March 7 (Bloomberg) -- Dan Murphy lives so close to
Intel Corp.'s semiconductor plants in Hillsboro, Oregon, that he can see one
from the street in front of his house. That's the way he likes it.

Murphy's new home gives him one of the most coveted assets in the computer
industry: a short commute. He can walk to his job in Intel's finance department
in 15 minutes. By car, he's there in three.

Until he moved in May 1999, Murphy had been driving from Portland, 20 miles to
the east. The trip took an hour each way, adding to his nine-hour workday.
Seven hundred miles south, in California's Silicon Valley, Intel workers
routinely drive 90 minutes morning and afternoon to jobs in Santa Clara. ``My
commute was really starting to wear on me,'' said Murphy. ``It made me really
angry. It's unfair that some employers build facilities where the employee has
no chance to live next door...plain irresponsible of the companies.''

Bad commutes are spurring some workers to quit jobs in the San Francisco Bay
area. More people left Santa Clara County -- home of Intel, Hewlett-Packard
Co., and Apple Computer Inc. -- in 1999 than moved there, according to the
California Department of Finance. Forty-three percent of residents polled by
the Bay Area Council last year said transportation was the biggest problem.
Housing was second, at 24 percent.

Traffic Jams

Things are getting worse. The traffic on 30 percent of freeways in Santa Clara
County poked along at less than 35 miles an hour during the evening rush in
2000. In 1991, traffic on just 15 percent of freeways moved that slowly,
according to Valley Transportation Authority. Sun Microsystems Inc. leased
500,000 square feet of office space in San Francisco in November 2000 to spare
city dwellers the drive to its headquarters in Palo Alto.

Murphy and his wife, Marcia Hunt, a manufacturing planner at Intel, found
another way out: a two-bedroom, 1,450-square-foot house costing $216,000 in a
planned community called Orenco Station. Orenco's collection of lofts and
brownstones, flanked by 1920s-style homes, is packed around two parks and a
block of restaurants and shops.

PacTrust, a real estate development firm in Portland, started building Orenco
in the middle of Oregon farmland in 1996, hoping to attract some of Intel's
14,000 Oregon workers, the chipmaker's largest collection of employees anywhere
in the world. Orenco is close to TriQuint Semiconductor Inc., Lattice
Semiconductor Corp., and electronics firm RadiSys Corp. Sneaker maker Nike Inc.
is six miles away in Beaverton.

Valley's Moves

Silicon Valley is taking steps to ease horrendous commutes too. Cisco Systems
Inc., the No. 1 maker of Internet equipment, plans to break ground this year
for a corporate campus in San Jose that will house 20,000 workers -- unless
environmentalists block it.

San Jose is proposing dense, Orenco-like communities nearby. Planners have
reserved 1,800 acres of virgin land for 25,000 homes with shops and mass
transit within walking distance. ``We don't want to waste it with tract
houses,'' said Kent Edens, San Jose's deputy planning director.

Closer to downtown, Federal Realty Investment Trust, a publicly held real
estate company, is building a 40-acre complex of shops, restaurants, lofts, and
town houses, hoping to capitalize on tech workers' growing desire to stay out
of their cars.

Crippling Shortage

Such new developments and people like Murphy may help technology companies ease
a crippling shortage of workers who are fed up with long drives. Builders from
as far away as South Korea -- where traveling three miles in central Seoul can
take two hours during rush hour -- have come to Orenco for tips.

``It's a wonderful design,'' said Jim Marshall, city manager in Merced,
California, who visited in January 2000. His town, 130 miles east of Silicon
Valley, is attracting refugees from the bay area. He needs to build housing
without gobbling up farmland.

Orenco isn't for everyone. It lacks Portland's brewpubs and art house movies.
Instead, it offers a few restaurants, some manicured parks, and a stop on
Portland's light rail system. Rules governing the outside appearance of the
houses make the town feel like a movie set. If Intel or other Hillsboro
employers cut jobs, Orenco's location may lose its appeal. Even residents who
love the place had reservations.

'Didn't Want to Move'

``I didn't want to move here,'' said Sabahat Rafiq, who lives in Orenco and
owns a restaurant on the main street. Her husband, Naveed Sherwani, manages a
division at Intel.

Rafiq had second thoughts about giving up her 4,200- square-foot home 30
minutes east of the Hillsboro plants. Now she likes coming home at midday to
spend time with her three-year-old daughter. Her husband often has to go to the
office at night. Those trips are easier now.

Portland is a hot spot for environment-friendly urban planning, so it's natural
that anti-automobile sentiment would spill out from there. It was one of the
first cities in the U.S. to create a boundary around the metropolitan area so
that farms don't fill with big suburban houses, creating sprawl and traffic.

City planners in Hillsboro, which is inside the boundary, laid plans for
high-density housing in the mid- 1990s and pushed to get Portland's light rail
to run to the chip plants.

Change Spells Trouble

The change spelled trouble for PacTrust, which owned land nearby. The firm had
planned to build offices, plants, and stores. It had never done a residential
development.

Rather than bailing out, PacTrust found a partner that had built neighborhoods
-- Costa Pacific Homes in Beaverton -- and took a shot. ``My other builder
friends said I'd really lost it,'' said Costa Pacific chief executive Rudy
Kadlub.

The companies sent teams to old, pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods and looked
at new towns built with preautomobile sensibilities -- like Walt Disney Co.'s
Celebration, near Orlando.

Persuading people to live cheek by jowl in the middle of nowhere required
special efforts. To provide privacy for the neighbors, each Orenco bungalow
would have one outside wall without doors or eye-level windows. All streets
would end in nice views.

Overall, Orenco is working. Developers have sold 276 homes, out of 459 planned.
Houses are appreciating faster than in Portland. Rosebay Cottages, like the one
where Sherwani and Rafiq live, are selling for $230,000 to $275,000, up from
$168,000 to $193,000 three years ago. The median home price in Portland was
$168,000 in December 2000, up from $150,000 in 1997.

More Affordable

Orenco is more affordable than the bay area. Families earning the median income
of about $87,000 could afford 16 percent of Santa Clara County homes last year,
down from 31 percent in 1999, according to Joint Venture Silicon Valley, a
nonprofit group in San Jose.

The obvious shortfall is that Orenco Station is small, with 350 people.
Eventually, it will grow. The master plan calls for 1,834 dwellings housing
4,000 people. Orenco needs to age a bit, too. The green paint is a little too
bright, the red bricks too new.

To Murphy and the others, those drawbacks pale beside Orenco's biggest selling
point: less traveling and more time.

Curry's journey to homesick Brit sets record

LONDON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - A British tourist holidaying in Australia missed her
favourite curry dinner so much she ordered a takeaway from back home -- and
four days and 10,850 miles (17,460 km) later she got it.

The transglobal takeaway is now set for a place in the Guinness Book of
Records, beating the 6,752 mile journey from New York to Tokyo for a takeaway
pizza, Britain's Daily Express newspaper said on Tuesday.

