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J2jurado

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Oct 12, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/12/00

Heineken, Asia Pacific to Buy Out Shanghai Partners, SD Says

Shanghai, Oct. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Heineken NV, the world's No. 3 brewer, and
Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd. of Singapore plan to increase their stake in
Shanghai Mila Brew Co. to 97 percent by buying out their Chinese partners, the
Shanghai Daily reported, citing Zhou Yeming, a spokesman for the joint venture
brewery.

The two foreign partners will a 27 percent stake from Shanghai Guanshengyuan
(Group) Co. and Shanghai Light Industry Foreign Economic and Technical Co., the
paper said.

Shanghai Mila, which produces Reeb beer, the second popular brand in Shanghai,
the paper said.

The move is aimed at increasing Reeb's presence in the city's beer market.
Since Shanghai Mila was established in 1988, investment has increased about
threefold to 360 million yuan ($43 million).
(Shanghai Daily, 10/12/2000, p. 1; {SNGI <GO>} for the newspaper's Web site)

DB Group to Distribute NZ$151 Million; Cancels Shares

Wellington, Oct. 12 (Bloomberg)-- DB Group Ltd., New Zealand's No. 2 beer
brewer, said it will distribute NZ$151.3 million ($61 million) to shareholders
by canceling half its shares.

The company, 77 percent owned by Singapore's Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd., last
month agreed to sell its Corbans Wines Ltd. unit to Montana Group New Zealand
Ltd. for NZ$154 million.

Chairman David Sadler said the company has no immediate use for those sale
proceeds. Shareholders will be asked in November to approve the distribution,
which will be effected by canceling one out of every two shares held and
repaying NZ$3.00 a share.

DB shares rose 0.3 percent to NZ$3.01.

Foster's Sees 60% Boost in Americas Beer Sale Accords

Melbourne, Oct. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Foster's Brewing Group Ltd. aims to boost
sales in the U.S. and Canada by more than 60 percent within five years after
signing new distribution accords in both countries.

Foster's, Australia's No. 1 brewer, renegotiated its brewing, marketing and
distribution accords with both Miller Brewing Co. of the U.S. and Canada's
Molson Inc.

The new agreements were triggered when Montreal-based Molson wanted out of a
three-member alliance with Foster's and Miller because its brands have lost
market share in the U.S. As a result of Molson's decision, Foster's will sell
its brands in the U.S. with Miller and take 49.9 percent of the venture.

Foster's said it also revised its brewing accord with Molson. The Canadian
company will make all Foster's beer -- 10 million cases worth -- that is sold
in the U.S. Molson also agreed to boost marketing of Foster's beer in Canada.

``We certainly expect to get better than a 60 percent increase on current
volumes over the next five years'' with the new agreements, Richard Scully,
managing director of Foster's Brewing International, said in a telephone
interview.

Foster's Brewing International, which encompasses all beer- related activity
outside Australia, had a turnaround profit of A$6.6 million ($3.5 million) in
the year ended June 30, compared with a year-earlier loss of A$11.9 million.

Foster's rose 14 cents, or 3.3 percent, to A$4.37.

International Sales

In fiscal 2000, international beer sales rose 2.1 percent to A$131.1 million,
representing 9.2 percent of Foster's total beer sales. Total volumes of
Foster's beer sold internationally exceeded 100 million cases in the last
fiscal year for the first time.

The Americas business -- which includes the U.S., Canada, Central and South
America and the Caribbean -- accounted for about 16 percent of Foster's
international volume sales, said Scully. The company sells about 475,000 cases
of beer in Central and South America and the Caribbean.

Foster's currently generates about 80 percent of its profit from its brewing
business. In recent years, it's been expanding with purchases of vineyards,
global wine selling clubs and hotels with gaming businesses.

Molson's offer to buy its brands back followed the poor performance of its beer
in the U.S. The slide reflected a lack of attention to its beer by the joint
venture, said Molson spokesman John Paul Macdonald. Molson is in talks with
four or five other companies to promote its brands in the U.S., Macdonald said.

``We were quite disappointed with the performance of the (Molson) brand,'' said
Foster's Scully, adding the profitability failed to meet expectations.

Foster's has increased its stake in the venture with Miller to 49.9 percent
from 24.95 percent in the previous one. Miller holds the balance.

New Venture

The new venture, renamed Foster's USA LLC, will now only sell and market
Foster's beer. Miller and Foster's will split the profits of the venture's beer
sales.

Foster's will receive royalties from both Miller and Molson from the new
agreements, said Scully. ``While there's no cash on the table at this point,
we've improved our position.''

Last financial year, Foster's saw its share of the Australian beer market fell
0.5 percent to about 55.5 percent from 56 percent amid intense competition from
Lion Nathan Ltd. The lack of growth in Australia has prompted Foster's to
expand its wine business.

Foster's earlier this month completed its A$2.6 billion cash and debt purchase
of Beringer Wine Estates Holdings Inc. of California. Foster's wants to double
the contribution of wine to its earnings to 40 percent in the next five years.

Miller is owned by Philip Morris Cos., maker of Marlboro cigarettes.

'Happoshu' grabs record 25% of beer market

.c Kyodo News Service

TOKYO, Oct. 12 (Kyodo) - ''Happoshu'' sparkling malt liquor clinched a record
25.2% of Japan's beer market in September, up more than 4 percentage points
over August, according to data released Thursday by Japan's four major brewers.

The combined quantity of domestically shipped beer and happoshu by the four
remained almost identical from a year before at 590,416 kiloliters, reflecting
sluggish sales of beer.

Happoshu brews taste similar to conventional beer. However, they are typically
cheaper than regular beer because their low-malt content puts them under a
lower tax regime.

Breaking down the shipment tally for September, beer accounted for 441,640 kl,
down 4.7%, while 148,775 kl of happoshu was shipped, up 17.1% over year-before
levels for the 52nd consecutive month of increase.

Suntory Ltd.'s overall shipments rose 7.4% thanks to the continued spirited
sales of its low-malt Magnum Dry.

Kirin Brewery Co.'s overall shipments dipped 3.4%, with the brewer taking a
beating from slumping sales of its Lager-brand beer.

Sapporo Breweries Ltd. saw overall shipments grow 1.9% with its Reisei
Karakuchi happoshu drawing hoards of happoshu drinkers.

Asahi Breweries Ltd., which does not make happoshu, logged a 1.0% rise in beer
shipments in the month, with sales of its Super Dry remaining good.

Foster's to strengthen US business

Oct 12

Leading Australian brewer Foster's is restructuring its North American beer
business.

Foster's has negotiated a new joint venture arrangement with its partner,
Miller Brewing.

It says the aim is to strengthen the marketing, sales and distribution of
Foster's in the US.

Foster's will lift its stake to become an equal partner with Miller in the US
distribution company Molson USA, with Molson Incorporated pulling out of the
venture.

The distribution company will be renamed Foster's USA LLC.

Sales of Foster's have achieved growth of 60 per cent in the past five years.
© 2000 Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Japan Beer Shipments Unchanged as Low-Malts Offset Brew's Slump

Tokyo, Oct. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Japanese shipments of beer and low-malt brews
remain unchanged in September from a year earlier, as the popularity of
inexpensive low-malt brands offset slumping sales of regular brews.

Japan's four major brewers -- Kirin Brewery Co., Asahi Breweries Co., Sapporo
Breweries Ltd. and Suntory Ltd. -- shipped a combined 46.64 million cases of
beer and low-malts.

Kirin shares today rose 3 yen to 1,190; Asahi gained 8 yen to 1,093; Sapporo
rose 3 yen to 354.

Below are tables for September beer and low-malt shipments in millions of
cases. One case holds 20 630-milliliter bottles.

Combined Beer and Low-Malt Brew Shipments

Company Cases Shipped Change from Market Share

Sept. 1999 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Kirin
Brewery 17.88 -3.4% 38.3% Asahi Breweries 16.87
-- 36.1% Sapporo Breweries 6.86 +1.9%
14.7% Suntory 5.03 +7.4% 10.8%
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Total
46.64 0.0% 100.0%

Beer Shipments Only Company

Cases Shipped Change from Market Share

Sept. 1999

Asahi Breweries 16.87 +1.0% 48.4% Kirin Brewery
15.11 -10.2% 33.0% Sapporo Breweries 4.76 -7.0%
13.6% Suntory 1.75 -10.7% 5.0%
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Total
34.89 -4.7% 100.0%

Asahi Breweries to make 2 group firms wholly owned units

.c Kyodo News Service

TOKYO, Oct. 12 (Kyodo) - Asahi Breweries Ltd. said Thursday it will make Nikka
Whisky Distilling Co. and Asahi Beer System Ltd. wholly owned subsidiaries
through share exchanges on Feb. 1.

The move is aimed at promoting Asahi Breweries' growth as a comprehensive
alcoholic beverage maker while rationalizing operations within its group.

Asahi Breweries owns 58% of Nikka Whisky and 75% of Asahi Beer System.

Under the deal, shareholders in the two subsidiaries will receive 0.32 Asahi
Breweries share for each of their Nikka Whisky shares and 0.51 Asahi Breweries
shares for each Asahi Beer System share.

Nikka Whisky and Asahi Beer System are listed on the second sections of the
Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Osaka Securities Exchange, respectively.

Progress Being Made In Reducing Underage Drinking; Beer Institute Testifies on
Industry Initiatives Before Kansas Committee

TOPEKA, Kan., Oct. 11 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was released today by
the Beer Institute:

Teen drinking has declined steadily through a combination of education,
parental involvement, enforcement and public awareness, according to Jeff
Becker, president, Beer Institute. Becker will be testifying before the Interim
Committee on Federal and State affairs, Oct. 12 on brewers' initiatives on
underage drinking.

For more than 20 years, members of the brewing industry have been proud to be a
part of the solution to reducing underage drinking. Through cooperation and
commitment by parents, schools, community volunteers, government officials,
business leaders and the private sector, these efforts are working:

-- The percentage of teens, ages 12-17, who report having a drink in the last
30 days is 45 percent lower in 1998 than it was in 1982.

-- The percentage of college freshman who say they drink beer frequently or
occasionally is 32 percent lower in 1999 than it was in 1982.

-- The percentage of high school seniors who report having five or more drinks
in a row in the last two weeks has declined by 24 percent during the same
period.

(source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of
Transportation and UCLA)

In his testimony, Becker stressed the brewers' commitment to reducing underage
drinking and the many initiatives brewers have developed to help discourage
underage drinking. Becker explained, "No one is more concerned about problems
caused by underage drinking, or is doing more to educate the public about
responsible, legal consumption than members of the brewing industry."

Becker noted that there is certainly more to be done to reduce underage
drinking, but the public should be aware -- even proud -- of what has been
accomplished in fighting underage drinking. He added, "As president of Beer
Institute, as a parent, and as a concerned citizen, I can assure you the
brewing industry will maintain its efforts to reach young people with effective
messages to discourage underage drinking, drunk driving and all forms of
alcohol abuse."

The Interim Committee on Federal and State Affairs is conducting a study on
underage drinking and holding this hearing to collect information on the
programs and initiatives to combat underage drinking.

Beer Institute, established in 1986, is the national trade association for the
brewing industry, representing both large and small brewers, as well as
importers and industry suppliers. The Institute is committed to development of
sound public policy and to the value of civic duty and personal responsibility.

El Salvador bans local liquor after 111 deaths

SAN SALVADOR, Oct 12 (Reuters) - El Salvador's Congress on Wednesday approved a
10-day ban on the sale of locally made liquor in working-class bars, stores and
pharmacies in the wake of a bizarre alcohol-poisoning epidemic that has killed
111 people.

Authorities also said they had arrested a woman found with a container of
methanol, a poisonous industrial alcohol, traces of which have been found in
some of the victims' bodies.

The illnesses were first reported over a week ago.

The ban will come into effect on Thursday or Friday, Congress officials said.
Imported liquor will still be allowed to be sold in supermarkets and authorised
shops.

Jorge Cea, spokesman for the national prosecutor's office, confirmed the death
toll had risen on Wednesday to 111. The victims came from five regions in the
centre and north of the Central American nation.

El Salvador authorities have still not discovered the source of the tainted
alcohol.

``Somehow methylated spirits, that is for industrial use and highly toxic, fell
into irresponsible hands, whether through contraband or theft, and has been
used to make these alcoholic drinks,'' said Deputy Health Minister Herbert
Betancourt.

Some Salvadoreans drink alcohol sold for medical purposes by pharmacies because
it is cheaper than normal alcohol. Many clandestine alcohol vendors and liquor
stores in the country also sell adulterated, or homemade alcohol.

Security Minister Francisco Bertrand Galindo on local radio urged citizens to
report illegal sales of liquor contaminated with methanol.

Study Reveals Most Recognizable Ad Slogans; Simplicity, Originality, Longevity
Keys to Striking a Chord with Consumers

EVANSTON, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 12, 2000--Pork, toilet tissue and home
insurance might not have the pizzaz of the Internet, but today's dot.com
startups would be well-advised to pay attention to how those products have been
marketed.

A recent study by Northwestern University's Medill Graduate Department of
Integrated Marketing Communications found that the advertising taglines for
Allstate Insurance Company, Charmin bathroom tissue, Rice Krispies, Wheaties
and pork make up the top five most memorable taglines in contemporary
advertising.

According to Clarke Caywood, Ph.D., NU department chairman, the research
measured recognition of the most popular contemporary ad slogans among the U.S.
population at large. The two-part study first identified and ranked the top 30
slogans and then measured what percentage of people correctly could identify
the brand, product and company behind each slogan.

Allstate's "You're in Good Hands" ranked No. 1 (81.7%), "Please Don't Squeeze
the Charmin" was No. 2 (80.4%), and close behind at No. 3 was Rice Krispies'
"Snap, Crackle, Pop" (80.2%). Wheaties' "The Breakfast of Champions" was No. 4
(72.5%) and pork's "The Other White Meat" was No. 5 (69%). These slogans had
the highest recognition rate among a sampling of 1,003 adults.

"What stands out for consumers is simplicity, creativity and longevity," said
Caywood. "Whether it's `The Other White Meat,' which changed the way Americans
thought about pork 13 years ago, or Mr. Whipple, who first uttered Charmin's
tagline more than 30 years ago, all have a combination of one or more of these
important traits. The more targeted the words and message and the longer
running the slogan, the higher it ranked."

Slogans were analyzed against recognition (have heard/seen it) and
identification (linked correctly to brand/company/product). Not surprisingly,
most top ranked brands/products had both high recognition and high
identification.

"This is a consumer's crucial `sweet spot' because respondents not only
remember the slogans, but also match them correctly," Caywood said.

According to Caywood, an interesting finding was that some slogans scored very
high on the question of whether the respondent had seen or heard them, while
very few participants could actually match the name to the product.

"For example, more than 55 percent of respondents who answered that they
recognized `We Bring Good Things to Life' failed to identify that General
Electric was the company associated with the slogan," he said.

"This is sometimes referred to as `vampire' creativity and implies that you get
a high information memorability that is only marginally related to the selling
message. For the consumer and the corporation the advertising message is
wasted," Caywood concluded.

Rounding out the top 10 were: No. 6, Johnson & Johnson's "No More Tears"
(67.5%); No. 7, Doublemint's "Double Your Pleasure, Double Your Fun" (65.6%);
No. 8, Budweiser's "The King of Beers" (62.8%); No. 9, 7-Up's "The Un-Cola"
(59.2%), and No. 10, State Farm's "Like a Good Neighbor" (57.2%).

The research was undertaken by the Medill Graduate Department of Integrated
Marketing Communications at Northwestern University and underwritten by the
Bozell Group. Clarke Caywood, Ph.D., chairman of the department (currently on
sabbatical), conducted it in collaboration with Anders Gronstedt, Ph.D., of the
Gronstedt Group in Superior, Colorado. Phase 1 tested 114 slogans through 126
personal interviews. Phase 2 tested the top 30 slogans through phone interviews
conducted with a national sample of 1,003 adults (18+). The margin of error for
the study is +/- 3 percent for the total sample and +/- 5 percent for the
sub-groups.

Glucanase

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Oct 12, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/12/00

In article <20001012100409...@ng-cg1.aol.com>,

j2ju...@aol.com (J2jurado) wrote:
> Foster's Sees 60% Boost in Americas Beer Sale Accords
>
> Melbourne, Oct. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Foster's Brewing Group Ltd. aims to
boost
> sales in the U.S. and Canada by more than 60 percent within five
years after
> signing new distribution accords in both countries.

Facts about Fosters in their press release - for full text see:

http://www.newswire.ca/releases/October2000/11/c1972.html

FOSTERS

A quality beer with a proud Australian heritage...
First brewed in 1888 by the Foster brothers in Melbourne, Australia
An award-winner from 1888 till today
A unique crisp lager style on which Australian beers have been
modelled for more than a century
Foster's Brewing International, headquartered in Melbourne, is charged
with the stewardship and governance of the Foster's brand worldwide,
and development of our operational businesses in Asia, New Zealand and
the Pacific.

Popular the world over...
The fastest-growing international premium beer brand in the world
International growth of over 60% since 1994
The 3rd most widely distributed beer brand in the world
Foster's is available in more than 150 countries
Brewed in nine countries: Australia, Canada, China, England, India,
Germany, Ireland, Spain and Vietnam
Annual retail sales of over A$6 billion
Total annual sales worldwide in fiscal year 2000 of more than 100
million cases
On target to become a billion litre brand in the next three years
Foster's has won gold medals three times at the prestigious bi-annual
International Brewing Industry Awards.

The sports fans' favourite...
Sponsorship has always been an integral part of Foster's global brand
development.
Foster's was the Official Beer of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in
Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand, Bermuda and the Middle East
(UAE) and was the Official Supporter of the Vietnamese Olympic team
Foster's is an official sponsor of Formula One Grand Prix racing
worldwide.
Foster's has had a continuous signage deal for Grands Prix
internationally since 1986 and now has signage and pouring rights
around the world
Foster's is title sponsor of the 2000 British and Belgium Formula One
Grands Prix
Foster's is the official beer of the Australian Cricket Team
Foster's is the naming rights sponsor of the Australian Rules Football
worldwide telecasts of the "Foster's Aussie Rules" TV highlights
programme

United States
6th largest imported brand in the US
Sold in all 50 States
More than 10 million cases of Foster's are consumed each year
Foster's sales volume has grown by 80% over the last four years(i)
Official beer sponsor of the Formula One Grand Prix race at
Indianapolis
Awarded "Import Hot Brand Award", for the fourth consecutive year(ii)
Largest single market for Foster's in the US is San Diego, California
The US imported beer industry has grown at an annual rate of 12% since
1993
Imports now represent more than 21 million hectolitres.

Canada
Brewed in three locations - Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver
220 Foster's Olympic World Party Headquarters were established in
Canada during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games
Distributed in the Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and
Quebec.

UK / Europe
No.1 beer in London, no.2 in the UK (and closing in quickly on the top
spot)
Over 2 1/2 million pints of Foster's are consumed each day in the UK
One in five British adults drink Foster's
Foster's tops the list in the UK in brand awareness and brand purchase
for consideration
Ranked sixth highest selling brand across Europe and the only
non-European brand in the top 15(iii)
The leading non-European premium international beer in Germany.

Middle East / Asia
Foster's is the number 2 beer brand in the Middle East
Foster's sales grew by 19% in Asia over the last 12 months
Foster's is ranked the 1st most recognisable beer across Asia and 5th
most recognisable brand across all product categories.(iv)

i According to Impact International
ii According to Impact International
iii According to international brewing industry specialists - Plato
logic Ltd.
iv According to Asia Brand News
--

I'm only here for the beer (Double Diamond beer ad UK 1970's)

nick.r...@nospammingpleasegmx.net (remove nospammingplease to
contact)

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

Peter Alexander

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Oct 13, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/13/00

On 12 Oct 2000 14:04:09 GMT, j2ju...@aol.com (J2jurado) wrote:

>Asahi Breweries Ltd., which does not make happoshu, logged a 1.0% rise in beer
>shipments in the month, with sales of its Super Dry remaining good.

As an aside I noticed today in my local Tesco supermarket that bottles
of Asahi Super Dry are brewed in the Czech Republic!!