Rachel Kerr missed the culinary skills of the curry chefs in her home city of
Newcastle, in northeast England, so she sent an e-mail asking for help. To her
amazement, the Madaboutcurry website came to her aid arranging for a feast to
be sent all the way from the Rupali restaurant in the centre of Newcastle to
Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Express said.

The Rupali produced a 20 pound ($28.90) banquet for free and a courier firm
then agreed to forego the 168 pounds ($242.7) to fly the meal across the world
to a stunned Kerr.

"I don't think I have ever enjoyed food quite as much as this," she said as she
tucked in. "I never dreamed for a moment it would come to this."

Abdul Latif, owner of the Rupali said when he first got the request he thought
it was a joke.

"However, when I found out it was real, I was very proud," he said. "Australia
should learn about the traditional cuisine of Britain."

Latif said he gets mail from curry-lovers around the globe, keen to try what he
claims is the hottest curry in the world.

[J2jurado]

Compania Industrial Cervecera Fiscal Year Loss 15.7 Mln

Salta, Argentina, March 7 (Bloomberg) -- Compania Industrial Cervecera SA, a
company that brews and sells beer in Argentina., said it lost 15.79 million
pesos, or 5 centavos Dec. 30, 2000, compared with a loss of 337,000 pesos, or 0
centavos a share, in the same period a year earlier. (All figures in thousands
except per-share amounts)
Quarter Ended Percent
12/30/00 12/30/99 Change Net income (loss)
(15,792) (337) (4,586.08)
EPS aft XO items (0.05) 0.00 0.00 Avg
shares for EPS 312,918 312,918 0.00

Beer duty frozen - CAMRA says that's not enough for U.K. beer drinkers

MAR 7, 2001 - Great Britain's Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) was not
impressed by a promise by Chancellor Gordon Brown to freeze taxes on
beer in wine in 2001.

"Because of the competitive position of the industry, I will this year
continue to freeze duty on whisky and on all spirits," Brown said in
offering his budget for 2001. "And this year I propose to go further and
freeze duty on wine and on beer."

"Although it's preferable to an increase, this freeze will do nothing to
reduce smuggling of cheap Euro fizz which is being sold on to whoever
has the cash, including children," said Mike Benner, Head of Campaigns
and Communications. "Mr. Brown has offered no support for the 900,000
British jobs supported by the beer and pubs industry. Millions of pints
will continue to flood our shores and hundreds of British jobs will
continue being exported to France."

The United Kingdom has one of the highest excise taxes on beer in the
European Union. Estimates are than more than one million pints a day
arebeing smuggled into Britain by increasingly organised criminal gangs.

CAMRA called for a duty cut of 2 pence per int in this budget,
contending that would have been enough to significantly reduce the
bootleggers' profit and make smuggling less desirable.

Kirin Brewery's Ad Blitz, `DoCoMo Girl' Fail to End Sales Swoon

Tokyo, March 9 (Bloomberg) -- Ryoko Hirosue, an actress made famous during her
high school years pitching mobile phones for Japan's NTT DoCoMo Inc., smiles
into the camera. ``I've turned 20,'' she says. ``Now I can finally drink lots
of beer with my friends.''

``The DoCoMo Girl,'' as she's known, takes a sip of Lager, Kirin Brewery Co.'s
flagship brand. ``Cheers,'' she says. The commercial cuts away to a mug of
Lager and a hard-rock jingle, then returns to Hirosue clutching her beer and
squealing for joy.

It's no accident that Hirosue's first Lager commercial, which began airing in
October, was tied to her turning 20, Japan's minimum drinking age. Japanese
brewers are worried that a new generation of drinkers is rejecting traditional
beer in favor of canned cocktails and other beverages, including cheaper,
low-malt beer. Kirin, Japan's largest brewer, hopes Hirosue and other young
entertainers can help revive demand.

``We want young people to drink real, bitter beer more, even though low-malt
brew is popular among them,'' said Yoshikazu Arai, a Kirin managing director.

Advertising Push

Kirin, which signed Hirosue to a one-year contract for an undisclosed sum, also
hired Tokio, a group of 20-something male pop singers, to promote its brands.

The young celebrities face a difficult challenge. Japanese beer shipments fell
0.7 percent last year, the industry's second straight annual decline, as
growing sales of low-malt beers failed to offset a drop in sales of traditional
beers, such as Kirin's Lager. Shipments fell 19.3 percent from a year earlier
in January, according to the Brewers Association of Japan.

To stem the decline, Kirin and other brewers are spending more on advertising.
On a parent basis, Kirin has budgeted about 9 percent of revenue, or 98 billion
yen ($816.3 million), for advertising and promotion, up 69 percent from last
year.

Asahi Breweries Ltd., Japan's second-largest brewer, has a parent marketing
budget this year of 98.5 billion yen, also about 9 percent of projected
revenue, and a 14 percent increase from last year. Asahi forecast 1.3 percent
more parent revenue this year than did Kirin.

To put those numbers in perspective, consider that all beverage and tobacco
advertising on Japanese television last year amounted to 234 billion yen, 11
percent of total TV spending, according to Dentsu Inc., Japan's largest
advertising agency.

For her part, Hirosue is still able to charm Japan's young consumers. Her
latest Lager ad was the third-most popular commercial among 18- to 25-year-olds
surveyed last week by Oricon, a market research firm in Tokyo, after ranking
first the preceding three weeks.

Lager Lags

Still, popular commercials don't always yield increased sales. Kirin's Lager
shipments, which fell 15.9 percent from a year earlier in September, a month
before Hirosue's commercials began airing, fell 17.1 percent in October, 11.1
percent in November and 14.7 percent in December.

The company is seeing some signs of improvement in demand for canned beer,
though bottled beer shipments continue to slump. Kirin projects a 10 percent
decline this year in Lager sales. It's not easy through advertising alone to
achieve a dramatic turnaround in sales, said Kirin spokesman Hiroki Umezawa.

Meanwhile, Kirin's Tanrei brand, Japan's top-selling low-malt beer, faces
increased competition. In the week beginning Feb. 21, Asahi sold 3.25 million
cases of Honnama, its first low-malt brew. Three years ago, Kirin sold 2.53
million cases of Tanrei in its debut week.

Things might be worse without the company's marketing blitz, an analyst said.

``I think Kirin's strategy to use young people to promote Lager will appeal to
former Lager fans,'' said Shuichi Shibanuma, a Credit Suisse First Boston
analyst who rates Kirin's stock ``hold.'' ``It's important to show some
positive movement with Lager beer again.''

Marketing Competition

Part of the problem for Kirin is that rival beverage makers also are doing more
promoting, or at least seem to be doing a better job of it.

Sapporo Breweries Ltd., Japan's No. 3 brewer, last year took top prize from the
All Japan Radio and Television Commercial Confederation for its ``Black Label''
beer ads. The commercials featured a popular young actor and an older actor in
comic situations.

The spots helped Sapporo reduce the rate of decline in sales of Black Label,
its flagship brand, said company spokesman Akiko Kojima. After falling 14
percent in 1999, Black Label shipments fell 9 percent last year.

``That TV commercial is far more amusing than the others,'' said Hidenori
Sakurai, former editor of Josei Jishin, a women's magazine. Sakurai also was
author of a book last year on Hirosue and Norika Fujiwara, another popular
actress who promotes J-Phone, a mobile phone service run by Japan Telecom Co.

As it turns out, the 29-year-old Fujiwara also promotes a beer-industry
nemesis, canned chuhai, soda mixed with liquor distilled from potatoes. Since
Fujiwara began advertising chuhai for Takara Shuzo Co. two years ago, sales of
the Japanese liquor maker's canned cocktails have increased more than 40
percent.

Results like that could drive the DoCoMo Girl to drink more Lager.

Suntory Vice President Saji to assume presidency

TOKYO, March 9 (Kyodo) - Suntory Ltd. Vice President Nobutada Saji will assume
the presidency of the nation's largest whiskey maker March 27, replacing
Shinichiro Torii, Suntory officials said Friday.

The appointment of Saji, 55, son of former Suntory Chairman Keizo Saji, will be
announced later in the day, the officials said.

His appointment will be officially approved at a board meeting slated for March
27 following a shareholders' general meeting the same day.

Torii, 63, will assume the chairmanship of the company, which is also a major
beer brewer.

During Torii's tenure as president, Suntory pushed its share of the domestic
market for beer and ''happoshu'' malt liquor to above 10% for the first time,
by clinching a 10.3% share in 2000.

EUROPEANS SHIFTING FROM WINE TO BEER
 
03/07/2001 (Eccu) - Studies by the World Health Organization show that wine
drinkers such
as the French, Spanish and Italians have been cutting back since 1955
while beer drinkers have nearly doubled their intake. In 1955, French,
Spanish and Italian alcohol intake was nearly triple that of beer
drinking strongholds such as Germany, Britain and Denmark. "The average
difference between the beer- and wine-drinking countries in total
consumption now appears to be no more than a few deciliters of pure
alcohol per year," according to the WHO.
 

Alcohol May Help Heart by Reducing Inflammation, Study Finds

London, March 9 (Bloomberg) -- A drink or two a day may reduce a person's risk
of developing or dying from heart disease because of alcohol's ability to
reduce inflammation, according to a study in this week's Lancet.

Experts have long known that people who drink moderately are less likely to
die, particularly from heart disease, than teetotalers or heavy drinkers. What
was less clear is why alcohol, which can lead to other health problems, is
beneficial for the heart.

German researchers interviewed almost 2,000 men and women in the late 1980s to
determine the amount of alcohol they drank the previous week and to collect
blood samples. Those who consumed moderate amounts of alcohol, roughly one to
two drinks daily, had fewer signs of inflammation in their blood than those
who didn't drink or those who drank heavily, the study found.

Other recent scientific findings indicate clogging of the arteries, known as
atherosclerosis, is an inflammatory disease, the researchers said. Moreover,
people with signs of inflammation in their blood are at higher risk for heart
trouble, they said.

``In view of the robust association between markers of inflammation and risk
of coronary heart disease, an anti- inflammatory action of alcohol could
contribute to the link between moderate consumption and lower cardiovascular
mortality,'' the researchers concluded.

EU court casts doubt on Swedish alcohol ad ban

BRUSSELS, March 8 (Reuters) - The European Court of Justice cast doubt on
Thursday on the legality under the EU's single market of Sweden's near total
ban on alcohol advertising. In a case brought by the publisher of Swedish
magazine Gourmet, the court ruled that bans on alcohol ads could be justified
on public health grounds only if other measures, which did not damage intra-EU
trade, were not available.

The European Commission in Brussels said the judgment could have wide
implications and partially overturn earlier case law in the area of alcohol
advertising.

"The court has ruled that the advertising restrictions on alcohol constitute a
barrier to the free movement of goods and the free provision of advertising
services," Jonathan Todd, spokesman for European Internal Market Commissioner
Frits Bolkestein, said.

"Whilst not calling into question the public health objective of the measures,
(it) is saying that the measure is disproportionate to that objective," he
said.

Sweden has long had some of Europe's most restrictive regulations on the sale
and distribution of alcohol. Swedes may only buy alcohol through the State-run
Systembolaget chain of stores which have restricted trading hours.

Current Swedish law on marketing of alcoholic beverages includes a ban on
advertising in periodicals and on television and radio.

The Swedish Consumer Agency, which strongly opposes alcohol advertising, on
Thursday denied that the European court ruling undermined their position on
this issue.

"The ruling from the court sets a few important principles," said Consumer
Affairs department spokeswoman Marianne Abyhammar.

"That is that a prohibition like the Swedish law, aiming to protect public
health, is in accordance with European law."

She said the ruling left Sweden's national court to investigate whether a total
ban under these the circumstances would be too far-reaching.

Rev. Jesse Jackson defends his work, finances

By Andrew Stern

CHICAGO, March 8 (Reuters) - The Rev. Jesse Jackson, recently stung by a sex
scandal, defended his civil rights record on Thursday but evaded questions
about whether he stifled his criticism of corporate America in exchange for
donations to his organizations. In a news conference filled with speeches,
deferrals, and some answers that dragged on for 1-1/2 hours, the 59-year-old
Jackson recited his efforts to get corporate America to recognize minority
"business people who cannot be seen behind the walls of economic apartheid."

Jackson released financial statements for two of the four organizations that he
controls which showed corporate sponsorships and grants made up at least $12
million of the groups' $15 million in year 2000 revenues.

Though only an abbreviated list of contributors appeared in the financial
records, some were companies that Jackson has formerly criticized or against
whom he has announced boycotts. Among those named were some in the
telecommunications sector where he has been particularly active in trying to
secure jobs, contracts and other business opportunities.

"We look at corporations and ask them, 'We want you to stop boycotting us.'
There has been a suggestion they do it out of fear. They relate to us out of
hope," Jackson said.

Asked repeatedly about contributions to his organizations from some of those
same telecommunications companies, Jackson said: "There's a time to negotiate
and a time to confront."

As to his temporary opposition, later dropped, to the ultimately successful
Ameritech/SBC Communications Inc. merger and the failed Sprint Corp., WorldCom
Inc. merger, Jackson said telecommunications was an industry ripe for minority
entrepreneurs.

"It's where the biggest mergers took place, it's where the money was, it's
where the opportunity was," he said, adding that he did not engage in
"strong-arming" companies.

CORPORATE GIANTS

But he appeared to evade questions about whether his protests could be silenced
by timely contributions to his organizations. Jackson did say that corporate
giants provided research grants to his and other minority groups once they
recognized the potential of minority business people and markets.

"They have to open up to do the research on the markets they want to enter," he
said.

Jackson dropped his opposition to the SBC merger after Ameritech agreed to sell
part of its cellular phone business to Chester Davenport, a friend of
Jackson's.

"We never say to a company, 'take this person or that person.' We offer a list
and they do due diligence," Jackson responded.

"Any suggestion that we appoint people unilaterally is simply wrong," he said.
"They're getting creative geniuses who haven't gotten the opportunity.