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

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Oct 13, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/13/00

Holsten Plans to Pay Unchanged Dividend; Nine-Month Sales Rise

Hamburg, Oct. 12 (Bloomberg)-- Holsten Brauerei AG, Germany's largest brewer,
said it will pay an unchanged dividend this year after sales in the first nine
months rose 8.6 percent. The maker of Holsten beer paid shareholders a
dividend of 0.45 euro in 1999. It sold 16.5 million hectoliters of beer and
non-alcoholic drinks in the nine months ended Sept. 30, the company said in a
faxed statement.

The cool and rainy summer in Germany was responsible for a 13 percent decline
in third-quarter beer sales, Holsten said. The acquisition of Koenig-Brauerei
earlier this year added 8.6 million hectoliters to total sales in the nine
months.

Shares in the Hamburg-based company rose as much as 0.50 euro, or 2.5 percent,
to 20.50 euros. They're down 26 percent this year.

Polish Equity Movers: Banks, Zywiec

Warsaw, Oct. 13 (Bloomberg)-- Polish stocks fell for a fifth day, led by BRE
Bank SA and other banks on concerns rising competition will boost marketing
costs, crimping earnings.

The Warsaw Stock Exchange's benchmark WIG Index fell 2.6 percent to 14,929,3,
after dropping 1.2 percent yesterday. The WIG20 Index, which tracks the 20
biggest stocks, fell 3.2 percent to 1,502.

Wielkopolski Bank Kredytowy SA (WBK PT) fell 5.1 percent, or 1.3 zloty, to 20.6
zloty. The Polish retail bank said earlier this week it would merge with Bank
Zachodni SA as growing competition in Poland shrinks margins. Both banks are
controlled by Allied Irish Banks Plc, Ireland's biggest bank.

Zywiec SA (ZWC PT) gained 10 percent, or the maximum-one day 10 percent change
allowed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Poland's NO. 1 beer producer rose 21
zloty to 232 zloty after it slumped to its lowest since June 30, 1997 as
industry reports showed falling beer sales in Poland and Zywiec losing market
share to rivals.

Nikka Whiskey Shares Jump; Asahi Breweries to Become Sole Owner

Tokyo, Oct. 13 <A
HREF="aol://4344:30.bloombrg.389091.602536905">(</A>(Bloomberg) -- Nikka
Whiskey Distilling Co. {2541 JP <Equity> GP <Go>} and Asahi Beer System Ltd.
{9915 JP <Equity> GP <Go>} shares jumped as much as 20 percent and 8 percent,
respectively, a day after the companies jointly announced they will become
wholly owned subsidiaries of Japan's second-largest beer maker Asahi Breweries
Ltd.

Asahi Breweries will buy the remaining stakes in Nikka Whiskey Distilling Co.
and beer hall operator Asahi Beer System to strengthen competitiveness and
group operations, according to yesterday's announcement.

Nikka Whiskey rose to as high as 340 yen, up 56 yen, trading recently at 335
yen, up 18 percent. Asahi Beer System rose to as high as 539 yen, up 40 yen.
Asahi Breweries fell 13, or 1.2 percent, to 1,080.

DB Group to Distribute NZ$151 Million; Cancels Shares

Wellington, Oct. 12 (Bloomberg) -- DB Group Ltd., New Zealand's No. 2 beer

brewer, said it will distribute NZ$151.3 million ($61 million) to shareholders
by canceling half its shares.

The company, 77 percent owned by Singapore's Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd., last
month agreed to sell its Corbans Wines Ltd. unit to Montana Group New Zealand
Ltd. for NZ$154 million. Chairman David Sadler said the company has no
immediate use for those sale proceeds. Shareholders will be asked in November
to approve the distribution, which will be effected by canceling one out of
every two shares held and repaying NZ$3.00 a share. DB shares rose 0.3 percent
to NZ$3.01.

Rock Bottom Awarded with a Gold, Silver and BronzeAt The Great American Beer
Festival

LOUISVILLE, Colo., Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Forget the election, the real votes
have been tallied and Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery was the clear winner at
The Great American Beer Festival (GABF), held from October 5 - October 8 in
Denver, CO. GABF judges awarded Rock Bottom Brewers with three medals
including a Gold Medal in the "Specialty Honey Lagers or Ales" category, for
"Bumble Beer" brewed by Brewmaster, Marty Mendiola at the Rock Bottom-La Jolla
location. In addition, Mendiola took home a Bronze Medal for "Ragtop Red" in
the "American-Style Amber/Red Ale" category. Rock Bottom was also honored with
a Silver Medal in the "Irish-Style Red Ale" category for its "Raptor Red,"
brewed by Brewmaster, Scott O'Hearn at the Phoenix, AZ location.

"We are very pleased and proud of the Brewing teams at each of our locations.
They are dedicated to creating a quality product -- these medals prove that we
know how to brew exceptional beer at Rock Bottom," said Kevin Reed, Director of
Brewing Operations.

"Bumble Beer," a refreshing golden ale brewed with unfiltered natural
wildflower honey and flowery hops to add a hint of bitterness, is one of many
specialty beers brewed throughout the year by Mendiola in La Jolla. Ruby red
best describes "Ragtop Red," an ale brewed with malts that impart a toasted
almond flavor and spicy floral finish. "Raptor Red," a full-bodied amber ale
is brewed solely with English pale and crystal malts for a mild toffee flavor.
Both "Ragtop Red" and "Raptor Red" are permanent fixtures at Rock Bottom La
Jolla and Rock Bottom Phoenix respectively.

The Great American Beer Festival is an annual event drawing beer enthusiasts
from all over the world. This year internationally-recognized medals were
awarded in 55 categories ranging from "Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverages" to
"Smoke-Flavored Beers."

Based in Louisville, Colorado, parent company Rock Bottom Restaurants, Inc.
owns and operates 70 restaurants -- 44 "Old Chicago" restaurants and 26 brewery
restaurants operating under the names "Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery,"
"ChopHouse & Brewery" and "Walnut Brewery." Rock Bottom created the concept of
a brewery in a restaurant. All of Rock Bottom's restaurants are casual dining
establishments featuring attentive customer service, high-quality, moderately
priced food and a distinctive selection of handcrafted brews and specialty
beers served in a comfortable and entertaining atmosphere.

US Congress Backs Limits on Internet Alcohol Sales

Washington, Oct. 12 (Bloomebrg) -- Wine and beer wholesalers won a long-fought
battle against vintners and other producers as the U.S. Congress passed a
measure strengthening the ability of states to block direct sales of alcoholic
beverages to consumers.

The measure would enable states to seek federal court orders barring wine
makers from shipping to consumers if there's ``reasonable cause'' to believe
the shipments violate state law.

The Senate included the measure in a broader anti-crime bill passed last night
on a 95-0 vote. The House passed it last week and President Bill Clinton is
likely to sign it into law.

Wholesalers have been losing business as consumers increasingly turn to the
Internet to buy directly from wineries. The vintners often sell their rare,
more-expensive vintages over the Internet, shipping straight to buyers' homes.
Wholesalers estimate Internet wine sales at $1 billion annually.

The bill's backers say the measure was needed to halt illegal sales of alcohol
to minors and to prevent producers from avoiding state excise taxes.

``The legislation provides a significant deterrent to those who would attempt
to bypass state law,'' said Juanita Duggan, chief executive officer of the Wine
and Spirit Wholesalers of America Inc., which has been canvassing Capitol Hill
this session to win passage of the measure.

Allies lock horns

When the push for legislation emerged last year, it faced opposition from the
wine industry and its key backers --mostly lawmakers from California and other
states with growing wine industries. They argued that wholesalers have used the
notion of illegal alcohol sales to minors to mask their real concern: losing
market share. Among other things, they formed a group, ``Free the Grapes,''
designed to spur consumers to lobby lawmakers to vote the measure down.

Wholesalers, who have been allied with producers on other issues, made the
legislation its top legislative priority. ``We were very serious about passing
this bill,'' Duggan said.

The wholesalers organization's ``soft money'' political contributions, the
unlimited and largely unregulated funding that flows to political parties, have
grown 85 percent since the last election, according to FECInfo, which tracks
political spending.

It gave nearly $114,000 to Republicans and Democrats from January 1999 through
June of this year, compared to about $61,000 in all of 1997 and 1998.

Contributions this year included $1,000 directly to Republican Senator Orrin
Hatch of Utah on March 2, the same day the bill was reported out of the
Judiciary Committee, figures from FECInfo show. Hatch, chairman of the
committee, was the bill's original Senate sponsor. Duggan said the donation was
not directly related to the legislation. The organization is trying to expand
its influence on Capitol Hill, she said.

Political Action

The Wine Institute, which represents California wineries, almost doubled its
soft money donations during the same period to nearly $59,000, according to
FECInfo.

The group's senior vice president, Bob Cook, attributed the larger donations to
increased wine sales, which brought about an increase in member dues rather
than an attempt to influence specific legislation.

``It's more funding for political action,'' he said.

As support for the measure grew, the vintners focused on the courts,
challenging the right of states to block the sales, and on lobbying to change
state laws in favor of direct shipments.

After language was added in March ensuring that the bill would not be
interpreted as a federal endorsement of state alcohol laws the group is trying
to change, the Wine Institute dropped its opposition.

``It's the consumer that will drive this,'' said Simon Siegl, president of the
American Vintners Association. He said his group already is lobbying in Florida
and Texas to change laws to enable sales over the Internet.

Little Success for Vintners

So far, the vintners can report little success. Last month, an appellate court
upheld Indiana's right under the 21st amendment to regulate alcohol sales, a
win for wholesalers -- in part because most states require alcohol to be sold
through a distribution chain that includes wholesalers. Producers have
challenges pending in New York and five other states.

About 20 states allow some direct shipments of wine across state lines --
typically small shipments to connoisseurs who purchased their wine through
mail-order catalogues. The issue has gained more attention, though, as more
small wineries turned to the Internet as a sales tool.

Attorneys general in 27 states joined the wholesalers to lobby for legislation,
partly out of concern that direct shipments of wine and beer to consumers
allows producers to avoid paying state excise taxes on alcohol sales. In many
states, wholesalers collect those taxes.

The bill that will go to Clinton allows states to get a federal court
injunction barring direct shipments to consumers. In a bow to Internet services
providers, it makes clear that the measure would not apply to them, only the
companies using the Internet to connect with wine or beer consumers.

Meanwhile, wine and beer wholesalers have eyed the success of some wine
producers' web sites and are getting online, too. At least four new web sites
in the works will allow consumers to buy wine and beer online, with the sales
routed through wholesalers.

One site, wineshopper.com, has received $46 million in venture capital from
Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, a well- known Silicon Valley firm. Kleiner
Perkins this year joined wholesalers' efforts to push the legislation through
Congress.

Wine, Beer Wholesalers Win as Congress Bans Sales Over Internet

Washington, Oct. 12 (Bloomberg)-- Wine and beer wholesalers won a long-fought
battle against vintners and other producers as Congress completed passage of a
measure enabling states to block direct shipments of wine and other alcoholic
beverages straight to consumers.

The measure would enable states to seek federal court orders barring wine
makers from shipping to consumers if there's ``reasonable cause'' to believe
the shipments violate state law.

The Senate included the measure in a broader anti-crime bill passed last night
on a 95-0 vote. The House passed it last week and President Bill Clinton is
likely to sign it into law.

The bill's backers say the measure was needed to halt illegal sales of alcohol
to minors and to prevent producers from avoiding state excise taxes.

Battle Turns to Courts and Statehouses

When the push for legislation emerged last year, it faced stiff opposition from
the wine industry and its key backers -- mostly lawmakers from California and
other states with growing wine industries. They argued that wholesalers have
used the notion of illegal alcohol sales to minors to mask their real concern:
losing market share. Among other things, they formed a group, ``Free the
Grapes,'' designed to spur consumers to lobby lawmakers to vote the measure
down.

Eventually the vintners recognized that the measure would pass and they focused
instead on the courts, challenging the right of states to block the sales, and
on lobbying to change state laws in favor of direct shipments.

``It's the consumer that will drive this,'' said Simon Siegl, president of the
American Vintners Association. He said his group already is lobbying in Florida
and Texas to win state law changes that would enable sales over the Internet.

Direct Sales Growing

Liquorcom Withdraws IPO, Cites `Unfavorable Market Conditions'

Chicago, Oct. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Liquor.com, which uses the Internet to sell
wine and spirits, scrapped plans to sell shares in an initial public offering
as the broader market slumped.

``Given the unfavorable market conditions, we believe that it is best for
Liquor.com to move forward as a private company,'' Barry Grieff, the
Chicago-based company's chief executive said in a statement. The company has
raised additional private financing, Grieff said in the statement.

U.S. stocks have slid in recent weeks. Major indexes had their biggest decline
in six months today, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average sliding 3.7 percent
and the Nasdaq Composite Index falling for a sixth day to 3 percent.

The market's decline sent 952 U.S. stocks to 52-week lows, including Motorola
Inc. and Lycos Inc., while only 67, among them Unocal and Anadarko Petroleum
Corp., touched new highs.

In Washington, wine and beer wholesalers won a long-fought battle against
vintners and other producers as Congress completed passage of a measure
enabling states to block direct shipments of wine and other alcoholic beverages
straight to consumers.

Internet Buying

The bill's backers say the measure was needed to halt illegal sales of alcohol
to minors and to prevent producers from avoiding state excise taxes.

University of California, Davis, Announces Creation of the Marvin Sands Endowed
Department Chair

DAVIS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 12, 2000-- $466,016.22 Endowment by
Friends of Late Chairman of Constellation Brands Will Enable Department of
Viticulture & Enology to Increase Awareness of Research, Attract Best
Scientists

The University of California, Davis, announced today the creation of the Marvin
Sands Endowed Department Chair, Department of Viticulture & Enology, endowed in
honor of Marvin Sands, late Chairman of Constellation Brands. Constellation,
formerly known as Canandaigua Brands, changed its name on Sept. 19, 2000.

A celebration at Simi Winery, located in Sonoma County, was held yesterday to
recognize industry leaders whose contributions made this endowment possible.
The chair, with an endowment of $466,000, will be held by James A. Wolpert,
Chairman, Department of Viticulture & Enology. Wolpert is the first recipient
of the chair, which he will hold during his five-year term as head of the
department. Interest from the endowment will enable Wolpert to enhance
departmental resources, including support of field research and attraction and
retention of superior faculty.

"I am honored to be named recipient of the Marvin Sands Endowed Department
Chair," said Wolpert. "To attain this recognition is not only an enormous
personal honor, but most importantly, the Endowed Chair provides valuable
resources to enhance our teaching programs. In order for us to achieve and
sustain excellence in teaching the next generation of America's winemakers, we
must look to the private sector for support. Marvin Sands well understood the
importance of education and we believe this is a fitting tribute to a true
statesman of the wine industry."

Richard Sands, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of
Constellation, said, "This endowment in honor of my father has come to fruition
through the generosity of a number of industry leaders who knew and appreciated
Marvin Sands' commitment to the betterment of the wine industry. We are pleased
that through this endowment we can assist the Department in meeting its mission
of partnering with industry to address its needs today and anticipate those of
tomorrow."

For over 100 years the University of California has maintained an active and
productive program in research and education of viticulture and enology. The
continuing excellence of the Department has assisted growers and vintners to
develop practices that have enabled California to achieve its potential as a
widely regarded premier wine-producing region. http://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/

Constellation (NYSE: STZ, STZ.B), headquartered in Fairport, New York, is a
leader in the production, marketing and distribution of beverage alcohol
products in North America and the United Kingdom. The Company markets leading
brands, including imported beers, wines, spirits, cider and bottled water, and
is a leading drinks wholesaler in the United Kingdom. Simi Winery, where the
celebration was held, is part of Franciscan Estates, Constellation's fine wine
company, which manages a portfolio that includes Estancia, Franciscan Oakville
Estate, Mount Veeder, Quintessa, Simi and Veramonte. Constellation can be found
on the Internet at http//www.cbrands.com.

Salvador minister sees hidden hand in drink deaths

SAN SALVADOR, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Health Minister Jose Lopez Beltran suggested
on Thursday that someone may have intentionally poisoned the bad liquor which
has killed at least 117 people in El Salvador in recent days.

``In the past here, there were killings of transvestites, just for being
transvestites, so you have to consider the possibility of a sick mind saying,
'we're going to kill the alcoholics','' Beltran told a local radio station.

Beltran was referring to a spree of unresolved killings of homosexuals in El
Salvador in 1998 and 1999.

He said most of the bad-liquor deaths occurred in cities and towns in the
districts of San Vicente, Cuscatlan, La Paz and Cabanas.

``We must get to the bottom of this,'' Beltran said. ``There have to be
perpetrators.''

Authorities arrested two women on Wednesday on charges of selling adulterated
alcohol to six men who later died in San Vicente.

Congress on Wednesday passed a 10-day ban on the sale of locally made liquor.
The ``dry'' law, which still requires the approval of the president, is a
preventive measure, authorities said.

Police and judicial authorities said Thursday they had begun raids on bars,
pharmacies and liquor outlets in Morazan, to the east of the country.

The ban, which also bars the sale of methanol until next March, will not apply
to imported liquor.

Authorities also said they had arrested a woman found with a container of
methanol, a poisonous industrial alcohol, traces of which have been found in
some of the victims' bodies.

The illnesses were first reported over a week ago.

The ban will come into effect on Thursday or Friday, Congress officials said.

Imported liquor will still be allowed to be sold in supermarkets and authorized
shops.

Jorge Cea, spokesman for the national prosecutor's office, confirmed the death
toll had risen on Wednesday to 111. The victims came from five regions in the

center and north of the Central American nation.

El Salvador authorities have still not discovered the source of the tainted
alcohol.

"Somehow methylated spirits, that is for industrial use and highly toxic, fell
into irresponsible hands, whether through contraband or theft, and has been
used to make these alcoholic drinks," said Deputy Health Minister Herbert
Betancourt.

illegal sales of liquor contaminated.

DonS

unread,

Oct 14, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/14/00

On Fri, 13 Oct 2000 08:36:28 GMT, p.ale...@virgin.net (Peter
Alexander) wrote:

>On 12 Oct 2000 14:04:09 GMT, j2ju...@aol.com (J2jurado) wrote:
>
>

>>Asahi Breweries Ltd., which does not make happoshu, logged a 1.0% rise in beer
>>shipments in the month, with sales of its Super Dry remaining good.
>

>As an aside I noticed today in my local Tesco supermarket that bottles
>of Asahi Super Dry are brewed in the Czech Republic!!

That could be because of the Nomura connection, at least until Nomura
unloaded its Czech brewery holdings to South African Breweries. Don't
know for sure though.

Still, I'd take Asahi brewed in the Czech Republic over a similar
beer brewed by an American megabrewer. Something tells me that the
Czech brewer just feels obligated to add a little flavor-enhancing
component, a nice touch of noble hop perhaps, that would make an
otherwise dull lager a more palatable treat.
--
dgsSPAMS...@teleportSHOVEYOURSPAM.com
http://nwbrewpage.com
eliminate capital letters to e-mail

The Submarine Captain

unread,

Oct 15, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/15/00

Peter Alexander wrote:

> On 12 Oct 2000 14:04:09 GMT, j2ju...@aol.com (J2jurado) wrote:
>

> >Asahi Breweries Ltd., which does not make happoshu, logged a 1.0% rise in beer
> >shipments in the month, with sales of its Super Dry remaining good.
>

> As an aside I noticed today in my local Tesco supermarket that bottles
> of Asahi Super Dry are brewed in the Czech Republic!!

And bottles of Sapporo sold in Europe are brewed in... Dublin by Guinness !!!

Cheers !

Laurent

--
Random quote:
--
YOU kill it -- I'm bitter.
--
Laurent Mousson
Berne, Switzerland

J2jurado

unread,

Oct 15, 2000, 8:52:13 PM10/15/00

Lion Nathan 2nd-Half Earnings Rise 2% to A$53.5 Mln on Sales

Sydney, Oct. 16 (Bloomberg)-- Lion Nathan Ltd., Australia's No.2 brewer, said
second-half profit rose 2 percent as it increased market share in its biggest
market and sold more beer. The Sydney-based maker of ``Tooheys'' and ``Hahn''
brand beer said earnings in the six months to Aug. 31 rose to A$53.5 million
($28 million) from A$52.5 million a year earlier. The company didn't provide
per-share or sales for the second half.

For the year, Lion saw its profit rise 6 percent to A$130.2 million, or 24.2
cents a share. Sales in the year rose 6 percent to A$1.5 billion.

Lion, 46 percent owned by Japan's Kirin Brewery Co., has been expanding its
beer business in Australia, New Zealand and China over the past few years. The
company makes about 80 percent of its earnings from its Australian brewing
operations, where it competes with Melbourne-based Foster's Brewing Group Ltd.

Lion shares last traded at A$3.66 Friday.

Will Foster's Wine Strategy Ever Bring Shareholder Value?

LONDON, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- http://www.just-drinks.com 12 October 2000 --
Foster's acquisition of Californian premium wine giant Beringer Wine Estates
last month pushed its shareprice up after nearly a year of stagnation.
just-drinks.com assesses whether its long-term wine strategy, mixing the hop
and the vine, can bring the elusive shareholder value to the group.

In a special report at http://just-drinks.com/features-detail.asp?art=284 ,
David Robertson says: "Foster's billion dollar surge into the North American
wine market has not made it popular with institutional investors who are losing
a solid, dependable company to one paying through the nose to become a global
power.

"The Foster's Brewing Group has suffered, like many traditional manufacturing
companies, over the last few years as the high-tech sexy stocks have raced
ahead leaving the laggards scrambling for schemes to boost their shareprices."

For the full story, click here:
http://just-drinks.com/features-detail.asp?art=284

just-drinks.com is the premier online portal for beverage industry
professionals worldwide. Targeted specifically at industry and business
professionals the site provides a single point of reference for independent
beverage industry information.

Romney, Anderson are closer to agreement on beer areas

.c The Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - After another round of talks Friday, Mayor Rocky Anderson
and Salt Lake Organizing Committee president Mitt Romney are closer to an
agreement about offering beer to spectators at downtown celebrations during the
2002 Winter Games.

After a 90-minute session covering several Olympic-related issues, both men
said they were ``working collaboratively'' on how best to stage community
celebrations.

Romney said his plan to have an alcohol-free medals plaza, as outlined in a
memo to SLOC trustees, shouldn't meet objections from Anderson.

``We have reached agreement on our objectives and we think we can accomplish
those objectives without conflict. We can make it work,'' Romney said.

Anderson said Romney assured him there will be an area near the medals plaza
with a large television screen. It will be within sight of a beer garden where
beer, and perhaps wine, can be consumed.

``Although those who drink will not be up where the live event is taking place,
they will be close to it and will have the large screen,'' Anderson said.

Romney said discussions about liquor didn't dominate the discussions. More time
was spent on the overall layout of the medals plaza, downtown decorations,
transportation and city services.

The medals plaza is to be developed on a parking lot owned by The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is letting SLOC use the area for the
<A HREF="aol://1722:olympics">Olympics</A>.

The church also will pay up to $5 million to convert it into a public
celebration site, with nightly concerts surrounding the presentation of medals.

The recently completed Sydney Games had success with ``Olympic Live Sites'' at
a half-dozen parks in the city, where people could watch the action on big
screens and listen to live music.

Messier sees Seagram spirits sale before year-end

PARIS, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Vivendi <EAUG.PA> Chairman Jean-Marie Messier said on
Friday he expected Canada's Seagram <VO.TO><<A HREF="aol://4785:VO">VO.N</A>>,
which is merging with the French company, to have sold its wine and spirits
empire before the end of 2000.

"The sell-off of the wine and spirits activities is under way and it should be
concluded around the time of merger completion and the shareholder meetings,
that is before the end of the year," Messier told a news conference late on
Friday.

He said shareholder meetings of the three merger groups -- Vivendi, its pay-TV
unit Canal Plus <CNLP.PA> and Seagram -- could take place at the start of
December. The merger will give birth to communications giant Vivendi Universal
by Christmas.

The news will set off a fierce round of bidding for the drinks business, worth
an estimated $7 billion and which includes labels like Chivas Regal and
Glenlivet Scotch Whiskies, with a number of suitors already positioning
themselves to bid.

In August, Britain's Diageo <DGE.L> said it would join forces with French
distiller Pernod Ricard <PERP.PA> to bid for the wine and spirits empire.

Diageo had been in talks with privately owned Bacardi Limited about a joint bid
for Seagram but industry sources said Pernod had come up with a better offer.

Meanwhile Sweden's Vin & Sprit, owner of Absolut Vodka, has been seeking
potential partners in the liquor industry with a view to joining the auction
process. Seagram has exclusive distribution rights to Absolut Vodka outside
Sweden.

Diageo rival Allied Domecq <ALLD.L> is expected to enter the fray. Seagram's
management together with the Bronfman family, which holds a 24 percent stake in
the business, is also believed to be interested in bidding.

France's Remy Cointreay <RCOP.PA> meanwhile has said it may be tempted by some
individual Seagram brands that may end up being sold off separately.

Seagram Begins Presentations to Drinks Bidders, FT Reports

(FT 10/13 p34)

Toronto, Oct. 13 (Bloomberg) -- The Seagram Co. Ltd. began presentations to
three potential bidders for its Spirits & Wine unit yesterday, with each of
them offering about $7 billion, the Financial Times reported.

The much-tipped frontrunner, the U.K.'s Allied Domecq Plc, faces opposition
from two groups in the auction. Diageo Plc has teamed up with France's
Pernod-Ricard SA and Brown-Forman Corp. is putting together a bid with Bacardi
Corp. Vin & Sprit AB, owner of Absolut vodka, is expected to wait until a later
round before deciding which group to back, the paper said.

The jewel in the Seagram drinks crown is its marketing and distribution rights
for Absolut. Vin & Sprit is free to find a new distributor after the drinks
unit is sold. Without Absolut, the value of the Seagram liquor unit could fall
by as much as $1 billion, analysts said.

The presentations will each last two days. First are Diageo and Pernod,
followed by Brown-Forman and Bacardi. Allied will be last, as it hasn't signed
the required confidentiality agreement, suggesting it is still seeking a bid
partner, the FT said.

Counterfeit wine racket smashed

Friday 13 October, 2000

Wine experts hope three arrests will bring an end to the sale of fake Grange
Hermitage wine in Melbourne. Three people have been arrested after a 12-month
investigation into the sale and production of bogus Penfolds Grange Hermitage
wine in Melbourne.

The result has delighted the man who discovered the fraud, Stewart Langton
from Langton's Fine Wine Auctions.

He says the fake Grange could have damaged the international credibility of
Australia's wine industry.

"(Grange) is a true Australian icon and it's a leader for our industry and
it's enlightened the world that Australia can make world-class wine," he said.

"Fortunately perhaps, the cloned Grange was not of a standard to pass muster
in the final analysis."

http://www.bergen.com:80/food/beer11200010119.htm

Brew pub goes nationwide

By TONY FORDER, Wednesday, October 11, 2000

The beers of Mendocino Brewing Co., Red Tail Ale in particular, are
legendary. When Mendocino opened its doors in 1983, in the small town
of Hopland in northern California, it was one of the first brew pubs to open
in the
state.

I was living farther north at the time, in Eureka, and a stop in Hopland
was mandatory on each visit to San Francisco. Mendocino bottled Red Tail
in champagne bottles and touted the world's biggest six-pack. Its
specialty strong ale, Eye of the Hawk, was brewed only twice a year and
I was never lucky enough to catch it on tap.

Now all of the Mendocino products -- Eye of the Hawk, Red Tail Ale, Blue
Heron Pale Ale, and Black Hawk Stout -- are widely available, East Coast
and West. In addition to a new brewery in Ukiah, Calif., Mendocino also
operates the 10 Springs brewery in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Some of the
character the small Hopland brewery gave to the beers may have
disappeared, which often is the case when newer, more efficient
equipment is used -- the brewers will tell you the beers are cleaner and
better -- but they are still flavorful and bottle-conditioned.

One reason for Mendocino's growth is its acquisition by an Indian
brewing group famous worldwide for its Kingfisher Lager. It may be the
new owners' love of lager that is behind a new Mendocino product launch,
the first in many years. Sun Lager is well-balanced, crisp, and
light-drinking, typical of a summer beer. Mendocino, however, is hoping
it will catch on year-round.

http://dailynews.philly.com:80/content/daily_news/2000/10/13/features/FJOE
13.htm

Try a firkin today

-Joe Sixpack

Beer alert: Today is Friday the Firkinteenth at the Grey Lodge Pub, 6235
Frankford Ave.

That's a tasty mouthful for fans of real ale. The cozy Frankford taproom
will roll out eight different firkins tonight.

A firkin is a beer keg that - instead of being pumped with gas - is
tapped by merely setting it on the bar and letting gravity do its work.
The ale is naturally carbonated through fermentation, giving it a
softer, fresher taste.

Here's the rundown:
Dogfish Head Immort Ale, Flying Fish Blackfish, Heavyweight Brewing's
Perkuno's Hammer Baltic porter; New Road Centennial Pale Ale, Neversink
Hoptoberfest, Victory Hop Devil, Yards Imperial Stout; and something
from Troeg.

http://www.bergen.com:80/travel/irelandsu200010155.htm

Ireland's troubles part of the scenery

By JOHN LUMPKIN, The Associated Press Sunday, October 15, 2000

With a sudden purpose, lunch at O'Neill's is interrupted. Waiters fan
out to draw the shutters and pull down the metal awnings. Conversation
stops, and then, in slightly darker surroundings, quietly resumes.

Before the commotion, crowds were swarming through the amiable pub. In
one room, rugby was on the overhead TV; in another, golf.

But what of the clatter outside? The drums beating, the shouts?

The Sinn Fein Youth are on the march, protesting the British army's
presence in Northern Ireland. Some participants don gas masks to make
their point, but most resemble their teenage counterparts in the United
States -- oversize sweat shirts, hiking boots, dungarees, and boys with
facial hair.

In 15 minutes, the parade passes by -- under the eye of the Garda
Siochana, Ireland's police. The shutters at O'Neill's swing open and
business returns to normal.

The parade was a reminder of how Ireland's past is intertwined with its
present. It would be virtually impossible to spend a Sunday of
sightseeing in Ireland's capital without a dozen or more reminders of
Ireland's struggle with Great Britain, sometimes called The Troubles.

On schedule, the double-decker Dublin City Tour "Hop on-Hop off" bus
arrives at St. Stephen's Green, Stop No. 5. For 7 Irish pounds -- about
$8 -- Dublin's past would be at curbside all day long. As in London and
other major cities, such buses operate continuously on the same route,
allowing riders to skip any destination and stay as long as they like at
the next one.

Such was the case at St. Patrick's Cathedral, where Sunday morning
worship was under way. The Sunday service is the only time the
cathedral's interior is off limits to sightseeing. Otherwise, you could
observe the death mask, pulpit, and chair of St. Patrick's most famous
dean, Jonathan Swift, in the north transept. Swift's tomb is in the
south aisle.

A Dublin landmark, true, and named after the fifth century missionary
who brought Catholicism to Ireland, St. Patrick's is a Protestant church
in a nation that is 95 percent Catholic. Like another landmark, Trinity
College, it is a legacy of British rule and the so-called Ascendancy,
the migration of English Protestants to Ireland to create a ruling
class.

After an obligatory stop at the Hopstore in the sprawling Guinness
brewery complex, I take the bus across the River Liffey, which divides
Dublin north and south. The next stop is the National Museum, which
includes the Collins Barracks.

The Collins Barracks' connection to the British conflict is twofold. The
site was renamed to honor Michael Collins, the tragic hero of Ireland's
successful 1919-21 rebellion. It was also the quarters for Britain's
Royal Dublin Fusiliers, who were dispatched to quell the rebels in the
Easter 1916 Rising.

The double-decker bus officially concludes its round trip at the Dublin
Tourism Centre on O'Connell Street near the Easter Rising's mecca, the
General Post Office. The main rebel force occupied the gutted structure
for six days after its leaders proclaimed Irish independence, but the
British might ultimately prevailed. As every tourist who hears the bus
drivers' monologue knows, close inspection of the outer columns of the
GPO reveals bullet holes from the siege.

A new bus cranks up, circling Parnell Square, so named for the 19th
century champion of Irish home rule, Charles Parnell. A portion of the
square is called the Garden of Remembrance, dedicated to all who
perished in the name of Irish freedom.

It's on to the Dublin Writers Museum, guardian of letters by Irish
authors and their memorabilia. Example: the typewriter of IRA proponent
and playwright Brendan Behan, who reputedly once threw it through the
window of a pub in anger, contributing to his reputation as a carouser.

The National Gallery of Ireland is the last stop on a loop that
originated at St. Stephen's Green. The gallery is a classic structure,
with high ceilings, marble, grand stairways, and hallways full of
statues and massive European paintings of bygone eras. Admission is
free.

Just to the right of the entrance is a series of six octagon-shaped
rooms for the museum's Irish collection. Here again, the consequences of
British rule emerge in some of the collection's 1,200 works. "An Ejected
Family," painted in 1853 by Scottish artist Erskine Nicol, depicts in
somewhat melodramatic fashion the emotional departure of an Irish
laborer, his wife, and children from the farm they could no longer rent
during the Famine.

The painting "is one of the few surviving pictures that reflects the
horror of events in poverty-stricken Ireland," notes a reference book on
the National Gallery's collection titled "Discover Irish Art."
Ironically, British audiences may have enjoyed the painting as satire
because, according to the authors, "it was presented in the manner of an
emotional stage-Irish scene when it was shown in 1854 at the Royal
Scottish Academy."

On another wall is an obviously sympathetic 19th century painting titled
"The Wounded Poacher" by an artist born in Cork named Henry Jones
Thaddeus, who taught in Paris. The wounded man, bringing home two
rabbits for food, is comforted by his wife in the manner of a wounded
soldier returned from war.

It's late and the remainder of the gallery will have to wait until
another visit, as will the National Library on nearby Kildare Street.
The walk down Merrion Row to Lower Baggot, to my hotel, has other
attractions. They are called O'Donoghue's, Nesbitt's, and Foley's and
they serve a dark, creamy beverage called Guinness.

If you are fortunate, a fiddle, tin whistle, and bodhran will
materialize, along with a soft chorus of "Molly Malone." So might a song
or two with revolutionary themes, like the IRA's thievery in "Johnson's
Motor Car."

http://news.excite.com/news/r/001013/11/odd-axe-dc

Woman Robs Bank with Axe After Stock Crash

October 13, 2000 STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - A Swedish mother of five, distraught
after
her shares crashed, robbed a bank in neighboring Finland by threatening
staff with an axe, she admitted in court in Finland.

The 41-year-old woman said she panicked after her Swedish information
technology stocks fell heavily in May, not knowing how she would provide
for her children's future, the daily Expressen reported.

She initially succeeded in obtaining 20,000 Finnish markka ($2,911) from
a cashier but was overpowered outside by a man who had seen her enter
the bank wearing a mask and carrying an axe.

The paper did not identify either the town or the defendant, who is
appealing against a one-year prison sentence to the high court in
Rovaniemi, Finland.

J2jurado

unread,

Oct 15, 2000, 10:09:51 PM10/15/00

http://www.citizen.com/news2000/oct_00/13/lac1013a.htm

$5K beer tent fee blasted - City Council still has final decision

By VICTORIA GUAY Staff Writer October 13, 2000

LACONIA — There has been strong local reaction to the licensing board’s
recommendation that all beer tents be charged a $5,000 service fee to
operate during motorcycle week.

The licensing board recommendation was made after City Councilor Rick
Judkins, who is a proponent of Motorcycle Week, suggested the board
consider a service fee ranging between $1,000 and $5,000.

The board is recommending the maximum amount to the city council. The
council will review the recommendation, then make a decision.

"It’s to help make up the deficit the city has been incurring in hosting
the event," said James Rogato, chairman of the licensing board. "What
we’re trying to do is to find a way to have the event not cost the city
any money."

But Lou Gaynor, a co-owner of the Weirs Beach Lobster Pound, said a
$5,000 fee would hurt his business.

"I think it’s outrageous," Gaynor said, adding that the $5,000 cuts
deep, especially when his rooms and meals tax is $15,000. Their liquor
license cost $600, and that included an extension of license during
Motorcycle Week.

"It’s like we’re being penalized for running a profitable business,"
Gaynor said.

Rogato said the fee is reasonable because a lot of problems are caused
by inebriated individuals leaving beer tents.

"It’s reasonable considering the city spends well over $100,000 to run
the event," Rogato said.

The definition of a beer tent includes not only temporary vendors who
have secured a lot or two, but also non-profit corporations and local
establishments who operate beer tents as an extension of their existing
liquor license during Motorcycle Week.

Judkins said he suggested the fee because as a councilor, he was hearing
from a lot of taxpayers who are in favor of the event but do not want to
foot the bill.

"It really comes down to a situation where we need to balance revenues
and expenditures," Judkins said. "Because of the money the event
generates, its costs should not be on the back of the taxpayers in any
sense."

Judkins said that he suggested a service be charged on beer tents for
two reasons. The first being there are not many ways the city can cash
in on Motorcycle Week. Service fees are one way to raise revenue. The
second being that, in Judkins opinion, beer tents are part of the reason
why the city’s expenses are so high. He noted that a majority of
accidents and arrests during Motorcycle Week are cause by inebriated
people.

"The logic behind this is simple: if that is where the problem is, can’t
part of the cost be eliminated through a fee?" Judkins said.

Gaynor said the Weirs Beach Lobster Pound beer tent usually holds
special activities such as music and artistic displays. He has security
personnel who watch the tent.

"I think a reasonable fee could be acceptable," Gaynor said, "But $5,000
is a significant amount of change."

Gaynor said a better solution would be to find ways to cut operating
costs. For instance, Gaynor said that while the city claims it costs
$140,000 to run Motorcycle Week, he believes that regular weekly
operating costs, Motorcycle Week or no Motorcycle Week, are added into
the total cost of the event.

Gaynor also questioned how much money is spent on caterers for the
Laconia and state police who work at the Weirs during the event.

"They say they are losing money, but there is always a way to cut
expenses," Gaynor said.

Charlie St. Clair, executive director of the Laconia Motorcycle Rally
and Race Week Association, said the recommendation is outrageous and
arbitrary.

St. Clair emphasized that he hadn’t had a chance discuss the issue with
association members and so his views are strictly of a personal nature.

"I think it’s a strange way for the city to go about paying for its
expenditures during Motorcycle Week. Grocery stores sell liquor, what’s
next on the agenda — Shaw’s supermarket?"

St. Clair also said that the people who run the beer tents are already
paying taxes, liquor license costs and in some cases vendor fees.

Paul Lessard, president of the Laconia Motorcycle Rally and Race Week
Association said that a $5,000 fee is too steep.

"I think $5,000 is an exorbitant amount," Lessard said. "But should we
have a service fee? I think that’s up to the council to decide."

http://www.lacrossetribune.com/local_news/20001014_1brew.html

Beer company making plans to brew in La Crosse

October 14, 2000 By STEVE CAHALAN / Tribune business editor

A letter of intent has been signed for the purchase of the City Brewing
Co., the owner of a Las Vegas, Nev.-based beer company told his
wholesale distributors in a letter this week.

Officials of the La Crosse brewery declined to comment Friday on whether
a letter of intent has been signed for the proposed purchase by brewery
employees and local investors.

``I am happy to announce that a letter of intent has been signed and the
new owners will finalize the purchase of City Brewing Co. (old Heileman
Brewery) in La Crosse, Wis., within the next 15 days,'' Bob Williams,
president, chief executive officer and owner of CAMO Brewing Co. in Las
Vegas, said in a letter to his wholesalers Wednesday. He told them that
means the La Crosse brewery will resume production of his beer.

``CAMO will be introduced in 20 states within the next 90 days,''
Williams wrote.

In a telephone interview Friday, Williams declined to discuss the
letter, but did provide information about his own company and his plans.
He said he has contracted to have his beer made at the La Crosse
brewery, but does not plan to become a part owner of the plant.

City Brewing President Randy Smith declined to comment Friday on whether
a letter of intent has been signed by brewery owners Jim Strupp and John
Mazzuto, and by the brewery employees and local investors.

``We're working on trying to put something together,'' Smith said.
``Hopefully we're going to get there. It's premature to say it's a done
deal.``

Ron Buschman, a business agent for Teamsters Local 695 in La Crosse,
also declined to say whether a letter of intent has been signed. And he
had no prediction how soon the brewery might resume normal operation, if
the employees and local investors do purchase the facility.