"The fact that they are friends -- of course they are our friends -- but the
reason they get the business is because of talent," he said.

BUD IS A BUD

Prodded on the subject of a valuable Chicago beer distributorship sold to two
of Jackson's sons by Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. about the same time as he ended
his long "Bud is a dud" public campaign against the brewer, Jackson angrily
dismissed any connection.

He said he and his sons felt "insulted," and that they were being "racially
profiled" by the news media.

Jackson also appeared perturbed at questions about the $35,000 provided to
former Washington staff member Karin Stanford, 38, who gave birth to Jackson's
nearly two-year-old daughter and now lives in California. Jackson personally
provides $3,000 a month in child support.

After labeling $15,000 of her $35,000 payment from the organization as moving
expenses, Jackson shot back at a question about whether employees were
routinely granted such compensation by saying she could do what she wanted with
her severance package.

In an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times published on Thursday, Jackson said
that his annual income has been in the range of $400,000 and $430,000, mostly
from speaking engagements, his $120,000 salary, and $5,000 weekly from his talk
show on CNN, which is on hiatus. He told the newspaper that he and his family
had chosen to "live modestly."

Olympic officials defend beer sponsor

By PAUL FOY, 03/08/01

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Olympic officials defended Anheuser-Busch on Thursday as
a Salt Lake physician tried to step up his campaign to take alcohol out of
sports promotion.

``Busch has very carefully wrapped the Olympic flag around that beer bottle,''
Dr. George Van Komen said. ``We hope to put a stop to it.''

Van Komen, director of the Alcohol Policy Coalition, wants Anheuser-Busch to
limit advertising and ``Budworld'' beer tents during the 2002 Winter Games.

Van Komen is a familiar critic at the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, where
officials say he's fighting a losing cause. Van Komen ``is such an absolutist
that he wanted somehow to prohibit any advertising of beer, even on television
stations,'' said Olympic trustee and Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson.

Anderson dismissed Van Komen as an extremist whose positions never will
prevail. The mayor said Anheuser-Busch is ``a great Olympic sponsor'' paying
more than $40 million to support the U.S. and Salt Lake Olympic committees.

SLOC President Mitt Romney said he didn't have a problem with Anheuser-Busch
being an Olympic sponsor.

``They're an excellent company, they're very generous in support of the Games
and I'm pleased they decided to support the Olympic Games,'' he said.

But Romney was unwilling to be drawn into a debate over alcohol, calling it a
surprisingly divisive issue in Mormon-dominated Utah, which has some of the
nation's most restrictive alcohol regulations.

Romney said he no more wants to debate alcohol in Utah than touch an
electrified subway rail, ``so I'm just going to avoid that altogether.''

Anheuser-Busch put out a statement saying it has been an Olympic sponsor since
1984.

``There is no company that is more committed to the responsible consumption of
alcohol than Anheuser-Busch,'' Vice President of Consumer Affairs Francine Katz
said Thursday in the statement.

Katz took issue with George Hacker, who joined Van Komen on Thursday in
criticizing the beer sponsor. Hacker is from the Washington advocacy group
Center for Science in the Public Interest.

On the same day Olympic trustees endorsed a smoke-free 2002 Winter Games,
Hacker argued alcohol was more destructive than cigarettes.

Katz said Hacker has been crusading against beer advertising for more than a
decade even as underaged drinking and drunken driving have declined
substantially since 1982, according to the company's statistics.

Anderson said beer advertising pales in comparison with ``the concerted
campaign of the tobacco companies focussing on addicting young people to
cigarettes.''

Salt Lake organizers have designated an official beer, champagne and wine,
though Olympic rules prohibit them from awarding sponsorships to tobacco
companies or hard liquor distillers.

Museum saves bottles, not beer
King & Barnes beer will be dumped before labels go on display

MAR 8, 2001 - A Horsham, West Sussex, museum plans to honor the history
of the brewery it lost in 2000, but will pour its beer down the drain.

"I'm not a beer drinker but even I think an ale brewed in 1977 might
taste a bit foul now," said Horsham Museum curator Jeremy Knight. He
plans to drain bottles produced by King & Barnes to mark a series of
Royal events during the 1970s and '80s.

The beer was brewed in 1977, 1981 and 1986, to mark the Queen's Silver
Jubilee and the marriages of Prince Charles and the Duke of York.
"Bottles with their decorative labels are in perfect condition and will
be kept as a permanent reminder of the days when the people of Britain
celebrated Royal events with Horsham-brewed ale and lager," Knight said.

He said the beer will be dumped because if the bottles were broken other
exhibits could be damaged.

King & Barnes, which brewed beer in Horsham for 150 years, was purchased
last year by Dorset-based Hall & Woodhouse. Hall & Woodhouse took
control of 57 pubs and the brewing and bottling equipment, but closed
the brewery. The Bishopric site is being re-developed.

Knight said the bottles could be used in the future when the museum pays
tribute to the role King & Barnes played in the life of the town. Its
history includes colourful stories of locals people crowding at the
gates when it became one of the first buildings in the town with
electric lights. In 1944, the brewery was involved in a plan to deliver
beer to the troops by putting it in the reserve fuel tanks of wartime
aircraft.

After scares, Germans have rethink on food

By Mark John

SPANDAU, Germany, March 9 (Reuters) - Alfred Bredel is getting ever more takers
for his home-made horsemeat sausages, the pungent aroma of which wafts onto the
street outside his family butcher's in this west Berlin suburb.

His horsemeat chops, horsemeat carpaccio and speciality pickled horsemeat
joints are also in demand. In fact, he says business is almost as brisk as it
was just after World War Two.

"For decades, horsemeat has been seen as poor man's meat. But since the food
scares, demand has gone up sharply. And the customers are getting younger," he
notes.

Not cloven-hooved, horses are seen as safe from foot-and-mouth disease. And
with histories as riding school mounts or family pets, Bredel's animals are
unlikely to have been fed on the meat-based fodder blamed for mad cow disease.

"Besides, horses are fussy eaters. If it isn't grass, hay or cereals like oats,
they turn their noses up at it," he insists. "That's why they taste so good."

STOMACH-CHURNING IMAGES

The revival of fortunes in Bredel's 105-year-old business, the last remaining
horse butcher in Berlin, is just one of the more unexpected effects of a
long-term shift in German eating habits that has accelerated of late.

News late last year of the first confirmed case of mad cow in a home-reared
animal sent the demand for meat into a tailspin just as Germans should have
been stocking up Christmas tables with beef, goose and other traditional fare.

And just when it started to recover early this year, evening news broadcasts
were packed with stomach-churning images of cattle being culled in a European
Union scheme to support beef prices. "Cow Holocaust," muttered some
commentators here.

The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Britain only prolonged the animal
slaughter as herds around Europe suspected of contact with British animals were
killed protectively.

While Germans are seen, wrongly, by many as big volume-eaters of meat -- the
French and Spanish are way ahead in per capita consumption -- the scares have
finally upset a relationship with meat here that can rightly be said to be
special.