In his letter to wholesalers, Williams thanked them for ``the high
degree of patience and total commitment that you have shown over the
past four months.'' He also expressed his thanks to the La Crosse
brewery management team ``for their tenacity and ongoing efforts'' and
to the new owners ``for believing in this quality brewery.``

Williams also said the La Crosse brewery is the only independent brewery
in the United States -- outside of the three major brewing companies --
that can produce 24-ounce cans of beer and other package configurations.

The La Crosse brewery may be sold at a sheriff's sale in the next few
months unless Strupp and Mazzuto sell it first. The brewery's largest
lender, Congress Financial Corp., obtained a foreclosure judgment in
August.

http://www.beer.com/news/bee/bee/2000/10/15/971633090639.html

Ale and the Vikings

by ALAN D. EAMES beer.com 10.15.2000

"Full often the fighters, drunk with beer, boasted over the ale-can..."
Beowulf

"Drunk I was, I was over drunk."
The Norse God Odin; The Havamal Saga

Ale was perhaps the most important item in Viking life. The name Viking
means "sea-king" and sea - kings they were. Consummate seamen and
navigators, the Vikings were the terror of the 8th through 10th
centuries. These Norsemen raped, burned and pillaged their way through
North Africa, Holland, England, Ireland, Wales, France, Germany and
Italy; sacking such cities as Paris, Hamburg and Cologne. Intrepid
explorers, Vikings discovered Iceland in the year 861 and, in fact,
settled the country in 874. It is believed by some that America was
first explored by Viking chief Leif Ericson in the year 1000. If true,
you can bet Ericson's ships had ale on board. The Viking spread of
terror and trade was accomplished with Norse war ships which were
powered by sail and oar. All Viking war ships were launched over a pile
of dead bodies. These dead had been sacrificed to the gods to ensure
favorable winds and good fortune. The act of "christening" ships is a
Viking invention except Norsemen used human blood mixed with ale to s
prinkle on the ship's bow. The English "to bless" comes from the Norse
"to sprinkle with blood." Since the Vikings were almost always drunk,
great amounts of ale were kept in huge casks on every vessel.

Viking brew was called "Aul". The Danes adapted Aul to "Ol" and from
this comes the English "ale". Of Viking ale, there were at least three
kinds, all un-hopped, slightly sweet and potent. These ale-types were
"clear-ale, mild ale," and the favorite, "Welsh ale". In Ireland during
the 9th century, the Vikings are said to have brewed ale from heather
using honey for fermentable sugar and adding wormwood as a bittering
agent. Also, ales brewed with oats and bay berries were not uncommon.

Historians tell us that Norse ale was often served with garlic added as
a charm to ward off evil. Likewise, many drinking horns bore "ale -
runes" which were inscriptions to protect against deceitful women and
poisons. Rune sticks covered with magical inscriptions were thrown into
ale horn - cups to further defeat feminine wiles.

"Oel-(ale) runes thou must know, if thou wilt not that another's wife
thy trust betray, if thou in her confide. On the horn must they be
graven...." - Sigrdrifumal, the lay of Sigrdrifa

When drinking horns were in short supply, the Vikings delighted in
drinking ale from the boiled skulls of enemies killed in battle. While
thus engaged in gory bliss, the warriors would often bleed themselves
into each other's ale-skull in a brotherhood ceremony only death could
undo. Such behavior notwithstanding, Vikings were the first known people
to use tablecloths of pure white linen daily. Viking etiquette also
called for getting one's enemies dead drunk on ale and then burning down
the ale-house with passed-out foes still inside. Any pledge or statement
made while drunk was legally binding and a Viking might awaken only to
find that he was now someone's slave or had given away his wife or
property. Bear in mind that to Norsemen, beer-drunkenness was admirable
and the measure of a man or woman was in one's ability to drink huge
amounts of ale. Rents and taxes paid in beer and ale were called
"ale-gafol" and ale tribute was exacted from all conquered tribes.

As with most ancient societies, all brewing done in Norse culture was
done by women. Viking law dictated that all brewing vessels, cauldrons
etc., were the exclusive property of the brewsters and could not be
owned by men. Each ale-wife would bequeath her brew-house supplies to
her nearest female relative.

Always at risk of sudden death, religion was of daily concern to the
Vikings and ceremonies were drunken orgies involving massive amounts of
ale. "Minnae" or memory cups of beer were drunk to honor the dead. Ale
was routinely poured on graves as sacrifice to departed spirits. In
fact, paradise itself, called Valhalla, was no less than a giant
ale-house having 540 doors where the god Woden entertained Norse heroes.
A typical day in Valhalla began with a pre-breakfast battle in which the
deceased would hack each other to bits in the same way they spent their
happiest times on earth. In heaven, however, wounds healed instantly and
after combat our heroes went to breakfast on large flagons of ale. This
heavenly brew was provided by the goat "Heidrun" from whose udders
flowed continually a stream of beer filling a jar so large that "all
could drink from it and not empty it." Amazonian war goddesses, the
Valkyries, each tall and beautiful, served the ale and waited on tables.
Meals in paradise were always the same; boiled boar. The boar in
question was named "Saehrimnir", a pig of exceptional staying power.
Each day this boar was cooked in the morning only to find himself whole
again by evening and once more ready for slaughter.

As to the creation of ale, the Norse sagas give the following
explanation: The gods had been at war with some humans called the Vans;
after much killing, a peace conference was called and at the end of the
proceedings a treaty was sealed by members of both groups spitting into
a large jar. To preserve this occasion, the gods shaped the saliva and
some dust into a living man named Kvaser. Kvaser was soon murdered by
dwarfs, his blood running into an iron kettle. Honey was added to
Kvaser's blood and the whole mess was brewed into ale. The sagas go on
to say that whoever drank ale became a sage or "Brag". Brag is Norse for
poet, thus poets were Brag-men or Brag-women. Under the beery influence,
Braggers would give forth poetic wisdom the likes of:

"At eve the day is to be praised; a woman after she is burnt; a sword
after it is proved; a maid after she is married; ice after it has passed
away; beer after it is drunk."
Edda, 11th cent.

"Tell me, Alvis, how beer is called which the sons of men drink in every
world?"

(Alvis answers)
"Oel it is called by men, but by Aesir biorr;...but in Hel it is called
miodr; Suttungs sons call it sumbl."
Odin, the Alvismal Saga

When any Viking died, his or her property was quickly sold off and one
third of the proceeds from this sale was used to buy the funeral ale for
serving at the cremation. The writer Ibn Fadhlan observed in the year
922:

"...(ale) for themselves which they drink on the day when his (the
deceased) slave girls kill themselves and are cremated with their
master. They (the Vikings) drink the beer to insensibility day and
night. It often happens that one of them dies with his cup in his hand."

Copious drinking was viewed by the Vikings in the same way that present
day people admire championship athletics. Consider the Norse notion of
the creation of the ocean tides. When the god Thor was asked by the
giant Utgard-Loki if Thor would care to compete in any feats of
strength, Thor replied that he would rather compete in drinking.
Utgard-Loki agreed with the following result;

Utgard-Loki:
"From this (ale) horn it is thought to be well drunk if it is emptied in
one draught, some men empty it in two, but there is no drinker so
wretched that he cannot drain it in three."

In spite of Thor's vast thirst, he was unable to drain Utgard-Loki's
ale-horn. The next day, however, Utgard-Loki confessed to Thor that the
drinking contest was rigged. Utgard-Loki apologizes saying;

"Know then, that I have deceived you with illusions...when you drank
from the horn, and thought so little ale was gone, it was a great
wonder, which I thought not possible. One end of the horn stood in the
sea, but that you did not see. When you come to the sea shore you will
discover how much the sea has sunk by your drinking. That is now the ebb
of the tide."-Thor's adventures, the Younger Edda

In case you wonder what all this beer-drinking did to the Norseman's
health and stamina:

"I have never seen people with a more developed body stature than they.
They are as tall as date palms, blonde and ruddy. They have no
shame...Each one of them has from his nails to the neck figures of
things tattooed in dark green."
Ibn Fadhlan, 922

Even though drunk on ale and beer, the Vikings were the absolute terror
of the civilized world. Fearless, careless killers who ushered in the
"Dark Ages", the Norsemen traveled in a state of ale induced "berserk".
In this frenzied condition, the Norsemen burned most of Europe to
cinders. In return they gave the world the gift of ale. Looking back in
time, maybe it wasn't such a bad deal.

http://www.realbeer.com/news/articles/news-001391.html

Gentlemen (and ladies), start your livers
Wynkoop Brewing holds annual quest for top beerdrinker

OCT 9, 2000 - Wynkoop Brewing Co.'s annual search for Beerdrinker of the
Year has resumed. The Denver, Colo., brewpub is soliciting resumes and
will choose the 2001 award winner in January.

The winner will receive:
- Free beer for life at the Wynkoop Brewing Co.
- $100 worth of beer at the winner's home brewpub.
- The engraving of his or her name of the very special trophy that is on
perpetual display at the Wynkoop.
- Various items of apparel which will proclaim the wearer as The
Beerdrinker of the Year.

-And, like all of the final finalists, a most-expenses-paid trip to
Denver for the Final finals including airfare and accommodations. (
Offer good only in the continental United States.)

Resumes will be accepted until Nov. 8 and should list all aspects of
your beer expertise including accomplishments involving visiting
brewpubs, touring breweries, participating in beer tastings, collecting
beer memorabilia, brewing

beer, writing about beer -- any and all activities that demonstrate the
range and depth of an applicants beeriness.

The resumes should not exceed twelve pages, people currently employed in
the brewing industry are not eligible, applicants should include a
T-shirt size and name of your home brewpub and Wynkoop asks that you do
not send beer.

A panel of beer experts reviews the beer resumes and narrows the field
of candidates down to ten finalists. Copies of the 10 finalists' resumes
are then sent to an jury consisting primarily of the editors of
America's major beer

publications. They select the three final finalists who are flown to
Denver for the Oral Exams at the Wynkoop on January 20, 2001.

Resumes may be sent to:

The Beerdrinker of the Year
The Wynkoop Brewing Company
1634 Eighteenth Street
Denver, Colorado 80202

http://www.beertown.org/AHA/teachday_press.htm

"Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day" Enters Second Year

Boulder, CO September 12, 2000—Encouraged by the enthusiastic
participation in last year's inaugural event, the American Homebrewers
Association (AHA) and the Home Wine and Beer Trade Association (HWBTA)
have again teamed up to present "Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day." The
day is an international effort to introduce new people to the hobby of
homebrewing and help them establish relationships with their local
homebrew supply shop. Approximately 500 people took part in the event in
1999.

On "Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day" the AHA and the HWBTA would like
homebrewers around the world to find an interested friend who has not
brewed before, take them to a local homebrew supply shop, help them
select ingredients, and then brew a batch of homebrew together on
November 4. By introducing their friends to the hobby, current
homebrewers will both strengthen the hobby and find new brewing
partners.

"Last year's event was extremely successful, and we saw several
dedicated homebrewers bringing their friends into the homebrewing fold,"
states Paul Gatza, director of the AHA. "Homebrewing has always been
strengthened by grassroots efforts such as this. This year we hope to
see just as many, or more, new brewers discovering the joy of crafting
their own beer. New brewers keep homebrew shops, clubs and homebrewing
communities vibrant and successful."

Similar to last year, the HWBTA will promote the event to their retailer
and wholesaler members while the AHA will promote the day to their
members and make a section of their www.beertown.org web site available
for brewers to sign up their friends as new brewers.

An increased number of homebrewers will produce more business for shops
and wholesalers, allowing them to provide more access to better
ingredients and equipment at the local level. The cultivation of new
homebrewers is an integral part of the mission of both the AHA and the
HWBTA.

J2jurado

unread,

Oct 16, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/16/00

Asahi Breweries to Unveil Group Management Plan Tomorrow

Tokyo, Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Asahi Breweries Ltd., Japan's second-largest
beermaker, said it will tomorrow unveil a mid-term group management plan that
covers the period through December 2004. The plan includes the company's
consolidated earnings outlook during the four-year period, said spokesman Toru
Okajima.

The company in September last year announced its parent mid- term management
plan, which includes plant closures and a reduction in workforce.

Tomorrow's announcement will be similar to the previous plan but focus more on
group companies, Okajima said. He declined to elaborate further prior to the
news conference scheduled at 4 p.m. Japan time tomorrow.

Last month, Kirin Breweries Co., Japan's biggest, announced its management
plan, which calls for the consolidation of the company's various businesses
under a holding company.

Private Seminar for the Wine Trade and News Media

--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- 10/16-00

WHAT:Private Wine Seminar and Tasting Sponsored by the Napa Valley Vintners
Association (NVVA)

WHEN: Monday, October 23, 2000

2:00-3:00 p.m.
Private Seminar for the Wine Trade and News Media 21st Century Napa Valley
Wines: Our Roots to the Future. Featuring winemakers from Beaulieu
Vineyard,los Pegase, Robert Mondavi and Saintsbury. P.

Limited to 50 persons on a first-come, first-serve basis.

3:00-5:30 p.m.
Private tasting for the wine trade and news media featuring 50 winemakers and
their wines.

WHERE: Seminar: Galleria, Upper Level, Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree
Street NE

Tasting: Galleria, Entry Level, Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree Street NE

ACCESS: News media must present press credential, business card or pre-mailed
Vintner's Association invitation. Broadcast and still photographers welcome.

WHO:Owner/vintners and winemakers from more than 50 of the top Napa Valley
wineries.

BACKGROUND: The Napa Valley Vintners Association tours numerous domestic and
international markets each year, in an effort to educate members of the wine
trade and media about traditional and sparkling wines produced in Napa County,
California.

Tour 2000 is designed to explore trade and consumer expectations of 21st
century Napa Valley wines and the ideas that will define viticultural
strategies and techniques over the next decade. The vintners will answer
questions and, of course, offer tastes of wines that may define the future
flavors of the Napa Valley. Vintners will also be pouring their favorite
selections from magnums - a new element to the traditional tasting.

Note: A consumer charity tasting and silent auction, benefiting The High Museum
of Art, will be held the evening of October 23rd, from 7:00-9:00 p.m.,
Galleria, Entry Level, Woodruff Arts Center. Tickets are $75 per person and
available by calling 404/733-5335.

CONTACT: Napa Valley Vintners Association Kim Getto, 707/968-4217
kge...@napavintners.com

http://www.smh.com.au:80/news/0010/16/text/business9.html

Lion Nathan starts well

16/10/2000 By MARK TODD

A flat second half is thought to have crimped Lion Nathan's first annual
earnings as an Australian-based company but analysts still expect a
solid rise in pre-abnormal profit of up to 10 per cent.

Lion Nathan, late of New Zealand, is believed to have enjoyed a strong
performance in Australia, particularly in its key market of NSW through
the repackaging of Tooheys New and increased sales of its premium,
higher-margin Hahn beer. The popularity of Hahn has caught rival
Foster's by surprise, according to analysts, and afforded Lion Nathan an
easier run than expected in financial 2000.

"Lion has made the most out of Hahn, one of the most innovative beer
products we've seen for a while. But they can't continue to
significantly out-perform," said one analyst. "Foster's has drawn a line
in the sand at 55 per cent market share."

At last count, Lion Nathan had approximately 42 per cent of the national
beer market.

Analysts estimate the brewer, which derives more than 80 per cent of its
earnings from Australia, earned between $129 million and $135 million in
the 12 months ended August 31, representing an increase between 6 per
cent and 10 per cent.

The market is anxious for some update on the company's loss-making China
business. Merrill Lynch believes there is a possibility it will be sold
and cautions that, while this could produce near-term earnings per share
rises, a potentially large avenue for growth would be lost.

Merrill Lynch has a neutral recommendation on Lion Nathan. One of its
main concerns is the industry's ability to fully pass on an increase in
the Federal Government's beer excise due in February and squeeze out
price rises on top of that.

http://www.sltrib.com:80/10152000/utah/33469.htm

The Zany Debate Over Booze In 2002 Just Became Crazier

Sunday, October 15, 2000 by Laurie J. Wilson

   OK, Laurie, here is your chance to say more than "Get over it, Tom,
the liquor laws are just fine."
   I have been reading letter after letter in the (paper formerly known
as) The Tribune hammering Mayor Rocky Anderson ever since he dared to
speak the obvious truth. The liquor laws in Utah don't make any sense
and are just plain stupid.
   Rocky had the gall to suggest that Mitt Romney was not thinking
clearly when he pronounced the Olympic Medals (parking lot) Plaza a dry
zone of celebration because of the "children."
   In subsequent conversations with Mitt on my radio show, he has
tempered and amended this approach by stating the medals plaza is LDS
church property and appropriately alcohol free.
   This tack makes sense and is much more understandable, if not
justifiable. Now, there seems to be some movement on the mayor's and
Romney's positions by announcing there will be hospitality kiosks all
over downtown.
   So on the south side of South Temple you can get an adult beverage,
but not on the north side. The legalization of adulthood in Utah is
indeed a glacial process.
   The Mayor has asked that the state revisit elements of the law that
never have made sense. My questions for you, Laurie, are:
   Why do you have to be a member of of a private club to enjoy a
wonderful lunch or dinner at the New Yorker? How does it benefit society
that anyone who wishes to dine there must buy a membership card?
Visitors to our fair city can buy a temporary card good for a few days
for less money, but must still buy a card.
   You may be unfamiliar with some of these quirks, but let me know how
society benefited by not allowing anyone under 21 in the Cotton Bottom
for a garlic burger? As a tavern, it can only serve 3.2 beer, but you
can take your 5 year-old into the New Yorker where they serve hard
liquor and wine.
   Lastly, Laurie, why can you have a full pitcher of beer in front of
you, but if you only have a glass you can't order another one until you
have drained the first one?
   It is unfortunate there is a small but vocal fringe band of
religionatics in our midst that continue to promote the polarization of
our society and deepen the divisions between citizens.
   I and Rocky are not proposing "loosening" the liquor laws, only a
rewriting of those sections of the liquor laws which don't do anything
to promote moderation. Only those sections that promote the perception
that Utah is goofy when it comes to the subject.
   I suggest we promote common sense instead of emotion based lunacy.
   Ciao and cheers!
   _________

   Tom Barberi is a talk show host on KALL-AM. Tom, you obviously have
not had a chat with Rocky lately. His exact words (as appeared in The
Tribune on Friday) were: "We need to liberalize our liquor laws
permanently."
   Now, last time I checked, "loosen" and "liberalize" means pretty
close to the same thing in this debate. The issues in this controversy
are about as complex and intertwined as you pronounce the liquor laws to
be. So let's separate and examine them.
   Rocky wants liberalized liquor laws to bring us into the 21st
century. I recently was a discussant for research papers presented at a
conference in Phoenix. One scholar had discovered that college students
across this country spend tens of millions of dollars on alcohol every
year. In fact, they spend more on alcohol than they do on textbooks. The
average college student drinks almost a gallon of alcohol a week.
   Personally, I'm a milk-drinker, but I don't drink that much milk in a
week. And if you take out all the students who don't drink at all (and
believe me they extend far beyond BYU or the Mormon community), that is
an even more outrageous amount of liquor consumed by young people.
   Even more alarming is the increase in alcohol-related rapes and
similar crimes on college campuses. If those statistics portend the 21st
century, then perhaps Utah is better off not moving where Rocky proposes
we go.
   Next, Rocky and others want liberalization of the laws to be better
hosts to the Olympic visitors. But when the city and state wanted our
support for the Games, the residents of Utah were promised that the laws
would not be changed or relaxed for Olympic visitors. Right or wrong, it
was promised.
   The only ethical choice in that situation is to postpone the debate
until after the Olympics. To make changes right now, for whatever may
seem to be valid reasons, is breaking the pledge of city and state
officials.
   Today's morality holds pledges and promises as fleeting and
unimportant. That is maybe another reason we don't want to move into
Rocky's version of the 21st century. It's high time we held our public
officials to the promises they made in persuading voters to support them
or their initiatives.
   Your issue is the maze of "goofy" laws that don't promote moderation
and don't make any sense. I suspect that is the result of amendments and
addenda designed to alter the laws for specific cases that were strongly
lobbied.
   So, believe it or or not, I tend to agree. We probably do need
legislators to throw out a whole bunch of laws and amendments and
rewrite the entire thing -- after the Olympics are gone.
   Be prepared, Tom, for a set of laws that are easier to navigate and
make better sense in terms of enforcement, but that restrict the sales
and consumption of alcohol even more than they are currently. The
statistics on social problems and alcohol-related crime just make too
good a case for tightening up the laws rather than liberalizing them.
   Now, Tom, can we give it a rest? I swear, your persistence in this
matter is driving me to drink.

http://live.altavista.com/scripts/editorial.dll?ei=2269562&ern=y

Detroit Zoo Gives Animals Sanctuary

By ALEXANDRA R MOSES Associated Press Writer 10/15/00

ROYAL OAK, Mich. (AP) -- In his youth, Hamms starred in beer
commercials. Now, after some problems in his private life, he spends his
days sleeping in the sun and walking the rocks with his roommate.
Hamms, a black bear, is one of some 30 rescued animals making their home
at the Detroit Zoo, which regularly takes in -- and keeps -- exotic and
unusual pets that were abandoned or confiscated.

It's expected to be the new home for Cookie, a diana monkey that had
been living with a family in New York since 1995. Cookie is a member of
an endangered species and illegal to keep as a pet under federal law.

Many zoos will take in animals like Hamms and Cookie and try to find
them homes at sanctuaries or other zoos. But it's hard for them to keep
such animals permanently, said Jane Ballentine of the American Zoo and
Aquarium Association.

Limited space and a focus on educating the public and preserving species
make it difficult for zoos to spend time and resources on caring for and
rehabilitating an animal with an uncertain background, Ballentine said.

Other considerations include money, diseases an animal might have, where
it came from and the safety of it and the zoo animals.

"The Detroit Zoo is very unique in that they've made it part of their
mission ... to bring these animals in,'' she said.

Detroit Zoo officials decided to focus on animal welfare as well as
conservation, said zoo director Ron Kagan. Those two goals often are at
odds, but the zoo feels that conservation also means saving animals, he
said.

The zoo cannot always rescue animals when asked -- hundreds of people
contact it each year -- and most of the animals it does rescue are
placed elsewhere. But officials do what they can, going so far as to
build a special enclosure for a retired racehorse named Siberian Sun and
teach a river otter named Benson how to swim.

"Animals like this almost never can be woven into a conservation
program,'' Kagan said. "Sometimes animals clearly have been neglected.
... They come in missing things,'' like teeth or claws.

Katie the lion has been at the Detroit Zoo since 1993, when she was
taken from an alleged crack house in Detroit. Tubby the lemur lives
there too, confiscated from an Iowa home when officials discovered that
other primates in the home had died from neglect. And there's Lucky, a
tiger found in the backseat of his owner's car when the man was stopped
by police.

"Every day it's been more bizarre,'' Kagan said.

Whenever Cookie, the New York monkey, arrives in Detroit, she will live
with mandrill monkeys once she's ready to be integrated with other
primates, he said.

The monkey's owners, Roman and Inna Flikshtein, have been fighting to
keep her. They claim she was obtained legally from a pet store and
neither they, nor pet store owner Dennis Borghese, would have entered
into an agreement had they known she was endangered.

Jennifer Post, a spokeswoman for the New York Department of
Environmental Conservation, said the state is waiting for the family to
turn Cookie over to the proper authorities.

Rescued and confiscated animals like Cookie often are born in captivity
and are either physically impaired, by being declawed, or
psychologically impaired because they haven't learned how they are
supposed to act, said Craig Brestrup of The Association of Sanctuaries,
a national group regulating 34 sanctuaries, including the Detroit Zoo.

Once animals come to Detroit, they have to be quarantined and monitored
before they are placed with other animals. Hamms, a star in his day, had never
been with
other bears and needed help learning typical bear behaviors such as
foraging for food. But Kagan said the zoo has never failed to integrate
an animal.

Federal law regulates endangered and threatened animals. It is generally
illegal to keep such animals as pets.

Hamms was a pitchman for beer before he was sold to a private owner in
Iowa, where he lived legally for nearly 20 years. After biting his owner
and threatened with being euthanized, an animal rights group asked the
zoo to take Hamms.

Many experts say pushing individual states to adopt regulations against
keeping non-domesticated animals like Hamms as pets would lessen the
number of animals that need new homes.

"I would like to see private ownership of wild animals absolutely
abolished,'' Brestrup said. "There's just no reason for it. We have dogs
and cats for companion animals.''

The Michigan Legislature passed two bills in June, one to regulate
wolf-dog crosses, the other to regulate large carnivores, including
large cats and bears. The bills regulate ownership, possession and care
of the animals.

But people like the Flikshteins, the Brooklyn couple who paid $4,500 for
Cookie, feel their pet is one of the family. The 6-year-old primate has
a cage in the living room, watches television and bathes with water and
lemon, the family said.

Experts say getting an exotic animal for a pet is not difficult.

"If you want a mountain lion for a pet, they are all over the place,''
Brestrup said. "It is the easiest thing in the world.''

Often, Ballentine said, people will see the baby animals and think
they're cute -- until the animal grows sharp claws and teeth.

"And then the novelty wears off,'' she said.

http://www.sfgate.com:80/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/examiner/hotnews/storie
s/12/morse.dtl

Bush, Barak and a brewski at the summit

By Rob Morse EXAMINER COLUMNIST October 12, 2000

TOWARD the end of the debate, Al Gore and George W. Bush found their
inner spoiled children. Bush made an unfunny crack about Gore's tendency
to exaggerate, and Gore made a nasty comment about Bush's inability to
explain his tax plan.

My wife made the comment, "Oh, boys, go to your rooms."

The problem is, one of them will be going to a room called the Oval
Office.

There are two basic theories about how undecided Americans elect a
president. One is that people vote for the guy they'd like to sit down
and talk with over a beer.

The other is that people vote for the guy who can sit down and talk to
tough characters like Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad, and maybe even
pronounce their names right.

If that latter theory is true, Gore will win. Judging by Wednesday
night's debate, it's hard to imagine what Bush could possibly have to
say to Yasser Arafat and Ehud Barak but "I am a uniter, not a divider,
now let's have a brewski and unite."

If you want a president you can have a beer with, Bush will win, because
he can joke and make small talk, very small talk, the kind heard in bars
and locker rooms all over Middle America.

I have just one question for the American boobeoisie: How many
presidents have you had a beer with?

The debate started gently, with both candidates agreeing with each other
on all kinds of foreign policy matters, and doing their utmost not to
seem nasty, roll their eyes or sigh.

At some points later on, Gore was trying so hard not to roll his eyes at
Bush's answers he had to put his head down, but still you could see his
eyeballs spinning beneath his eyelids.

Gore didn't sigh, but Bush had a pretty audible little snort when Gore
picked on him. When Bush thought he answered a question pretty well, he
beamed as if to say, "Hey, I got that right, and I didn't even look at
the other boy's paper."

I'm afraid I was paying more attention to Bush than Gore simply because
I was trying very hard to figure out what the heck he was talking about.
Maybe if I listened to him over a beer it would be easier.

http://www.accessatlanta.com:80/partners/ajc/epaper/editions/sunday/news_9
39e95c636cc60da1002.html

More Chinese are going to court

Julie Chao - Staff Sunday, October 15, 2000

Beijing --- Liu Jianping, a hotel handyman, said his 17-year-old son was
expelled from school for hitting another student and sharing a bottle of
beer at lunch with five classmates. He admits his son behaved badly but
says the violations were hardly severe enough to warrant expulsion.
Plus, it did not go through the school board, as required by
regulations.

In the China of 15 years ago, Liu said he would have dealt with the
matter by beating up the teacher who kicked his son out. But these days,
people have a keener awareness of their rights under the law. Liu hired
himself a lawyer.

''As a citizen, I have nowhere to complain to,'' he said. ''I don't have
any back-door connections. So I decided to use the law to resolve the
problem concerning abuse of my son's rights.''

Indeed, more ordinary Chinese citizens --- from yuppies to peasants ---
are going to court to settle disputes. In a society that has long relied
on using personal connections to fix problems, the number of lawsuits
reached more than 5.7 million last year, a 30 percent increase from five
years ago and up from essentially zero 20 years ago.

''Before, all the power was concentrated in the (Communist) party,''
said Beijing lawyer Wu Jianzhong. ''If you got one official to just say
the word, all your problems could get resolved. Now that's changing.''

To be sure, the Communist Party still exerts control over politically
sensitive cases, or any other case if it chooses. For everyday
conflicts, however, more people are willing to sue not just other
citizens but government agencies as well.

Farmers have sued factories for polluting their crops. Homeowners have
sued the local housing bureau for unfair evictions. Villagers have sued
county officials for refusing to resolve a water dispute.

Rapid economic development over the last 20 years has meant soaring
numbers of clashes over property rights, debts, contracts, inheritance
and the like --- concepts that barely existed under the socialist
planned economy.

And as frustration with pervasive corruption grows, more cases are being
brought under an administrative law statute enacted 10 years ago that
allows people to sue governmental agencies. The number of such suits has
risen steadily in the past decade, from zero to almost 100,000 last
year.

''Most people aren't dissidents; they aren't involved in criminal law
cases. So for the average person, the way it's changed the way of life
in China, the development of administrative law is really important,''
said Randall Peerenboom, a UCLA law professor who specializes in China.

According to official statistics, citizens prevail in 40 percent of
cases. More than half the time, it's because the agency being sued
changes its behavior, prompting the citizen to withdraw the suit,
Peerenboom noted. Beijing lawyer Zhao Yonggui said he wins only
one-fifth of his administrative suits.

Of course, China's legal system has a long way to go before it fairly
dispenses justice for all. Lawyers say they are frequently stymied by
incompetent judges, blatant meddling by local officials and rampant
corruption.

Still, motivated by the desire to sustain economic growth and maintain
social stability --- the party's two overriding concerns --- top leaders
have recognized the importance of rule of law.

A degree of transparency in the legal system, they know, is necessary to
continue to attract foreign investment. Plus, giving the restive masses
an outlet to vent their frustrations can avert the civil disturbances
they dread. Reports of riots and protests in the countryside have become
increasingly common as farmers' incomes have stagnated and local
officials levy ever-higher taxes.

Strengthening legal institutions can ''quickly prevent the
intensification of contradictions among the people,'' Supreme Court
President Xiao Yang said in his work report to the legislature earlier
this year.

Although China has shown no interest in making the institutional reforms
necessary to achieve true rule of law --- such as having a judiciary
independent from the bureaucracy --- it has been trying to address
certain shortcomings like unqualified judges.

Judges are civil servants who have never worked as lawyers. Many are
demobilized soldiers with only a high school education. Some who have
studied law did so at night school or through correspondence courses.
Now some courts are starting to require college degrees and specialized
training, such as patent law.

Zhao said what judges most need is training in ethics.

''A person should have a conscience,'' he said, plainly exasperated by
the gift-taking and other forms of influence-peddling rife in
courthouses.

Many lawyers are also poorly trained. Tian Qiufeng, who says he learned
law watching translations of "L.A. Law",legal programs on television and
then passed the bar exam, spends most of his days in the Chaoyang District's
courthouse waiting for people in need of a lawyer. For a $7 fee, he writes
your legal complaint and helps you fill out paperwork. Most of his cases are
divorces and bad debts.

J2jurado

unread,

Oct 17, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/17/00

Scottish & Newcastle Aims to Step Up Sale of Pubs, Restaurants

Edinburgh, Oct. 17 (Bloomberg)-- Scottish & Newcastle Plc, the maker of
Kronenbourg beer, said it aims to sell more pubs and restaurants than the
200-300 it indicated in July. The company said this year it plans to sell
those parts of the retail division that don't fit in with the growth areas it's
identified: quality traditional pubs, pub restaurants, including its Chef and
Brewer brand, Premier Lodges and bars and late-night venues.

``We're now saying we are taking a more robust approach,'' Richard Gibb,
director of corporate affairs, said in a telephone interview. He said the
company will announce the result of a strategic review into its pubs ``in a few
weeks.''

Scottish & Newcastle is expanding overseas as British drinkers buy less beer.
The company agreed in March to buy most of Group Danone SA's Kronenbourg
business. In August, it acquired a 49 percent stake in Centralcer, Portugal's
second-largest brewer. The company's shares rose as much as 5.5 pence, or 1.2
percent, to 475.5p. The comments came in a briefing to analysts and
shareholders in Strasbourg and distributed via the Regulatory News Service.

Scottish & Newcastle said its Kronenbourg, Foster's and John Smith beers mean
the company is well-positioned to benefit from the growing popularity of
premium and international brands. The company has about 2,300 sites in its
retail division, including 1,600 managed pubs, 500 pub restaurants and 150-200
venues with late licenses. The company also said the disposal of the Center
Parcs leisure business to DB Capital, a unit of Deutsche Bank AG, and Pierre et
Vacances is on schedule to be completed by next month.

The sale of the Pontins holiday-parks business, including eight sites, to Manor
Parcs Ltd. has been completed. Another site has been sold, and two other sites
are under contract for sale.

Who Would You Rather Sit Down and Have a Beer With ... Al Gore or George Bush?
Sam Adams Taps Voters

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 17, 2000—

George Bush is chugging along.... and a new poll has him ahead by a beer.
According to a just-released Sam Adams/Roper Starch poll, more people would
rather sit down to drink a beer with George Bush than Al Gore. Although some
24% of people are still undecided, tonight's debate could sway these swing
voters.

The Sam Adams' poll gives Bush a 3-point advantage (40% vs. 37%) even though
the candidates are practically in a "dead heat" in all other polls. Could it be
that Bush is just that much more likeable? Or, has Al Gore's boasting gotten
the best of him? Even so, Gore wouldn't be the first to tell tall tales in a
bar, now would he? The fact remains though thet the people's pick for a quick
visit over a beer is Bush.

With one exception...."Hot Lips" Gore still rates higher with women than men
(39% vs. 34%).

Still, just like the national election, the title for the "Man America Would
Most Like to Drink a Beer With" is very much up for grabs.

Guinness Book of Records sets own new record

By Paul Majendie

FRANKFURT, Oct 17 (Reuters) - The Guinness Book of Records has set a new record
of its own -- seven million copies sold of its first edition of the new
century.

For the glossy bible of the weird, wacky and wonderful has reached a new
milestone and that is cause for much celebration at the world's largest book
fair being staged this week in Frankfurt. "It is another record year. It is an
old cliche but it is true," said Christopher Irwin, managing director of the
publishing phenomenon that has reached practically every corner of the globe.

"I thought the millennium edition would be a peak. But for the 2001 edition,
sales have improved rather than diminished. We are looking at a total of seven
million compared to six million last year," he said.

"The United States have held up very well. Most of the markets are 15 to 20
percent ahead. With 170,000 units, Australia is one of the biggest expansions.
Canada with 270,000 is doing very well as is Scandinavia." Guinness also
spreads its net even wider with a World Records television show that is shown
in 100 million households worldwide each week. Frankfurt, a magnet for the
world's top publishers, is an international marketplace always fondly
remembered by Irwin.

"I found our U.S. distributor in a casual conversation at the fair. Morty Mint,
the former president of Penguin Books in Canada, has taken our sales volume in
the States from 72,000 to 2.5 million in hardback," he said.

One of the most spectacular new entries in the latest edition is a medical
submarine the size of the letter 'L' on a keyboard.

Just four millimetres in length and 0.65 millimetres in diameter, the
German-designed sub was developed as an innovative way of treating cancer. It
can "sail" along arteries and repair damaged blood vessels.

Australian Les Stewart won a place in the book after taking 16 years and seven
months to write out in full in words the numbers one to one million. Guinness,
one of publishing's longest-running success stories, was launched in 1954. It
was the brainchild of Hugh Beaver, managing director of the famous Guinness
brewery. He was out shooting in Ireland and got into an argument about whether
the golden plover ranked as Europe's fastest game bird.

Beaver, believing that records sparked pub and bar disputes around the world,
decided the time was right to produce the ultimate reference book for
superlatives. Twins Norris and Ross McWhirter, who were running a fact-finding
agency for British newspapers, were picked to launch the book which still
changes up to 25 percent of its records each year.

Business Week International Editions: Letter From Prague : TIME TO CRY
IN YOUR BEER

( Business Week International ) By JAMES DRAKE; 10-04-2000 Vol. 3649, pp 4

Touring Chodovar, a tiny 16th century western Bohemian brewery, with
owner Jiri Plavka is a little like being shown around a medieval
cathedral by an art lover. Plavka strides through a vaulted drying room
where hops hang from ancient stone arches and past swathes of malt laid
out to cure on the flagstone floor. As he reaches the rumbling old
copper boilers, where some 150,000 hectoliters are produced each year,
his face takes on the glow of a mystic approaching an object of
veneration.

But when he talks about beer sales, the glow fades. ``If this government
doesn't wake up, then all this will soon be a thing of the past,''
mourns Plavka, dipping his finger into a fermenting tub. The head of
thick foam gives the tub the appearance of an enormous bubble bath.
``Small breweries like mine are a defining part of our culture,'' says
Plavka. ``[But] we're in danger of losing something special.' '

Indeed, the Czech Republic, with 70 breweries and a population of 10
million, boasts the highest per capita beer consumption in the world,
some 155 liters. But with the fall of the Iron Curtain, the Czech
Republic's brewing industry, once a source of national pride, is being
taken over by outside corporations. Japanese investment bank Nomura
Securities, Austria's Binding Brauerei, and Britain's Bass brewing group
are among the foreigners that are bellying up to the bar. Just six
brewing groups--five of them controlled by foreign interests--account
for 80% of domestic sales. Five years ago, there were no foreign owners.
Small breweries are already being squeezed, and 15 have gone out of
business in the last seven years.

COMPROMISES. The takeover worries Czech beer drinkers, whose concern
goes beyond national pride. They're afraid that mass production will
affect the taste of Czech beer and that the breweries remaining in local
hands will compromise on ingredients and expensive, time-consuming
brewing techniques so that they can compete.

The reason behind the acquisition spree: ``This is the world's best
beer, so it's eminently exportable,'' says Graham Staley, manager of
four SAB breweries in the Czech Republic. ``The labor is cheap. The
product is cheap. All we really have to do is market it, don't we?''

It's not quite that easy. The new brews aren't exactly the fabled Czech
beer known worldwide for chemical-free, full-bodied flavor. To increase
shelf life, the top exporters have begun pasteurizing beer. Plzensky
Prazdroj, which makes Pilsner Urquell--universally hailed since
pre-communist times as one of the world's greatest beers- -has doubled
capacity in the last three years. ``Prazdroj was a brewery. Now it's a
factory,''
acknowledges its CEO. ``We're in a global economy. We have to adapt or die.''

Six years ago, Prazdroj introduced a cut-rate label, Primus. Competitors, in
turn, were forced to hold their prices or introduce their own low-priced
brands. That has driven several small breweries out of business. Radegast
introduced Klasik, which sells for
just 18 cents a bottle, the price of a regular bottle five years ago.
(With inflation, that figure would be equal to $1.10 today.) That price
was about two-thirds of what it cost 350-year-old Vsetin Brewery to
produce a slightly better beer, and the company shut down last year.

QUALITY CONTROL TECHNICIAN KEEPS BREWPUB'S HOPS HOPPING

( St. Louis Post-Dispatch ) Elizabeth Freeman 10-16-2000 pp 3.

Name: Anne Jerina.
Age: 24.

Employer: St. Louis Brewery and Tap Room, 2100 Locust Street.
Job: Quality control technician/quality control.

The brewery, founded in 1991, is the first brewpub in Missouri and the
first microbrewery in the USA since Prohibition. St. Louis attorney
Tom Schlafly is the president and principal shareholder. State law
allows microbreweries to produce up to 10,000 barrels of beer annually;
St. Louis Brewery produces nearly 6,000 barrels.

Much of the brewery's operations can be viewed through glass walls from
the Tap Room, an adjoining restaurant also owned by the brewery. Beer
produced locally is only available in kegs.

The brewery contracts with August Schell Brewing Co. in New Ulm, Minn.,
to bottle the product and ship it back to St. Louis. Bottled products
available year-round for retail purchase include Schlafly' s pale ale,
hefeweizen (unfiltered wheat beer), oatmeal stout and pilsner.
"Our flagship beer is our pale ale, which is a British-style ale, " Jeri
na said. "But we do 34 different kinds of beer. We bottle four seasonal
beers."