Along with the powerful car and the foreign holiday, a heavily meat-based diet
became a symbol of good living during the 1960s and 1970s for a generation
determined and rich enough to sample luxury after the privations of the war
years.

Quite apart from the fact that the national delicacy is the sausage, meat --
and particularly pork -- is almost omnipresent in traditional German cuisine.
Vegetarian tourists are often dismayed when the pea soup or potato dish they
unsuspectingly ordered turns up flavoured with large chunks of smoked pork.

No one personified the passion for meat better than Helmut Kohl, who as
chancellor relished introducing visiting world leaders to delicacies liked
stuffed pig's belly. Organisers of a G8 summit in Britain three years ago had
to launch a nationwide search for a bed big enough to accommodate his well-fed
frame.

But while successor Gerhard Schroeder shows the same penchant -- vowing at a
recent news briefing to stay true to his favourite type of hot dog despite the
food scares -- German eating habits have been changing for the past decade.

GERMANS EATING LESS MEAT

Meat industry figures show a decline in consumption from a peak of 101 kg (222
lb) of meat per head in 1990 to 94 kg (207 lb) in 1999, prompted by broad
social and food market shifts.

"Many people today either haven't got the time or the skills needed to prepare
a joint of meat," said Thomas Vogelsang of the Bonn-based German Meat Products
Industry Federation.

"There are more competing products on the market now, convenience foods like
pizzas, which people can quite easily substitute for meat," he added.

At the same time, the new concern for fitness -- and above all slimness -- is
fuelling a switch towards lighter eating. Olive oil and Mediterranean
vegetables, not large knuckles of ham, are now the symbol of a trendy, upwardly
mobile lifestyle.

The new food philosophy is embodied by Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, a
self-confessed former beer-swilling glutton who has converted to macro-biotic
food, marathon-running and near teetotalism. Now thinned down, he is often
heard extolling the benefits of "tasty pulse-based cuisine."

With others in the public eye also outing themselves as lentil-lovers, even
all-out vegetarianism -- practised by just half a percent of Germans a decade
ago -- is shedding its former image here as a freakish aberration.

A poll by news magazine Focus this month showed 15 percent of Germans saying
they ate no meat products at the moment. A survey last year showed the
percentage had already risen to around eight percent before the food scares.

VEGETARIANS ON INCREASE

"Every time there is a crisis we get a few more people come over," said Norbet
Moch of the German Vegetarian Federation, membership of which has surged since
last November.

Yet Moch has no illusions that vegetarians will be in the majority any time
soon, in Germany or anywhere else in Europe.

In Britain, beef consumption has now exceeded levels in 1995 just before BSE
was linked to the human brainwasting disease that has killed more than 80
people there and two in France.

"People have very short memories," Moch says.

Others argue that the shift is merely a rational consequence of a return in
trust towards a beef sector following a massive cattle cull and the tightening
of animal fodder regulations.

That may be. But Iwer Diederichsen, a psychologist who has studied eating
habits, argues that safety considerations cannot always be relied on to be the
main factor determining people's food choices -- particularly when money is
involved.

He tells of how a Baden-Wuerttemberg butcher, desperate to clear his overloaded
stocks as new BSE cases emerged in Germany, recently offered 200 kg (440 lb) of
beef to the public free.

"He couldn't get rid of it fast enough -- they didn't even want to know where
it came from," says Diederichsen. "Now is that rational behaviour?"

Parachute accident mars Florida coleslaw wrestling

SAMSALA, Fla., March 8 (Reuters) - A parachutist landed on a beer vendor at a
coleslaw wrestling match during central Florida's raucous "Bike Week"
celebration, seriously injuring the vendor, sheriff's deputies said on
Thursday.

The accident occurred on Wednesday afternoon at Sopotnick's Cabbage Patch bar
in Samsala, which sponsors an annual coleslaw wrestling match as part of the
motorcycle festival that draws as many as 500,000 riders from around the nation
to the Daytona Beach area.

Just before the women wrestlers squared off in a pit full of cabbage and oil, a
sky diver hired to parachute into the makeshift arena was blown off course by
high winds.

"The parachutist missed his mark and landed on top of the victim," Volusia
County Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said. The victim Sherri Lee, 37, was
walking with a tray full of beer near the beverage concession, where she and
other members of a local charity were working.

"We yelled, 'move, dummy,"' but she never looked up because it happened so
quick," biker Dave "D.R." Paul told the Orlando Sentinel.

Lee suffered head and facial injuries and was taken by helicopter to Halifax
Medical Center, where she was reported in serious but stable condition on
Thursday.

The parachutist, who said he never saw the woman, said the impact "knocked the
wind out of me" but that he was uninjured.

[Peter Alexander]

On 09 Mar 2001 04:52:53 GMT, j2ju...@aol.com (J2jurado) wrote:

>Museum saves bottles, not beer
>King & Barnes beer will be dumped before labels go on display
>
>MAR 8, 2001 - A Horsham, West Sussex, museum plans to honor the history
>of the brewery it lost in 2000, but will pour its beer down the drain.
>
>"I'm not a beer drinker but even I think an ale brewed in 1977 might
>taste a bit foul now," said Horsham Museum curator Jeremy Knight. He
>plans to drain bottles produced by King & Barnes to mark a series of
>Royal events during the 1970s and '80s.

Stupid bastards. The beer IS the history. Is it beyond their wit to
store it correctly so it wont damage other exhibits if broken?

>GERMANS EATING LESS MEAT
>
>Meat industry figures show a decline in consumption from a peak of 101 kg (222
>lb) of meat per head in 1990 to 94 kg (207 lb) in 1999, prompted by broad
>social and food market shifts.

You wouldn't have thought so in the Altes Hackerhaus in Munich last
Friday. I have never seen so much pork on one plate in my life as
Eileen had last week.

>Parachute accident mars Florida coleslaw wrestling

>"The parachutist missed his mark and landed on top of the victim," Volusia

>County Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said. The victim Sherri Lee, 37, was
>walking with a tray full of beer near the beverage concession, where she and
>other members of a local charity were working.

>The parachutist, who said he never saw the woman, said the impact "knocked the

>wind out of me" but that he was uninjured.

How was the beer?

Peter Alexander Chairman CAMRA Rochdale Oldham and Bury Branch,

Unless otherwise stated,the opinions stated here are personal. My CAMRA connections are given for information only.

[J2jurado]

http://www.ireland.com:80/newspaper/finance/2001/0309/seven6.htm

Nigeria is now Guinness's third largest market


March 9, 2001

Guinness brewery near Lagos is the most visible sign of the growing involvement
of Irish businesses in Nigeria, from engineering projects to smartcards

One of the curious feature about wars, famines and other disasters is that, no
matter how bad things get, supplies of beer never seem to run out.

Perhaps this explains the success of Guinness stout throughout Africa, one of
the most difficult trading environments anywhere. After celebrating the
fiftieth anniversary of its involvement on the continent last year, the brewer
is planning for further growth in Nigeria and elsewhere.