Duties: Jerina handles the brewery's lab, tasting panels, and the
brewery's microbiology responsibilities. "I make sure that the yeast is doing
what it's supposed to be doing and keep track of the fermenting beer," she
said. "We use one strain of yeast for our year-round ales. And we use one
strain of yeast for our
year-round lager beers.

"Since we brew a couple of different Belgian beers we have a couple of
different Belgian yeasts, and there are five or six different yeasts
that we use. I'm in charge of making sure that they stay alive, because
we only use them once a year."

Jerina makes sure that each batch of beer is clean and free of bacteria,
and tests the product at various stages. She also makes sure the brewing
equipment is cleaned properly and tests it for bacterial growth as well.
All of Schlafly's brewers taste the draft beer daily. Tasting panels
composed of brewers and sales reps sample bottled Schlafly products
weekly. Key factors in beer-tasting include paying attention to the
product's aroma, appearance, "head" and body. Jerina documents beer data
for distributors to assure the quality of the product.
Jerina started at the brewery as a receptionist in 1998, during her
summer break from college. She says it didn't take her long to express
her interest in "the brewing side of things."

Because her employer knew she would be graduating with a biology degree
in 1999, she was hired four months into her senior year for her current
job. During Christmas break of that year she received training and came
back to work after graduation.

Hours: Typically, work hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday. "If we're brewing late, doing three batches in one day, somebody will
come in to work 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.," said Jerina.

Dress: Casual. Jerina wore a gray sweatshirt, jeans, comfortable shoes
and a Schlafly baseball cap. "It's whatever you're comfortable in, but
it has to have something that says 'Schlafly' on it," she said. (The
brewery also sells a line of merchandise bearing the beer' s name and
logo.) "There's a lot of manual work involved with the job, and you're
going to get dirty."

Equipment: Tools of the brewing trade that Jerina works with include a
grain mill, mash tun, brew kettle, heat exchanger and filters.

Pay: Jerina would not say specifically what she makes, but compensation
for people in her profession can range from $20,000 to $60,000 annually,
depending on experience and the size of the brewery.

Benefits: Medical and health insurance, two weeks vacation after one
year, a Christmas bonus and free beer (two half-gallon jugs per week).
"Whether we take them or not is up to us," said Jerina. All employees,
including restaurant employees, get a special price on kegs.

Education: Bachelor of science, biology major, Ripon College, Ripon,
Wis., 1999.

Hobbies: Rollerblading. "I love spending time outside," she said.
What she likes best about her job: "I like the people I work with, but
you really work hard making this beer," Jerina said. "It's rewarding for
people to come up to you and say, 'Oh, you're from Schlafly. You make
really good beer.' Coming from my aspect, when you're making sure that
the beer has a certain quality and consistency, it's nice when other
people commend you on your duties.

"It's a very laid-back working environment. People I work with are a lot
of fun. You get to go out and do festivals and see people drinking your
product. Or you get to go to a bar and you see people drinking Schlafly.
It's a very rewarding experience."

What she likes least about her job: "It's really hard work," she said.
"There's a lot of manual stuff.

"Because we are a small brewery, we clean the tanks. You have to
actually get into the tank and clean it out. During the brewing process
you have to stir 700 pounds of grain right into the mash with all the
water. Lifting full kegs of beer is not very easy. It's a lot of hard
work, but it pays off in the end."

Chicken Soup Is Medicine, Scientists Confirm

By Maggie Fox Reuters

WASHINGTON (Oct. 17) - Scientists said Monday they had confirmed what
grandmothers have known for centuries -- that chicken soup is good for colds.
Chicken soup -- as made by grandma -- contains several ingredients that affect
the body's immune system, a team at the University of Nebraska Medical Center
found.

Specifically, it has anti-inflammatory properties that could explain why it
soothes sore throats and eases the misery of colds and flu, Dr. Stephen Rennard
and colleagues said.
"Chicken soup may contain a number of substances with beneficial medicinal
activity," the researchers wrote in their report, published in the journal
Chest.

"My wife was making chicken soup one year for the Jewish holidays and we were
talking about its effects on colds," Rennard, a specialist in pulmonary
medicine, said in a telephone interview.

"I said 'well, maybe it has some anti-inflammatory effect,' and she said
'really?' and I said 'why not?' and I said maybe we could find out in the lab."
As it turned out, Rennard's lab was well-suited to making such tests. "In the
lab we study inflammation and injury and repair mechanisms in the lung as
related to asthma and emphysema and so on," he said.

So Rennard's wife Barbara Rennard made up a batch of her grandmother's chicken
soup, which includes chicken, onions, sweet potato, parsnips, turnips, carrots,
celery stems, and parsley. Rennard said his wife added no salt but did include
matzo balls, a kind of dumpling.

Then they ran laboratory tests. Not only did they test the soup as a whole, but
they separated out the components.

"These tests were in the laboratory and it doesn't test (chicken soup)
clinically in colds," Rennard stressed.

NEUTROPHIL MOVEMENT STOPPED

They found that chicken soup and many of its ingredients helped stop the
movement of neutrophils -- white blood cells that eat up bacteria and cellular
debris and which are released in great numbers by viral infections like colds.
Neutrophil activity can stimulate the release of mucous, which may be the cause
of the coughs and stuffy nose caused by upper respiratory infections such as
colds.

"All the ingredients were found to be inhibitory, including the boiled extract
of chicken alone," they wrote. Rennard said vitamins and other agents in the
ingredients could, plausibly, have biological action. The researchers also
went to the store and bought 13 different commercial brands of soup to test.

"About a third of them were more active than grandma's soup," Rennard said,
adding that he could not remember which kinds of soup they were. "One or two
of them had very little activity at all. Vegetarian vegetable soup had some
activity."

To be safe, they also tested plain Omaha tap water which, to their relief, had
no effect. "If tap water were active, that would be disturbing in a number of
ways," Rennard said.

Some researchers have suggested in the past that perhaps the steam from the
soup, or the chicken fat, may play a role in soothing inflamed airways. Rennard
said this was possible. He also said there could be a "TLC" (tender, loving
care) factor. "If you know somebody prepared soup for you by hand, that might
have an effect," he said.

Rennard said he had no immediate plans to test chicken soup any further. "I
have no doubt that generations from now, people will read this and the only
thing of interest will be the recipe," he said.

"It really is good soup."

Smokers: You Can Improve Your Odds

MANZANITA, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 17, 2000--Smokers are gambling with
their health.

Bill Geiger wants to improve their odds ... with Oregon Mint Snuff Pouches(TM).

They're miniature teabags that you place between your lip and gum, like a
soothing, satisfying breath mint. Mint snuff pouches are similar to tobacco
snuff pouches, but Geiger's tobacco-free product is filled with 100% safe
natural mint and crystallized mint oil.

"My hope is that smokers will cut their cancer risk by simply alternating every
other cigarette with an Oregon Mint Snuff Pouch. It's an easy way to reduce
smoking by 50 percent. From there, each smoker can set their own pace toward
quitting tobacco or just cutting back. And Mint Pouches are a lot cheaper than
cigarettes!"

Geiger says new medical research is behind his quit-tobacco message.

A University of Minnesota study concluded that Oregon Mint Snuff can reduce
nicotine cravings. And research by University of Alabama oral pathologist Dr.
Brad Rodu led that expert to recommend that smokers who have trouble quitting
should switch to a 98% safer form of tobacco -- little tobacco snuff pouches.
(Visit DrRodu.com for details.)

Geiger added up the research and saw the obvious -- smokers can easily switch
to smokeless tobacco pouches and then to Oregon Mint Snuff (he calls that The
Oregon 2-Step), or smokers can switch straight to Mint Snuff. Either way, they
improve their odds! (Chewing tobacco users can kick their habit the same way.)

Oregon Mint Snuff Pouches are available at food, drug and convenience stores:
at some Kmarts that have a tobacco corral, Meijer Gas and Meijer SuperCenters,
Ralph's, King Soopers, City Markets and Fred Meyer. For more retailers or to
order, visit MintSnuff.com or call 800/EAT-MINT.

J2jurado

unread,

Oct 18, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/18/00

Thai Monks Suspected of Carousing

.c The Associated Press

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Two Buddhist monks are suspected of ignoring their
vows by belting down beers and belting out tunes at a karaoke bar, officials
said.

Thai religious authorities are investigating the monks, who police said were
found Saturday in a provincial bar 62 miles north of Bangkok.

The education ministry's religious affairs department is looking into whether
one of the monks is a senior abbot from a major temple in Bangkok.

According to police, bar employees said the monks - disguised in wigs and hats
- had been there several times, drinking beer and singing karaoke.

Buddhist monks must shave their heads and are supposed to live simple lives
devoid of materialistic concerns, forswearing worldly pleasures such as alcohol
and sex.

Drinking beer and singing Elvis Presley songs are considered lesser offenses.
In recent years, Buddhist monks have been involved in a number of scandals in
Thailand and have been accused of crimes including child sexual abuse and
murder.

Boston Beer Announces Third Quarter 2000 Results

Samuel Adams Boston Lager volume increases 5.2%; Board authorizes additional
$5.0 million for share buy-back

BOSTON, Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE: <A
HREF="aol://4785:SAM">SAM</A>), brewer of Samuel Adams Boston Lager(R),
announced its results for the quarter ended September 23, 2000. During the
third quarter of 2000, barrels sold and net sales were 302,000 and $46.0
million, respectively, compared to 297,000 and $44.1 million in 1999. The
increase in volume is primarily attributed to growth in Samuel Adams Boston
Lager of 5.2% and shipments of a new product, BoDean's Twisted Tea(TM). The
increases in volume from continuing styles and the new product were partially
offset by the discontinuation of certain year- round styles.

Gross profit was 56.9% of net sales for the third quarter 2000 compared to
57.5% in the same period of 1999. Earnings for the quarter ended September 23,
2000 were $.12 per share compared to $.13 per share for the quarter ended
September 25, 1999. The decrease was primarily the result of an increase in
selling expenses of $1.8 million to 43.7% of net sales for the quarter ended
September 23, 2000 as compared to 41.5% of net sales in the prior year quarter
due to increased spending for promotional activities and brand support. Despite
the third quarter decrease in earnings per share, as noted below, earnings per
share for the fiscal year to date exceed earnings per share for the same period
in 1999 and management continues to believe that the company will meet its
projected earnings of $.61 per share for year end.

For the third quarter wholesaler depletions grew by 2.5% as compared to the
prior year. Depletions of Samuel Adams Boston Lager and Samuel Adams Seasonals
grew by 2.2%, as compared to the same period of 1999. Declines in certain
year-round styles and Oregon Original Ales were offset by depletions of the new
product, BoDean's Twisted Tea.

Orders in hand for the October/November period of 2000 indicate that total
shipments will be 4.0% above those in October/November 1999 (including
shipments of BoDean's Twisted Tea). Orders on hand for Samuel Adams Boston
Lager and Samuel Adams Seasonals project growth of 7.0%. Actual shipments for
October/November 2000 may differ, however, and no inferences should be drawn
with respect to shipments in future periods.

For the nine months ended September 23, 2000, barrels sold increased 5.9% to
927,000 from 875,000 in the same period of 1999. Net sales increased 7.2% to
$141.7 million in the first nine months of 2000 from $132.2 million in the
first nine months of 1999 due to an increase in volume and selling price. The
Company posted a 56.5% gross profit margin for the nine month period versus
56.6% in 1999 and increased its combined advertising promotion and selling
expenses by $2.90 per barrel, to 40.1% of net sales compared to 38.7% for the
same period of 1999. Earnings for the first nine months of 2000 were $.51 per
share compared to $.47 per share for the nine months ended September 25, 1999.

Total depletions for the first nine months of 2000 increased 4.8%, versus 1999.
Samuel Adams Boston Lager and Samuel Adams Seasonals had combined depletions
growth of 4.7%.

During the third quarter of 2000 the Company repurchased 113,300 shares of its
Class A Common Stock for an aggregate purchase price of $1.0 million. Through
October 16, 2000 the Company has repurchased a total of 2,737,500 shares of its
Class A Common Stock for an aggregate purchase price of $21.1 million.
Effective October 13, 2000, the Board of Directors approved an increase of $5.0
million to $30.0 million in funds available for the repurchase of its Class A
Common Stock. The Company's financial position continues to be strong. Cash
and short-term unrestricted investments are $45.7 million for the period ended
September 23, 2000. The Company continues to generate significant positive
cash flows.

The Boston Beer Company was founded by Jim Koch in 1984 and Samuel Adams Boston
Lager was introduced in April 1985. Today, The Boston Beer Company, winner of
22 medals at The Great American Beer Festival, is the leading American high-end
brewer. For more information about The Boston Beer Company, visit
www.samadams.com or www.bostonbeer.com for financial information.

Statements made in this press release that state the Company's or management's
intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations or predictions of the future are
forward-looking statements. It is important to note that the Company's actual
results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking
statement. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those in the forward- looking statements is
contained from time to time in the Company's SEC filings, including but not
limited to the Company's report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 25,
1999 and for December 26, 1998. Copies of these documents may be obtained by
contacting the Company or the SEC.

THE BOSTON BEER COMPANY, INC. Financial Results (In thousands, except per share
data) (Unaudited)

Operating Results:
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sept. 23, Sept. 25, Sept. 23, Sept. 25,
2000 1999 2000 1999
Barrels sold 302 297 927 875
Gross sales $51,221 $49,336 $157,744 $147,443
Less excise taxes 5,230 5,188 16,056 15,257
Net sales 45,991 44,148 141,688 132,186
Cost of goods sold 19,831 18,759 61,662 57,344
Gross profit 26,160 25,389 80,026 74,842
Advertising, promotional
selling expenses 20,108 18,339 56,844 51,097
General &
administrative
expenses 2,935 2,819 8,965 8,695
Total operating
expenses 23,043 21,158 65,809 59,792

Operating income 3,117 4,231 14,217 15,050
Other income (expenses),
net 738 541 1,907 1,492
Income before
income taxes 3,855 4,772 16,124 16,542
Income taxes 1,619 2,004 6,772 6,929
Net income $2,236 $2,768 $9,352 $9,613

Earnings per share
- basic $0.12 $0.13 $0.51 $0.47
Earnings per share
- diluted $0.12 $0.13 $0.51 $0.47

Weighted average shares
- basic 18,117 20,531 18,407 20,523
Weighted average shares
- diluted 18,187 20,579 18,463 20,571

EBITDA $4,879 $5,606 $19,058 $18,970

Copies of The Boston Beer Company's press releases, including quarterly
financial results, are available by fax (free of charge) by calling Company
News On Call @ 1-800-758-5804 (Ext. 108764) or on the Internet at
www.samadams.com

Live, October 17, 2000 at 4pm, listen-only broadcast of conference call at
www.bostonbeer.com.

Brazil's AmBev to Use Bavaria Proceeds for Expansion

Sao Paulo, Oct. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Brazil's Cia. de Bebidas das Americas SA, the
world's No. 4 brewer, plans to raise as much as $250 million from the sale of
its Bavaria beer brand to make acquisitions in Latin America.
AmBev, as the Brazilian beer maker is known, also plans to use part of the $300
million raised from the sale of five-year bonds later this year for possible
acquisitions.

``The whole idea is to be prepared for when we have the chance to acquire
someone,'' said Felipe Dutra, chief financial officer of AmBev, in an
interview. The sale of the Bavaria beer brand, which was imposed by antitrust
regulators in exchange for approval of the merger of Brazil's top two brewers,
comes as AmBev tries to reduce its dependence in the Brazilian market. AmBev
expects to sell the Bavaria brand and five plants by November. Bavaria has
about 3 percent of Brazil's beer market.

Potential buyers of Bavaria include Belgium's Interbrew NV, the world's No. 2
brewer, Molson Inc., Canada's No. 1 brewer, Uniao Cervejeira SA, Portugal's
biggest beer producer, South African Breweries Plc and Grupo Modelo SA of
Mexico. About 90 percent of AmBev's sales of beer and soft drinks are in
Brazil. By expanding to other countries, the company hopes to attract more
investors and balance out the risks of relying only on one market. AmBev was
formed last year when Cia. Cervejaria Brahma bought Cia. Antarctica Paulista in
a transaction valued at $3.9 billion in stock and debt, according to the
company's estimate when the takeover was completed.

``The most interesting countries (to expand) are the ones where we have a good
market in terms of size, a good perspective in terms of per capita consumption
growth and there are not so many of those in Latin America,'' Dutra said.

Rising Shares

Investors have so far been impressed by AmBev's strategy to cut costs and look
for international acquisitions.
AmBev's preferred shares are the top performing in the benchmark Bovespa index,
rising more than 115 percent since the beginning of the year, compared with a
10 percent decline in the index.

The company's profits are expected to increase in coming quarters, according to
analysts' estimates, as AmBev boosts sales to take advantage of Brazilian
economic growth. AmBev expects sales to rise 6 percent next year, mirroring an
expected 4 percent rise in Brazil's economy in 2001. Morgan Stanley Dean Witter
& Co. analyst Lore Serra said in a report last week AmBev's beer sales are
expected to have risen 4 percent in the third-quarter of 2000.

AmBev expects to complete the sale of its five-year $300 million bond in coming
weeks, with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter managing the sale. Dutra said Chase
Manhattan Corp., Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and other banks may also help sell
the bonds.

The Brazilian beer maker will use part of the funds from the bond sale to pay
down maturing debt.

AmBev expects its business in Argentina to have operating profits of between $5
million and $10 million, while the company's business in Venezuela is seen
posting $5 million in operating profits. The company, which has a 15 percent
share of Argentina's beer market and an 8 percent market share in Venezuela,
expects to improve profit margins by starting direct distribution of products.

In Brazil, for example, Dutra said the price of beer per hectoliter (26.4
gallons) without direct distribution can go as high as 25 reais. AmBev said
that with its own distribution, the price of beer sold to retailers falls to 17
reais per hectoliter, increasing the company's profit margin.

``We're able to get better prices when we sell directly to retailers,'' Dutra
said.

Cost Savings

AmBev, which expected to save 500 million reais a year from merging Cia.
Cervejaria Brahma and Cia. Antarctica Paulista, said production efficiencies
are happening faster than it had forecast, as the combination between the
companies smoothes out.

The Sao Paulo-based brewer has started production of Antarctica's and Brahma's
beverage products in the same factories and expects to save between 100 million
reais and 120 million reais in 2000 from streamlining businesses at the two
units, Dutra said. That is greater than the 70 million reais AmBev anticipated
saving this year.

AmBev expects that by the end of 2001 it will have implemented all the cost
savings. The company only expected to reach the full 500 million reais a year
in savings in 2002.

``Definitely from the revenue growth perspective, there are a lot of things to
do and a lot of opportunities to capture, like developing new ways to reduce
the distribution costs per hectoliter, reaching some blank areas where we have
low distribution,'' Dutra said.

AmBev's plan to reduce costs also include job cuts, with the total number of
layoffs in the coming five years reaching about 1,200 people. The company
currently employees about 17,500.

AmBev preferred shares in Sao Paulo rose 1.6 percent to 2199.99 reais, while
the company's shares in New York rose 75 cents, or 3.3 percent, to $23.75.

Polish Vodka Makers Say Tax Rise to Hurt State Most

Warsaw, Oct. 18 (Polska) -- Polish distillers said the government will hurt its
own plans to sell vodka makers if it again increases excises after raising the
tax by 150 percent since 1994, helping to halve sales of Poland's favorite
alcoholic drink. The government, seeking revenue to fund increased spending on
social welfare, wants to increase the 3.6-billion zloty ($770 million) a year
it makes on vodka by raising the excise on it by 6 percent next year, on top of
a 6 percent increase this year. It also wants to sell all 21 state-owned
distilleries by June 2001.

The National Chamber of Spirit Producers said any increase in the tax, which
now accounts for 82 percent of vodka's retail price, will scare off potential
investors in the industry. As Poles turned to vodka smuggled in from the Czech
Republic, where liquor prices are a third as high as in Poland, local
distillers cut production last year to 30 percent of capacity.

``A further increase in the excise tax will lead to a complete degradation of
the Polish spirits industry,'' said Jozefa Kapela, president of Polmos
Bielsko-Biala SA, which makes Zytnia, one of Poland's best selling vodkas.
``This problem should be thoroughly considered at a time when Poland tries to
sell its distillers.''