A teeming, hot, humid country like Nigeria mightn't seem the most obvious
market for the dark stout. The aroma outside the company's brewery at Ikeja
near Lagos is that of acrid petrol fumes rather than the roasted hops that fill
the air around St James's Gate.

The involvement of Guinness is the most visible sign of growing Irish
involvement in Nigeria, which is Africa's most populous country. The potential
for further growth in trade is very good, according to the Irish ambassador in
the Nigerian capital Abuja, Joe Lynch.

Nigeria is now Guinness's third largest market, after Ireland and the UK.
After a period in the doldrums, business is on the up and the company is
installing new bottling lines in Ikeja and at its other brewery at Benin City,
three hours east of Lagos.

The brands have familiar names - Guinness, Harp, Satzenbrau - but they differ
somewhat from the products sold at home. Guinness came to Nigeria over a
century ago, hot on the heels of the British colonists. Guinness foreign extra
stout was brewed with a higher alcohol content to keep it fresh on the
five-month sea journey to West Africa.

The Nigerian subsidiary was founded in 1950 and the Earl of Iveagh opened the
company's first brewery outside Britain or Ireland at Ikeja 12 years later.
African Guinness is still stronger than the original brew, with an alcohol
content of 7.3 per cent compared to 4.3 per cent in Ireland.

It also differs in that it is brewed from a combination of locally-grown
sorghum and maize. This resulted from a 1990 government decree that banned the
import of malted barley. "It changed the taste and caused some difficulty at
the time, but we've recovered well since," says Guinness Nigeria's technical
head, Dubliner Brian Carson, who, with managing director Matt Murphy from
Cork, is one of two Irish expatriates with the company.

The company has a total workforce in Nigeria of about 1,400. As in Dublin, it
has a reputation for paying above the going rate and Guinness jobs are
especially coveted in a country of massive unemployment.

Sales run at 5.5 million hectalitres a year, an increase over previous years
but only half the levels attained 20 years ago. Guinness is a premium product
that sells at twice the price of any other beer.

With up to one million Nigerians living in Britain, the Ikeja brewery has
begun to sell the African product back into Europe. And with Ireland's
Nigerian community growing quickly, it's likely that this "coals to Newcastle"
circle will shortly be completed.

The decline in sales over a 20year period can be largely attributed to the
collapse of the Nigerian economy over this time. The local currency, the
naira, has gone from parity with the dollar to a current exchange of about 120
naira to one dollar.

After-tax profits last year amounted to 3.1 billion naira, on a turnover of
14.8 billion naira.

With corruption, fraud, nepotism and a collapsing infrastructure, Nigeria rates
as one of the most difficult places in which to do business. Government
decisions can be erratic and unpredictable; last year, for example, it
re-introduced excise duty of 40 per cent on alcoholic beverages. Guinness says
this places the company at great disadvantage against imported products.

Commercial director Ian Melrose says Nigeria deserves the reputation. "It's a
difficult environment. The phones don't work, the roads are bad and the power
can be erratic."

His advice to companies thinking of investing in Nigeria is to have a clear
idea of what they want to achieve and a timescale in which they want to
achieve it." It's no different from anywhere else. You just can't expect quick
solutions."

Guinness has lately been joined by a number of other Irish companies in
Africa's most populous state. Civil engineering contractors PW Consulting has
operations in Lagos and the capital, Abuja, and MF Kent is also active
in this business.

Cardbase Technologies from Dún Laoghaire is developing a smartcard that may
just provide the solution to Nigeria's chronic problem with credit card fraud.
Kindle and other banking software companies are working here, and AIB has links
with Marina-Dodgy bank in Lagos.

Ireland runs a healthy balance of trade surplus with Nigeria. Last year, Irish
exports amounted to almost £70 million, while imports came to only £1.7
million. Our main exports are food preparations (60 per cent of exports), dairy
products (Kerrygold is prominently advertised in Nigeria) and fish. We don't
import Nigerian crude oil, which accounts for 98 per cent of its total exports.
Feedstuff for animals is the main import.

http://detnews.com:80/2001/business/0103/07/b07-196366.htm

Carlsberg brewery struggles to keep leading position
Firm reinvents itself by entering markets in Asia, Russia, Ukraine

By Jan M. Olsen/AP March 7, 2001

Copenhagen, Denmark- Carlsberg A/S, the world's fifth-largest brewery group, is
reinventing itself to keep its leading position amid stiff international
competition.

The company is expanding in key markets and ridding itself of noncore
businesses, including its large ownership stake in Copenhagen's famed Tivoli
Gardens amusement park. And because people in western Europe are drinking more
wine and less beer, Carlsberg has cast its eye on grpwing markets in Asia,
eastern Europe, Russia and Ukraine.

PHOTO: Rene Strandbygaard / Associated Press
The Carlsberg brewery building in Copenhagen, Denmark, is home to the world's
fifth-largest brewery group. Last month the company reported global sales of
$4.4 billion for the 15 months ended Dec. 31

"From being the biggest in Denmark, we have become a leading brewer worldwide,"
spokeswoman Margrethe Skov said. "Now we have to stay there."

Last month the company reported global sales of $4.4 billion for the 15 months
ended Dec. 31, with net profit of about $269 million. Both sales and earnings
were up from the preceding year, though the fifth quarter was flat in terms of
revenue. The extended reporting period allowed Carlsberg to orient its fiscal
year with the calendar year beginning in 2001.

Carlsberg, whose brands include Carlsberg and Tuborg, controls about 70 percent
of the Danish beer market, though some 90 percent of its sales are abroad.

It was founded in 1847 by J.C. Jacobsen, who learned how to make lager beer in
Bavaria and returned home to Copenhagen to convert ale-drinking Danes to the
lighter, fizzier brew. In its first year of existence, his company -- named
after his son Carl and berg, the Danish word for hill -- produced some 1
million bottles.

The company now produces 750,000 bottles of beer daily and has 22,000 employees
in 100 subsidiaries and associated companies around the world. Its other
businesses include soft drinks, packaging, porcelain and silverware.

The intensified focus on brewing has received a thumbs-up from analysts, who
say consolidation is needed within the beer industry because the top companies,
led by Anheuser-Busch Cos., carry so much weight.

"The landscape in the brewing world is changing a lot these days," said Andrew
Gowan, who follows the industry for Lehman Brothers in London. "It has become
increasingly difficult to sit in between those who are consolidating and those
who are being consolidated."

Carlsberg shares dropped about 15 percent on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange
after the company reported its earnings. Analysts say investors were
dissatisfied with the flat growth rate in the fifth quarter of the extended
fiscal year.

"We had expected some more growth in the results," said Stig Nymann, an analyst
with Sydbank.

Carlsberg has been busy in the past year. It created a joint venture with
Singapore-based Chang Beverage Co. to set up Carlsberg Asia, bought out
Switzerland's largest brewery, and made a deal to take over the beer and drink
operations of Orkla ASA, a Norway-based conglomerate with interests in media,
food and chemicals.

Orkla holds a major stake in Russia's leading beer brand Baltika and that would
give Carlsberg "a huge push on the Russian market," Skov said. The Orkla deal
required Carlsberg to end soft-drink ventures with Coca-Cola Co. in Norway and
Sweden because Orkla has a similar partnership with PepsiCo Inc. in those
nations. Carlsberg cannot distribute both Coke and Pepsi in the region.

Under an arrangement announced in February, Coca-Cola will take over
distribution of its products in Norway and Sweden, while Carlsberg will provide
Coke and its sister drinks in Denmark and Finland.

Jakob Bundgaard, an analyst with Denmark's Jyske Bank, said the recent
agreements by Carlsberg to broaden its beer business will improve the company's
chances of remaining competitive.

"Internationally speaking, it is a strong signal that Carlsberg is
concentrating on what it does best -- beer," he said. "It has strengthened
Carlsberg on the market."

Last year Carlsberg took another major step by selling its shares in Tivoli
Gardens and in Royal Scandinavia, the maker of the Flora Danica and Royal
Copenhagen porcelain brands and Georg Jensen silverware.

Carlsberg started acquiring shares in Tivoli -- an amusement park, performance
center and botanical garden -- in the late 19th century, when tough competition
among Danish brewers made them invest in the entertainment business,
restaurants and hotels to ensure distribution of their products.

http://www.adn.com:80/weekend/story/0,2645,246773,00.html

Forget television; Nielsens should reflect beer lovers
What ales you

By Dawnell Smith, March 9, 2001

A few weeks ago, Nielsen Media Research asked what my family watched on
television. They really wanted to know so much that they annoyed me with futile
postcards and mealtime phone calls.

Nevertheless, I filled out the TV diary -- a single line down the "TV off"
column with occasional breaks for "The West Wing." We couldn't fit television
into our lives even if we wanted to unless it helped us avoid household chores
like hand-pulling the fungus from the carpet edges.

Worst yet, the Nielsen folks sent a single greenback as a token of their
appreciation. They might find beer for a buck in Kansas but not in the Far
North, where we spend a pretty penny for our foam.

When I read about the amount of television that people watch, I marvel at their
time-management skills. By the time I work, write, play, read, eat, bathe,
grunt and slowly give in to exhaustion, I hardly have time for a beer, let
alone a date with a laugh track.

It would make a lot more sense for these Nielsen people to expand into the
craft-beer industry. They could send
"beer diaries" to assess the beer-drinking habits of craft beer lovers. The
dinnertime call might go like this:

Nielsen peon: "So, Ms. L, just what tasty brew are you enjoying now?" Ms. L
(in an animated scream): "I have a perfectly chilled six-pack of Silver Gulch
Pilsner in the fridge, but I haven't had a chance to touch a single bottle
since the upstairs toilet imploded and my older son strapped my younger son to
the dog with duct tape."

Nielsen peon: "Thank you, ma'am. If you could just note your response in your
diary, I'll let you get back to your S"
Ms. L: "NO, WAIT. You're the first adult I've spoken to in three weeks. Please
don't hang up. Please S"

I would gladly fill out a beer diary for two bits and the chance to show off my
beer travels. In fact, that's what college students have been doing for years
by building beer can pyramids. From an anthropological point of view, it's
essentially a Neanderthal means of recording the day's events.

As a mature adult, I would actually try to use words in my diary, though some
of them might have porter smudges and witbier stains.

I might mention my trip to Glacier BrewHouse for its Brewer's Barrel Tuesday, a
biweekly event that taps into small batches of special brew. Last time around,
Jason Wood and Allen Miller made a Belgian strong beer, though the style
changes every time. With just a single barrel to consume, it runs out quickly,
so check out the offerings at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 13.

My sudsy journal also would include a few words about the Midnight Sun Brewing
Co.'s brewhouse tour at 6 p.m. every Friday. It includes samples and plenty of
buying opportunities. On March 16, the folks there will even pour green clover
beer to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

Other diary entries might describe the Alaskan Stout I enjoyed in the
toy-cluttered living room at midnight or the Urban Wilderness Pale Ale I drank
after work at the Snow Goose or the quiet booth and bomber IPA I savored at
Cusack's or the 1998 bottle of homebrewed barley wine I shared with my thinner
half while the kids napped or the last dregs of the cask ale.

Such a diary would require time and effort on my part, but that's trivial. If I
can help Nielsen Media Research develop beer ratings, then that's my brew-given
duty as a beer-loving, Bud-fearing columnist with an imploded toilet and
anuntouched six-pack of beer in the fridge.

Master Brewer Dawnell Smith believes in and supports mature drinking habits.
Her e-mail address is alaska.net.The Great Northern Brewers Club Snow Goose
Breakup HOMEBREW COMPETITION is April 14. Entries are due April 13 at the Snow
Goose Restaurant. This year's categories are English mild (light or dark),
English bitter, Belgian witbier, Belgian saison, helles bock and stout (all
varieties). If you have questions, call 277-7727 and ask for the brewery or
check out the club'sWeb site, www.corecom.net/~homebrew.

http://starbulletin.com:80/2001/03/07/features/story3.html

Y Sake? Because chef Roy Yamaguchi can

March 7, 2001 By Betty Shimabukuro, Star-Bulletin

SAKE-making is turning into a successful side trip for chef Roy Yamaguchi.

The first 4,000 cases of his signature sake -- named Y Sake, for Yamaguchi --
has sold out to distributors and will be showing up in restaurants and retail
stores over the next few weeks, his partner, Shep Gordon, said.

And it's an impressive list of restaurants: Jean-George in New York, Emeril
Legasse's restaurants and restaurants in Bellagio in Las Vegas, among others,
Gordon said.

Y Sake is the first daiginjo, or premium sake, to be brewed in the United
States. It is being made for Yamaguchi at the Momokawa brewery in Portland,
Ore., by SakeOne Corp.

The sake made its debut in Hawaii Monday night at a dinner at Roy's Restaurant
in Hawaii Kai, the four varieties in the collection served with four specially
created dishes. Yamaguchi said his restaurants in Hawaii will begin pouring the
sakes this week. "Sake to me," he said.

The collection represents a range of flavor intensities: Y Sky is light,
semi-dry; Y Rain is infused with ginger in the style of more contemporary
sakes; Y Wind is very dry, more traditional in scent and flavor; Y Snow is a
cloudy, unfiltered sake, slightly sweet, and was the best-seller in New York.

Gordon estimated that the sakes will retail for $25 to $30 when they reach
store shelves in Hawaii.

Their classification as daiginjo means that the rice used in the sake is
polished away to 50 percent of its original size. The more of the outer hull of
the rice that is removed -- to reveal the inner starchy core -- the smoother
and finer the grade of sake that results.

http://www.ireland.com:80/newspaper/finance/2001/0308/fin2.htm

March 09, 2001

Guinness to drown shamrock in UK

One million pints of Guinness are sold in Britain every day with St Patrick's
Day being the brand's biggest earner.