Foreign liquor distillers already expressed interest in buying Poland's vodka
makers, with world-famous brands such as Wyborowa, Zubrowka and Belvedere.
France's Pernod Ricard SA has bid for Poland's No. 2 distiller, Polmos Poznan
SA, and Minnesota-based Phillips Beverage Co., placed a bid for Polmos Zyrardow
SA, producer of Belvedere, Poland's most-famous export vodka.

Exports Rise

Polmos Poznan holds about 20 percent of the domestic vodka market, selling
Wyborowa, Premium, Lodowa and other brands.

Total Polish vodka exports rose about 40 percent in the first half of this
year, compared with the same period a year earlier. Still, vodka producers said
potential buyers should be discouraged by domestic sales that fell to 72
million liters in 1999. Domestic sales last year were 5 billion zloty ($1.1
billion) of liquor to Poles last year, 20 percent down from a year earlier.

The average price of a 1-liter-bottle of vodka in Poland is double the average
price for Russian or Slovak vodka and triple the price of Czech vodka, boosting
illegal vodka imports. The spirit producers chamber says as much as 30 million
liters a year of spirits are smuggled into Poland. That's equal to the average
annual production of six domestic distiller, employing more than 1,000 people
and paying 2 billion zloty in taxes annually.

Search for Revenue

Budget revenue from vodka sales and production is seen at 3.6 billion zloty
this year, 10 percent lower than a year earlier, even after the 6 percent
excise tax increase.

``There are only two ways for limiting the state budget deficit -- cut spending
or seek new sources of revenue,'' said Marcin Mroz, an economist at Wood & Co.
in Warsaw. ``The tax policy of the Polish government clearly shows the
government is just desperate for the second option. It also is clear that, at a
certain level, taxes on consumer goods become too expensive and this is what is
happening with vodka.''

The government last month delayed submitting its draft 2001 to parliament until
Nov. 15 after lawmakers rejected a plan to boost value-added tax on
construction goods and services. The move will leave the government short of
371 million zloty, analysts said.

Poland also has turned to state asset sales to raise funds. It has earmarked 14
billion zloty from sales of licenses to operate high-speed wireless to cover
the 2001 budget deficit. The government this month offered to sell its
remaining 9.17 percent stake in Bank Pekao SA for as much as 718 million zloty.

Drunk U.S. Soldier Blames Strong Canadian Beer

TORONTO, Oct 18 (Reuters) - A U.S. soldier fined in Canada for resisting arrest
and insulting the police blamed high-alcohol Canadian beer for his disorderly
conduct, a police spokesman said on Wednesday.

Army cook Jason Dalgai from Flagstaff Arizona pleaded guilty to causing a
disturbance and assaulting a police officer and was fined C$375, said Kingston,
Ontario, police spokesman Mike Weaver.

The 24-year-old soldier told the court on Tuesday that he was not used to
Canadian beer, which has higher alcohol content than American beer. He
struggled with officers and was arrested only after local police brought their
Canine Unit in to help.

"It's like a deterrent. If talking doesn't help, sometimes a barking dog on the
end of a leash can bring someone to their senses," Weaver said.

Most American beers contain between three and five percent alcohol content
while Canadian beers contain as much as seventeen percent alcohol.

British Airways Plans Random Alcohol Tests for Pilots, FT Says

London, Oct. 18 (Bloomberg) -- British Airways Plc, Europe's largest airline,
will bring in random alcohol and drug tests for pilots and cabin staff, after
it suspended 14 employees because of allegations that they drank excessively
before flights, the Financial Times reported. BA, which employs 3,500 pilots
and 14,000 cabin crew, will be the first big European airline to take this
step, though competitors will probably follow its example, the newspaper said.

David Hyde, BA's director of safety, said a working group has been established
to develop a program for carrying out the tests and labor unions have been
invited to take part. He said the tests could be introduced only by negotiating
changes in staff terms and conditions of employment.

The British Airline Pilots Association said it will support ``properly thought
out and agreed measures.''

The crackdown follows a report on the U.K.'s Channel 4 television station that
showed BA pilots based at London's Gatwick Airport drinking heavily on
stopovers in Barcelona, Spain, and Frankfurt. One was recorded drinking 20
units of alcohol, the equivalent of 10 pints of beer, and had only three hours
of rest before reporting for duty, the program said. (Financial Times, 10/18
p. 6)

Source of Ugandan Ebola Found

By CHRIS TOMLINSON .c The Associated Press

KABEDE OPONG, Uganda (AP) - Esther Awete was found dead six weeks ago in her
round, gray mud hut by her mother and sisters five days after she fell ill with
a fever.

In keeping with custom, her body was kept in her hut for two days to allow
friends and family to take part in the funeral. Awete's family and closest
friends ritually bathed her body, buried her less than 30 feet from where she
died and then washed their hands in a communal basin as a sign of unity.

What they did not know was that Awete's body had become a time bomb carrying
the deadly Ebola virus. That was on Sept. 27. Now, her mother, three sisters
and three other relatives are dead and the virus has spread across a 15-mile
radius, killing 39 people and infecting as many as 63 others.

Ebola is transmitted through contact with bodily fluids, such as mucus, saliva
and blood, and can be passed through a simple handshake. Four days after
exposure, flu-like symptoms set in, followed by bloody diarrhea and vomiting.
Ten to 15 days later, the victims ``bleed out'' through the nose, mouth and
eyes. Blood and other bodily fluids also begin seeping through the skin,
producing painful blisters.

How Awete - so far the first person known to have contracted Ebola in Uganda -
became infected is a mystery. In fact, researchers have no idea where the virus
lives in between outbreaks, which are often years and hundreds of miles apart.
While they know it resides in a host animal or insect that it does not kill,
they have not identified the host.

One of Awete's two children, a 9-month-old boy, died of Ebola within days of
her funeral, although her 8-year-old son - who did not take part in the funeral
- has so far survived.

Awete, 36, lived with her mother and sisters in a small compound of six
thatched huts and a dilapidated house surrounded by banana trees and rows of
corn. She made her living selling home-brewed cassava beer and corn she ground
by hand inside her 15-foot wide, windowless hut.

Kabede Opong is three miles from Gulu, a town of 150,000 about 225 miles north
of the capital Kampala. People here do not eat wild animals, suspected as the
source of some past Ebola outbreaks, and she did nothing unusual before she
died, except for a trip to another village to get cassava leaves for brewing.

At first, neighbors thought Awete died of dysentery, cholera or any of a number
of illnesses common to the area.

``People had fears after the second victim,'' said Justin Okot, a police
officer who lived in the compound next to Awete. ``It was after the eighth
victim, that's when we suspected this is a new disease.''

Okot and his wife, lifelong friends of Awete, took part in her funeral. Okot's
boss has told him not to come to work for at least 12 days, and then get a
doctor to certify that he is healthy. While he has no symptoms, his wife has
not been so lucky.

``My wife was admitted yesterday to the hospital,'' Okot said, his voice
trembling as he tried to hold back tears. He feels certain it is Ebola.

More help arrived Wednesday when a team from the World Health Organization
brought in boxes of protective garments, gloves and a washing machine, as well
as the expertise needed to fight Ebola.

``Containment of the outbreak should not be a problem,'' said Dr. Guenael
Rodier, a senior WHO official and veteran of a half-dozen Ebola outbreaks in
West Africa. ``Simple measures will avoid the spread of the disease from person
to person and that is what we are going to work on.''

He said investigators from the U.S.-based Centers for Disease Control were
bringing sophisticated equipment not available in Uganda that is required to
confirm infection with Ebola.

In recent days, anyone with early symptoms of the disease has been quarantined
and counted as a potential victim. Rumors abound of cases in other districts of
Uganda, which could either signify a dramatic spread of the disease or just
panic.

``There are many rumors that need to be checked,'' said Rodier. ``But it is
clear that if you have no contact with Gulu, then you are unlikely to have
Ebola.''

Professor Francis Omaswa, director general of Uganda's medical services, said
reports that two people died of Ebola in neighboring Kitgum were false and that
the virus was being contained in Gulu district.

However, a medical team was sent to investigate a suspected outbreak in Lira
district, southeast of Gulu, said Paul Kaggwa, a Health Ministry spokesman.

On Wednesday, Tanzania joined Kenya in introducing medical screening at its
border points with Uganda.

J2jurado

unread,

Oct 19, 2000, 1:23:41 AM10/19/00

http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/news/international/asiapulse/article.html?s=sgfina
nce/news/001018/international/asiapulse/Business_in_Asia_Today___Oct_18__2
000.html

Business in Asia on October 18, 2000.

JAPAN'S ASAHI BREWERIES TO BOOST GAINS BY DIVERSIFYING

TOKYO - Asahi Breweries Ltd (TSE:2502) is targeting group net profit in
fiscal 2004 of 45 billion yen (US$418 million), 11 times its gains in
1999, by diversifying its non-beer product lines. It plans to boost
consolidated sales by six per cent during the period to 1.48 trillion
yen. The goals are to be achieved through an emphasis on profit,
boosting efficiency by pulling out of loss-making operations and making,
in the words of President Shigeo Fukuchi, "a shift from being mainly a
regular beer brewer to a comprehensive beverage maker."

http://www.afr.com.au:80/news/20001017/A55303-2000Oct16.html

Brewers blame market slump on excise

Tuesday, October 17, 2000 By Simon Evans

A substantial slowdown in the volume of beer being consumed by
Australian drinkers in the past three months has been blamed on the
Federal Government's July 1 excise rise.

Mr Gordon Cairns, the chief executive of Lion Nathan, which produces
brands such as Tooheys and XXXX, said the total Australian beer market
had slumped 2.6 per cent in July, August and September.

Country areas had been particularly hard hit by the increase in excise
which accompanied the GST.

Mr Cairns described the situation as a "fiasco", with on-tap beer prices
in hotels and clubs rising by about 9 per cent because of the lift in
excise.

He said the Federal Government had reaped an extra $500 million a year.

Lion Nathan and the nation's No1 brewer, Foster's Brewing Group, have
been engaged in a fierce campaign to convince drinkers they are being
slugged an extra $500 million, using extensive television advertising
and petitions in pubs.

The brewers claim the excise rise breaks a promise by the Federal
Government not to increase prices on ordinary beer by more than 1.9 per
cent under the GST.

Foster's also said yesterday it had been hit by a slowdown since July 1,
but declined to comment on the specific 2.6 per cent fall in volumes
mentioned by Mr Cairns.

A spokesman for Foster's Carlton & United Breweries beer division agreed
there had been a negative impact on the national market during July,
August and September.

"We believe it is strongly linked to the impact of the additional
excise," the spokesman said.

Foster's holds about 55 per cent market share in Australia through its
major brands which include Victoria Bitter, Foster's and Carlton
Draught.

Lion Nathan's market share climbed to 41.9 per cent for the 12 months to
the end of August, up from 41.5 per cent a year earlier.

Mr Cairns said the brewer was still confident the legislation allowing
for the excise rise would be blocked in the Senate by the Labor Party
and the Democrats, even though the excise was already being collected.

He said both parties continued to support the stance by the brewers and
pledged to block the bill.

Lion Nathan had become a tax collector for the Federal Government and Mr
Cairns said the money should be returned to the public if the excise
bill was voted down. The return should be either through a reduction in
price or giving the money to deserving organisations.

http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/news/international/dowjones/article.html?s=sgfinan
ce/news/001017/international/dowjones/Asahi_Breweries_To_Break_Into_Happos
hu_Market_-_Kyodo.html

Asahi Breweries To Break Into Happoshu Market - Kyodo

October 17 TOKYO (Dow Jones)--Asahi Breweries Ltd., one of Japan's four major
beer
makers, will enter the burgeoning market for "happoshu" sparkling malt
liquor possibly next spring, Asahi officials said Tuesday, Kyodo
reported.

Asahi is the only major beer brewer without a happoshu business.
Happoshu tastes like beer, but is usually cheaper due to its low malt
content, which makes it subject to lighter taxes.

The drink clinched a record 25.2% of Japan's beer and happoshu market in
September, up more than 4 percentage points over August. Industry
officials link its growing popularity with its price tag.

Asahi wants to complement revenues from its popular "Super Dry" beer
with happoshu sales, the Asahi officials said. The brewer, however, had
been reluctant to launch its own happoshu.

Asahi President Shigeo Fukuchi earlier said, "As long as sales of our
Super Dry remain spirited, we will not release any happoshu."

Asahi's advance into the happoshu market is part of its medium-term
management rationalization plan through fiscal 2004, featuring a cut of
1,000 in its group-wide workforce from the current 11,000.

The plan also calls for cutting the number of restaurant subsidiaries to
three from nine by closing unprofitable units.

http://www.pioneerplanet.com/seven-days/1/news/docs/030789.htm

Oct. 18, 2000

LA CROSSE, WI Brewery employees seek second loan: A group of City Brewery
employees wants a judge to approve a bank loan of $123,000 so it can
brew and package more beer. The group already received a loan of $75,000
to keg, can and bottle more beer.

George Park III, the brewery's court-appointed receiver, asked La Crosse
County Circuit Judge John J. Perlich on Monday to approve the second
loan from Coulee State Bank. The money would be used to package about
2,520 barrels of beer and brew two new batches of beer if the brewery is
sold.

A group of brewery employees and other local investors hope to buy the
plant from Jim Strupp and John Mazzuto, who purchased and reopened the
former G. Heileman Brewery last November. Perlich had issued a
foreclosure judgment against the troubled brewery in August.

http://www.ireland.com:80/newspaper/ireland/2000/1017/reg2.htm

Brewery archive lets UCC drink in the past

Tuesday, October 17, 2000

"There's always room for Murphys," proclaims the company's current
promotion, and yesterday University College Cork proved the point when
it accepted the brewery's extensive and historically valuable archive.

The Murphy Brewery archive spans 1850 to 1970 and, as UCC librarian Mr
John Fitzgerald pointed out, it will provide new insights for historians
into the economic and social conditions of Cork in the 19th and 20th
centuries.

"It is of particular significance that Murphys Brewery should donate its
archives to UCC. Both institutions share their origins in Cork of the
late 1840s and both have grown to become central to the life and the
development of the city and the region." Murphy Brewery's Ireland MD, Mr
Pádraig Liston, said the brewery decided to donate the records to make
them more accessible while ensuring their preservation as a national
resource.

Mr Liston and Mr Fitzgerald paid tribute to UCC historian Dr Dónal
Drisceoil, who, with his brother, Diarmuid, quickly recognised the
importance of the archive as they researched their history of the Lady's
Well brewery.

Pádraig gave a flavour of what awaits historians when he pointed to the
specific examples of working hours, conditions and wages, which give
important historical snapshots of the social and economic life of Cork
in the 19th and 20th centuries.

"There are also details on brewery workers joining the British forces
and the IRA; glimpses from expense accounts into the opulent lifestyle
enjoyed by Cork's merchant princes; and the development of trade unions
in the brewery," he said.

The archive, he noted, also gives insights into the growth and
development of the brewery from a craft-based tradition into a modern
international industry and shows the impact of new technologies and
techniques of production on the company.

Yesterday's donation is but the latest phase in UCC's and Murphy's
symbiotic relationship - a point noted by Mr Fitzgerald when he observed
the university had provided a burgeoning and obliging market for the
brewery's products.

Murphys must be credited, he pointed out, with a central role in
lubricating the process of intellectual development in Cork and
yesterday's donation had brought him a certain modicum of personal
satisfaction.

"Having made small but regular contributions to the income of Murphys
Brewery over the over last 20 years, it's particularly pleasing to see
such a handsome return on one's investment."

http://www.pioneerplanet.com:80/seven-days/1/news/docs/037722.htm

Ethanol plant pledges end to odors by spring
Announcement comes a day before hearing

MURALI BALAJI STAFF WRITER Oct. 18, 2000

Officials from the Gopher State Ethanol plant said Tuesday they intend
to solve their odor problems -- which have rattled area residents over
the past few months -- by spring. The announcement came a day before a
potentially heated public meeting among the St. Paul City Council, the
West Seventh Street plant and concerned neighbors opposed to the plant's
operation.

Jack Lee, the president of Minnesota Brewing Co. and Gopher State
Ethanol, said he was optimistic that a ``scrubber'' installed two weeks
ago and tested by plant engineers would help solve the odor problem and
the growing rift between his companies and nearby residents.

``We're confident we can make this a doable deal,'' Lee said. ``We have
said all along we have wanted to be a good neighbor.''

The brewery last May started making ethanol from corn, a process that
has resulted in many complaints about the odor caused by the making of
the gasoline additive.

Some of the plant's neighbors took the announcement with some
skepticism. Chuck Lennon, who says he consistently smells the odor of
the plant from his home in Mendota Heights, said he would wait until
there was a noticeable change in the emissions before endorsing the
plant's efforts.

``I accept the good news with the caveat that (the odor) shouldn't be
there by the time we open our windows (in the spring),'' Lennon said.
``It's our right to breathe untainted air.''

West Side resident Judy Rodriguez echoed Lennon, expressing concern over
what she sees as the plant's public posturing on the odor issue.

``To me, (the spring) seems so far out,'' Rodriguez said. ``It sounds
like such a delay . . . like what's been going on since the (odors)
started.''

Rodriguez said that while she has noticed a reduction in the odor, its
presence in her neighborhood remains strong.

The plant is using St. Paul-based Harris Mechanical Contracting for the
installation and testing of the scrubber. So far, the plant is operating
with a modified scrubber designed to remove about 10 percent of the
overall odor emissions from the plant's stacks. If that works well,
plant engineers will expand the scrubber.

Rob Latta, vice president of Harris Mechanical, said his company has
worked with other ethanol plants in Minnesota in dealing with odor
issues. He added, however, that Gopher State Ethanol's location in an
urban area makes its situation unique.

Today's public meeting on the plant, which was called by the City
Council amid growing complaints from residents, is expected to bring
residents from as far away as northern Dakota County and Florida.

http://www.azcentral.com:80/home/food/1018beer.html

Cheese and beer

The Arizona Republic Oct. 18, 2000

October means Oktoberfest, a great time to try new beers. October is
also National Cheese Month, a great time to try new cheeses. This fall,
set out the pints and cheese boards for a great time. Try these beer and
cheese pairings:

• Sharp Cheddar with pale ale
• Feta with wheat beer
• Mascarpone with fruit beer
• American cheese with pilsner
• Colby with brown ale
• Gorgonzola with barleywine
• Gruyere with bock beer
• Swiss cheese with Oktoberfest beer
• Parmesan with amber lager

http://www.ohio.com:80/bj/news/ohio/docs/002223.htm

Judge pays fine for beer drinking at tailgate party

Oct. 18, 2000 MASON, Ohio (AP) -- A judge paid $150 to resolve a ticket he was
given
for drinking a beer in a parking lot before a high school football game.

Rather than appear in Municipal Court on Tuesday, Common Pleas Judge
Keith Spaeth of neighboring Butler County sent a check last week to the
court clerk's office for the $100 maximum fine and $50 in court costs.

A Warren County sheriff's deputy cited Spaeth and eight other people on
Sept. 29 for drinking beer at a tailgate party in Mason. Spaeth, 40, and
the others were cited after they ignored warnings to put away the beer,
deputy Brian Payne said.

Payne wrote in his report that he felt threatened when Spaeth told him:
``How often do you deal with or are you in Butler County?''

``I understood this to be a type of threat that if I wrote him a
citation that he would cause problems for me in Butler County,'' Payne
wrote. ``It was obvious to me the judge was expecting preferential
treatment.''

Spaeth said he had one beer. He denied that he threatened the deputy or
asked for special treatment.

He has been on the common pleas bench since April 1999. He was a
municipal judge in Fairfield for three years before that.

http://news.excite.com/news/r/001018/10/odd-sex-dc

'Micro Penis' Briton Is a Woman, Court Rules

October 18, 2000 LONDON (Reuters) - A Briton born as a man with a "micro
penis"
53 years ago before having a sex change won a court ruling confirming
her legal status as a woman, a written judgement released Tuesday said.
The High Court Family Division decision was made last week by Justice
Charles, who refused an application by her second husband to nullify
their 1993 marriage because it had not been between male and female
since the wife was actually a man.