Last year, seven million pints were sold on that day and the brand hopes to
boost that figure this year with a £5 million sterling (euro 8 million)
marketing drive. It is the brand's biggest-ever St Patrick's Day promotion and
all the creative work features the Irish National Anthem Danny Boy. The six
television advertisements, which were created by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO,
feature various groups of people in the same Irish pub singing versions of
Danny Boy.

The advertisements end with the familiar "Good things come to those who wait"
strapline. The high spending campaign includes Danny Boy text messages to 9,000
mobile phone users as well as in-pub promotions.

As part of the promotion Chris Evans's Virgin Radio Breakfast Show will
broadcast from the Guinness brewery in Dublin on March 16th.

http://www.montrealgazette.com:80/news/pages/010309/5067905.html

Irish roots intertwine- St. Patrick's parade might take on some Boston flavour


BASEM BOSHRA The Gazette, March 9, 2001

There's something slightly unsettling about watching a portly belching fellow
parading around in a sash, like a large, hopeful beauty contestant.

But throw in some proud Montrealers of Irish descent, beer, a reception at the
Molson brewery and talk of St. Patrick's Day and it all makes sense in an
only-in-Montreal kind of way. The husky gentleman in question is Terence
Corcoran, grand marshal of the 177th annual St. Patrick's parade to be held
March 18, and he's quick to credit his formidable girth to his Irish roots.

"Part of my heritage is Italian, but I tell everyone I didn't get this big by
eating Italian food," the jovial Corcoran told the guests on hand yesterday
for the announcement of this year's St. Patrick's festivities.

600,000 Expected

The United Irish Societies of Montreal, which organizes the parade, is
expecting about 600,000 people to line downtown Ste. Catherine St. to take in
the festivities - up to 750,000 if the temperature is sunny and relatively
mild. Corcoran, a private investigator whose company also provides security
services, said the parade has grown steadily because of its inclusiveness.

"They say everybody's Irish," Corcoran said. "That's not true. It's just that
everyone's out to have fun on St. Patrick's Day, no matter what their ethnic,
racial or religious background.

"That's what makes it so special. There are no barriers to anybody.

"It's too bad St. Patrick couldn't run for political office."

On the eve of the parade, the Boston Bruins will be in town to take on the
Canadiens - the first time anyone can remember that happening on St. Patrick's.

Organizers believe the game will only add to the festive atmosphere.

"When Boston comes into town, let me tell you ..." Corcoran said with a laugh.

"With the game on Saturday night, they might not make it back for the parade in
Boston if they stay overnight, so maybe they can celebrate with us, which
should be fun."

Steve Dowd, general organizer for the United Irish Societies, said he's already
heard
of several busloads of Bruins fans who plan to make their way up to Montreal
that weekend.

"We expect the city to be electric," Dowd said.

Fans at the Habs-Bruins game will be treated to a few St. Patrick's Day
surprises that organizers are keeping under wraps, although word is that parade
queen Nadia Collette will take a spin on the Zamboni between periods.

Anything to make fellow Irishmen from Boston feel welcome, said Larry Smith,
director of public relations for the United Irish Societies of Montreal.

"It's a big Irish town coming into another big Irish town. It's going to be a
wonderful celebration and it's going to fill the streets as we've never seen
before," Smith said.

"We don't expect any problems. We've never had a single incident in the 177
years of the parade."

For local Irish bars and restaurants, which always report a sharp rise in
customers during the St. Patrick's weekend, the arrival of the Bruins'
notoriously rabid fans will just mean business as usual.

"It's not going to make it any busier, because it's always unbelievably busy
(over St. Patrick's weekend), and
we'll have green beer," said Rod Applebee, general manager of Hurley's Irish
Pub on Crescent St.

Applebee said he'll have to wait to see whether sales will spike even more
because of the big game.

"I guess it depends on who wins."

- For more information on the St. Patrick's parade, or to watch it live on the
Web on
March 18, visit the site: www.montrealirishparade.com

http://www.newscientist.com/newsletter/news.jsp?id=ns228141

Pee to win

Barry Fox, New Scientist magazine, 10 March 2001.


Carl Rennie Davis of Stourbridge has another reason for men to waste more time
in bars: a peeing contest built into the urinals. A vertical row of lamps is
controlled by a paddle wheel hidden in the waste pipe (GB 2351453). The
longer someone pees past the wheel, the more lamps light up. The electronics
for a row of urinals can be linked so that rivals can compete for the longest,
strongest pee. The wheel is fitted with optical speed sensors, and the
circuitry works on a safe low-voltage supply. Extra display boards can be
mounted in the bar, so women
friends can join in the fun--should they feel so inclined. Pub installations
will be subsidised by the Budweiser beer brand.

http://news.excite.com/news/r/010309/11/odd-sheep-dc

Shepherd Shot Dead, Sheep Blamed: Worst way to die, not Bedouin

March 9, 2001 MARSA MATROUH, Egypt (Reuters) - An Egyptian Bedouin shepherd
was shot in the chest and killed on Thursday when one of his flock jogged his
loaded shotgun as he slept, police said.

They said the accident occurred in the northern coastal governorate of Marsa
Matrouh. Other Bedouins found the
body of 20-year-old Mokhtar Fadl and took it to hospital.

Police seized the gun, which was not licensed. The murderous sheep were
reported to appear nervous.

http://news.excite.com/news/r/010309/11/odd-borg-dc

Bjorn Borg Urges Europeans to Have More Sex Immediately

March 9, 2001 STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish tennis champion Bjorn Borg is
calling on Europeans to have more sex and more babies to make sure there are
enough people around to finance old age pensions.

To deliver his message the five-time Wimbledon winner took out a full-page
English-language advertisement on
Friday in Sweden's biggest business daily Dagens Industri.

Under a picture of a group of midwives, Borg wrote: "We have a bit of a
delicate problem here in the Western
world: there aren't enough babies being born.

"If nothing drastic happens soon there won't be anyone who can work and put up
for our pensions.

"Luckily there is a simple solution that is both enjoyable and relaxing: the
Swedish model. An intimate form of
socializing that, if done properly, will keep midwives laboring all over
Europe. So the humble advice from Bjorn
Borg is quite simply: Get to it!."

The advertisement ends with the slogan "F+++ for the future."

No one at the tennis star's fashion company Bjorn Borg Sweden AB, which placed
the advertisement, was
immediately available for comment.

[Lew Bryson]

"J2jurado" <j2ju...@aol.com> wrote in message

> Nigeria is now Guinness's third largest market

Well, of course it is, their fucking Guinness isn't made in goddamn Canada!

[Peter Alexander]

On Fri, 9 Mar 2001 17:52:40 -0500, "Lew Bryson" <bee...@prodigy.net>
wrote:

>"J2jurado" <j2ju...@aol.com> wrote in message
>> Nigeria is now Guinness's third largest market
>
>Well, of course it is, their fucking Guinness isn't made in goddamn Canada!
>

and somewhat surprisingly, the Irish Press and Ambassador don't appear
to know that Guinness isa British company!

I must tell you the story Lew, of a private tour I had of the Guinness
Brewery in Dublin once. It might explain the Canadian Guinness. I'll
email you sometime.