This was despite the fact that the woman, identified only as "W," ended
her first marriage on the grounds that in the eyes of the law she was a
man. Charles told the court that in light of the medical facts as he saw
them, "W" was now entitled to be regarded as a woman.

He heard how "W" was born in the north of England but was of
indeterminate sex, having just a "micro penis." She underwent "gender
reassignment surgery" in 1987 and married for the first time in 1990.
"W" ended that marriage, having it annulled on the basis she was not a woman.

But when her second husband, whom she divorced in 1997, came to court
seeking to nullify the marriage on the basis that "W" was in fact a man,
she contested the case. Her second husband had wanted to rid himself of
the stigma of divorce to enable him to re-marry in a church.

Charles said that had "W" been born today her physical condition would
not have warranted her registration as a boy. He took into account her
ability, after surgery, to consummate the marriage even if she could not
naturally have children.

Dan Mielcarz

unread,

Oct 19, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/19/00

In article <20001018171459...@ng-cs1.aol.com>,
j2ju...@aol.com (J2jurado) wrote:

> Drunk U.S. Soldier Blames Strong Canadian Beer
>
> TORONTO, Oct 18 (Reuters) - A U.S. soldier fined in Canada for
> resisting arrest and insulting the police blamed high-alcohol
> Canadian beer for his disorderly conduct, a police spokesman said on
> Wednesday.

[snip]

> Most American beers contain between three and five percent alcohol
> content while Canadian beers contain as much as seventeen percent
> alcohol.

Most Canadian Beers contain between three and five percent alcohol as
well.

I'd wager the beer this soldier was drinking was Molson XXX, because it
has this mystique among Americans since you can't buy it here since it
is "too strong". (Never mind that you can get barleywines and belgians
with more alcohol)

What Canadian beer has 17% alcohol? I've only ever heard of the SA
Triple Bock getting that high. Something from Unibroque?

-Dan

--
Daniel.W...@alum.dartmouth.org
miel...@netspace.org
<http://www.netspace.org/~mielcarz/>
"Praise Lord, if you cant have fun turn to religion." -Jack Kerouac

Dr H

unread,

Oct 19, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/19/00

On Thu, 19 Oct 2000, Dan Mielcarz wrote:

}In article <20001018171459...@ng-cs1.aol.com>,
}j2ju...@aol.com (J2jurado) wrote:
}

}> Drunk U.S. Soldier Blames Strong Canadian Beer
}>
}> TORONTO, Oct 18 (Reuters) - A U.S. soldier fined in Canada for
}> resisting arrest and insulting the police blamed high-alcohol
}> Canadian beer for his disorderly conduct, a police spokesman said on
}> Wednesday.
}

}[snip]

}
}> Most American beers contain between three and five percent alcohol
}> content while Canadian beers contain as much as seventeen percent
}> alcohol.
}

}Most Canadian Beers contain between three and five percent alcohol as
}well.
}
}I'd wager the beer this soldier was drinking was Molson XXX, because it
}has this mystique among Americans since you can't buy it here since it
}is "too strong". (Never mind that you can get barleywines and belgians
}with more alcohol)
}
}What Canadian beer has 17% alcohol? I've only ever heard of the SA
}Triple Bock getting that high. Something from Unibroque?

Heh, the urban legend of "stronger Canadian beer" strikes again...

Dr H

The Submarine Captain

unread,

Oct 20, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/20/00

Dan Mielcarz wrote:

> In article <20001018171459...@ng-cs1.aol.com>,
> j2ju...@aol.com (J2jurado) wrote:
>

> > Drunk U.S. Soldier Blames Strong Canadian Beer
> >
> > TORONTO, Oct 18 (Reuters) - A U.S. soldier fined in Canada for
> > resisting arrest and insulting the police blamed high-alcohol
> > Canadian beer for his disorderly conduct, a police spokesman said on
> > Wednesday.
>

> [snip]

>
> > Most American beers contain between three and five percent alcohol
> > content while Canadian beers contain as much as seventeen percent
> > alcohol.
>

> Most Canadian Beers contain between three and five percent alcohol as
> well.
>
> I'd wager the beer this soldier was drinking was Molson XXX, because it
> has this mystique among Americans since you can't buy it here since it
> is "too strong". (Never mind that you can get barleywines and belgians
> with more alcohol)
>
> What Canadian beer has 17% alcohol? I've only ever heard of the SA
> Triple Bock getting that high. Something from Unibroque?

LOL ! I'll bet a large bottle of Gulden Draak the person who wrote that
piece at a news agency would not know Labatt Blue from Perrier...

Unibroue ales do not exceed 9% ABV (Trois Pistoles), and I've never heard
of a Canadian beer that was half as strong as SA Triple Bock... I know a
welsh pub owner brewing in his converted backyard loo intends reaching 25%
ABV with Champagne yeast, but it's not on the market yet...
Between those measurements in ABV, ABW, original gravity and even
Plato/Balling degrees / solids percentages, beer is probably too
complicated a thing for journalists and soldiers... :o> Now will canadian
judges buy such b*llsh*t ?...

Cheers !

Laurent

--
Random quote:
--
My veal cutlet tried to beat the shit out of my cup of
coffee... the coffee just wasn't strong enough to defend
himself. (Tom Waits)

J2jurado

unread,

Oct 21, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/21/00

http://www.afr.com.au:80/investment/20001017/A55320-2000Oct16.html

A dog of a year for Lion's beers in China

By Simon Evans Oct. 17, 2000

Lion Nathan has lost patience with its struggling China beer division
after the business plunged into the red by $24.3million in fiscal 2000,
taking the gloss off the steady improvements in the group's Australian
beer business.

The company has foreshadowed writedowns in the value of its China assets
and has revealed that it is in advanced discussions with international
and local Chinese brewers to form a possible joint venture to stem the
decline in profits.

The Chinese situation is in contrast to Lion's larger Australian
operations, which experienced a solid rise in profit and a growth in
market share to 41.9 per cent from 41.5 per cent a year ago, at the
expense of its larger rival, Foster's Brewing Group.

Lion yesterday revealed a 6.2 per cent rise in net profit before
abnormals to $130.2million, with earnings before interest and tax
climbing by 6 per cent to $315million for the 12 months to the end of
August.

The Australian beer operations notched a 6.3 per cent rise in EBIT to
$279.7million in a result which Lion's chief executive, Mr Gordon
Cairns, declared should silence competitors that claim Lion could only
gain market share through discounting. He also said the group's
Victorian beer strategy of spending $60million on 43 hotels was working,
with market share rising in the State to 13.7 per cent from 11.8 per
cent a year ago.

He rejected suggestions that Lion had paid too much for the Victorian
hotels (it bought four freehold and 39 leasehold), saying the average
leasehold cost had been $750,000 and the average turnover of the pubs
was $30,000 a week. But Western Australia was a black spot, with Swan
and Emu losing 5.3 per cent of their market share.

In China, Lion suffered a 30 per cent slide in volumes with its Shanghai
operations hit hard, and the group has been forced to rethink its
strategy after deciding it cannot make money by going it alone.

Losing $24.3million was a slight improvement on last year's $27.2million
loss but Mr Cairns said it was "disappointing" and volumes were "soft".
The company declined to specify the size of the asset writedowns in
China, but signalled it would be announced early next month, along with
a 13-month profit result designed to bring its accounts into line with
its 46 per cent shareholder, Japanese brewer Kirin.

The company also signalled a probable float of its newly formed online
venture with Hong Kong's Li & Fung, which supplies promotional clothing
to pubs and clubs via the internet.

http://dailynews.philly.com:80/content/daily_news/2000/10/20/features/FJOE
20.htm

Big prizes go to little guys

By Joe Sixpack DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER October 20, 2000

What's happened to America's great micros?

Samuel Adams, Celis, Red Hook. . .

You know, those breweries that used to blow us away with their fresh,
imaginative craft brews, the ones that first grabbed us by the throats
and showed us just how good beer could be.
Breckenridge, Nor'Wester, Blue Ridge. . .

Ten years ago, they helped pioneer the American beer revolution with
award-winning lagers and ales that challenged the stale, old megabrewers
with new styles that redefined our taste.

Grant's, Mendocino, Wild Goose, BridgePort, Great Divide, Pete's,
Deschutes, Saranac, Pyramid. . .

Today?

Judging by the results of the Great American Beer Festival - the world's
biggest, most important brewing contest - all these guys are losers.
Not one of these familiar names brought home a medal from this year's
fest.

OK, Rogue and Stoudt's - both innovative stalwarts with excellent reps -
won medals. So did Sierra Nevada, Full Sail and Brooklyn.

But I can't remember a festival when we saw so few of the microbrewing
industry's heavy hitters on the winner's list. Wha' happened?

There's no easy answer.

Besides, medals aren't everything. Samuel Adams Triple Bock and Celis
White and BridgePort IPA are world classics, and losing at the annual
Denver festival this year won't change that.

The real trend may be the explosion of totally obscure names - Copper
Tank, Pete's Place, J.T. Whitney's, Flossmoor Station, Squatters,
Boscos. I thought that last one made chocolate milk!

Who are these people?

Brewpubs, mostly. Restaurants that produce less suds than I drink on a
good weekend.

According to the calculations on my cocktail napkin, brewpubs collected
two-thirds of all the GABF medals, including the lion's share of golds.
Indeed, the only Philly-area golds went to brewpubs: the year-old New
Road Brewhouse (36 W. Third Ave., Collegeville) and John Harvard's Brew
House (629 W. Lancaster Ave., Wayne).

New Road head brewer Brian O'Reilly was ecstatic.

"Winning was very important for me," O'Reilly told me. "I'm sort of
working alone, so it's great to be appreciated on an international level.

"Plus, it puts us on the map. Maybe people will say, 'Hey, they must
make pretty good beer,' and make a trip out here from the city on a
Sunday afternoon."

So, how's a tiny brewpub manage to beat the big guys?

O'Reilly's not certain, but he thinks brewpubs have an edge because they
can afford to brew extremely small batches of beer specifically to
compete in contests.

His pilsner, for instance, is not part of New Road's regular tap
rotation. The same goes for General Lafayette Inn & Brewery's
silver-winning alt.

You could complain that this is a bit of a cheat, a bait and switch for
brewpubs looking to attract customers with award-winning beers that
rarely appear on the menu.

But, to me, GABF medals are evidence that a brewer knows what he's
doing. And believe me, both pilsner and alt are tough styles to conquer.
O'Reilly and General Lafayette brewer Chris Leonard deserve their medals
- and the customers who will follow.

As for you sloths who are too lazy for road trips, this weekend presents
a perfect chance to sample the area's medal winners - and meet their
brewers - in one afternoon, without piling up frequent flier miles.
Tomorrow at Standard Tap (2nd & Poplar streets, Northern Liberties), the
local GABF winners will be pouring from 3 p.m. till closing.

The winning tap list:

Fest - Stoudt Brewing Co., Adamstown Fest (bronze, Vienna-style lager).

Mad Brewer Maibock - Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Newark, Del.,
(silver, German-style schwarzbier).

Lodestone Lager - Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Media (bronze,
Münchner-style helles).

Perkiomen Pils - New Road Brew House, Collegeville (gold, German-style
pilsener).

Alt, Who Goes There? - General Lafayette Inn & Brewery, Lafayette Hills
(silver, German-style brown ale/Dusseldorf-style altbier).
Main Line Oatmeal Stout - John Harvard's Brew House, Wayne (gold,
oatmeal stout).

The Tap's also hoping to spill a few from the region's biggest winner,
the Pabst brewery in Fogelsville, Pa. The former Stroh plant landed an
amazing eight medals for everything from American lager (gold, for
Rainer) to non-alcoholic (silver, for Pabst NA).

Beer radar
The Marlton Tavern (Main Street, Marlton, N.J.) scored a bit of a coup
this month when it landed a handful of impossible-to-find, award-winning
British casks from importer B. United International. The South Jersey
pub was the only one within an hour of Philly to grab any of the 150
firkins that made it across the Atlantic.
Look for:
Swale Indian Summer Pale Ale - Champion of Champions, 1997.
Gale's Festival Mild - created for the Campaign for Real Ale as a
classic version of cask mild ale.
Mordue Workie Ticket - Supreme Champion of Britain, 1991.
Harviestoun Brooker's Bitter & Twisted - Deliciously named Supreme
Champion Beer of Scotland, 1999.

http://dailynews.philly.com/content/daily_news/2000/10/20/features/OKTO20.htm

Observe Oktoberfest

October 20, 2000

It's near the end of October and you haven't slipped on the lederhosen?
What's wrong with you, man?

It's not too late to grab Oktoberfest. You'll still find plenty of
bottles at your favorite distributor or deli. This style is the best way
for the tentative tippler to get a handle on the fuller taste of craft
brews. It's a lager, like Bud, only maltier and sweeter, and with little
bitterness.

The authentic version is brewed, naturally, in Germany, where the beer
is also called marzen, because it was traditionally brewed in March,
then aged through the summer.

The Oktoberfest stacks at local distributors are dwindling, but last
time I checked at Philadelphia Beer Co. (2525 E. York St., Port
Richmond), they still had cases of Spaten Oktoberfestbier, Paulaner
Oktoberfest, Samuel Adams Octoberfest and Beck's Oktoberfest.
Look a little harder, and you may find two other of my favorites:
Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen and Hacker-Pschorr Original Oktoberfest.
Closer to home, our two Germanic brewers offer the style year round.
Victory Festbier is almost smoky, and Stoudt's Fest is an excellent buy
at about 20 bucks a case.

Also, look for:

Dock Street Marzen, on tap, at Dock Street Brew Pub (1150 Filbert St.,
Reading Terminal).

Iron Hill Oktoberfest, at Iron Hill brewpubs in Media, West Chester and
Newark, Del.

They're not Oktoberfests, but two other autumn kegs are making the
rounds:

Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale is wet-hopped with fresh buds. It's on several
local taps, including O'Neil's (611 S. 3rd St., near South Street).

Flying Fish Blackfish is a mix of the Cherry Hill, N.J., brewery's
Porter and Extra Pale Ale. Its hops aroma alone blows away that nitrous
oxide they're snorting down at the Vet.
-Joe Sixpack

http://dailynews.philly.com:80/content/daily_news/2000/10/20/features/DOCK
20.htm

Come smackdown some pumpkins
Mark your calendars, pumpkinheads.

October 20, 2000

Dock Street Brasserie brewer Eric Savage will celebrate Halloween next
week by smashing your gourd with his famous Pumpkin Ale. Bring a carved
pumpkin to the brewery on Sept. 27 and trade it in for a growler full of
Dock Street's spicy ale.

Joe Sixpack will be on hand with other famous celebrities to judge the
jack-o'-lanterns. The best will win prizes. The losers will be smashed
and tossed into Savage's next batch of Pumpkin Ale, to be served around
Thanksgiving.

The Jack O'Lantern Smackdown begins at 6 p.m. at Dock Street Brasserie,
18th and Cherry streets.

http://www.adn.com:80/weekend/story/0,2645,205264,00.html

Eagle River Brewfest thrives despite no-shows

What ales you

By Dawnell Smith Daily News Correspondent (Published October 20, 2000)

I picked a bum year to attend the Eagle River Brewfest, a benefit for
the Eagle River Boys and Girls Club.

Don't get me wrong -- I found plenty of tasty brew, lots of munchies and
a fun-loving crowd worth meeting in a cavernous Lions Club hall. Best of
all, I joined a bevy of local beer lovers who helped raise $4,000 for
the club.

Unfortunately, I also watched a stressed-out bunch of festival
organizers scramble for beer when four local breweries dropped the ball:
They forgot to attend.

"Our expenses were a little higher than they were in the past because we
had to buy $400 worth of beer this year," said Debbie Houllis,
chairwoman of the Eagle River Boys & Girls Club advisory committee.

Fortunately, Glacier Brewhouse stood out as the knight in shining armor,
bringing six kegs and a lot of energy. Brewer Shawn Wendling and his
team showed up with kegs of porter, Oktoberfest and nut brown but sent a
courier for three more kegs when a shortage became imminent.

"If you were standing there at 6:30 when no one else showed up, it was
pretty stressful," Wendling said. "But things got going and there was
eventually plenty of beer and everything worked out."

All's well that ends well, thanks in part to Glacier and Alaska
Distributors, which provided a handful of beers from the Lower 48 and
Germany, including some Budweiser and Oktoberfest gems. The Great Bear Brewpub
and
Brewery also offered a few beer styles bound for welcoming lips.

Overall, the event enjoyed a record turnout of 254 people who paid $20
for admission and dropped another few bucks in the hat for the silent
auction, which raised about $450. A lot of businesses donated items for
the auction, including Arctic Brewing Supply and Humpy's Great Alaskan
Alehouse.

Wendling solicited yet another $325 when he auctioned off a beer
experience called "Brewer for the Day at the Glacier Brewhouse."

As for the breweries that never showed, it all came down to scheduling
mishaps or miscommunications.

"I would rather be positive about who came and supported us instead of
negative about who did not show," Houllis said. "I have spoken to all
the missing brewers and they were very apologetic and assured me it was
unintentional."

Despite the no-shows, the event has turned into a terrific fund-raiser,
earning more than $30,000 for the Eagle River club in six years. That
money has paid for renovations, computers, a deck for the teen club, a
basketball court, a storage shed and a 15-passenger van.

Right now, the club is selling 1,000 raffle tickets for a seven-day
Caribbean cruise for two. Tickets cost $5 each or five for $20, and the
drawing will be Dec. 15. To get in on the fun, call the Eagle River Club
at 694-5437.

Alaskan Brewing wins again

Once again, Alaskan Brewing Co. mined the foam for its 23rd medal at the
Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colo., earlier this month. The
brewery's Alaskan Smoked Porter won a bronze medal for excellence in the
smoke-flavored beer category.

The dark, smoky brew has gained a reputation as a classic beer style and
has won a total of 10 festival medals since its introduction in 1988.
Alaskan Brewery trails only Anheuser-Busch and Coors for the most medals
overall since the festival began.

Grab a beer in the

Great White North

If you have the time, money and inclination, check out 120 beers from 36
Canadian breweries at the Great Canadian Beer Festival on Dec. 1 and 2
at the Conference Center in Victoria, British Columbia.

It costs $12 U.S. Beer tokens go for $1 apiece.

The event is planned with the help of CAMRAVictoria, an organization
that campaigns for real ale and emphasizes cask-conditioned ales, winter
specials and all beers fit to drink. For information, check out
www.gcbf. com or call 1-250-383-2332.

http://www.sciencedaily.com:80/releases/2000/10/001018221332.htm

American College Of Gastroenterology (http://www.acg.gi.org) Date:10/19/2000

Grapes Or Grain? Wine Drinking May Reduce Colon Cancer Risk; Beer, Hard
Liquor Provide No Benefit

NEW YORK, October 16, 2000 -- In a finding that counters conventional
thinking about the relationship between alcohol use and colorectal
cancer, drinking at least one glass of wine per week may actually
protect against the development of the disease, whereas beer or mixed
drinks do not. Results of this new research were presented at the 65th
Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology
(ACG), October 16 -- 18th.

In the study, researchers from the State University of New York at Stony
Brook, led by Catherine R. Messina, Ph.D., prospectively analyzed
results of 1,500 consecutive colonoscopies performed between August 1999
and April 2000. Patients with a history of colorectal cancer,
inflammatory bowel disease, or polyps were excluded. The investigators
found that only one percent of wine drinkers had significant colorectal
polyps, compared with 18 percent of beer or grain-based liquor drinkers,
and 12 percent of those who abstain. The results were statistically
significant.

The researchers defined "alcohol use" as a glass of wine, a can of beer,
or one ounce of liquor at least once a week.

Previous research has suggested that alcohol use may increase the risk
for developing colorectal cancer. The study by Messina and coworkers
analyzed cancer risk according to type of alcoholic beverage. To
minimize the effects of bias, they examined data from a large series of
consecutive colonoscopies.

The study found that wine drinkers were far less likely to have
significant colorectal pathology than those who drank grain-based
liquors or even those who abstained. Drinking moderate amounts of wine
has already been shown to have beneficial effects on the heart.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the
United States, trailing only lung cancer. More than 56,000 Americans
will die in 2000 from the disease, and more than 130,000 new cases will
be diagnosed this year. Previous research has shown that up to 90% of
colorectal cancer deaths can be prevented through regular screening,
early detection, and timely removal of precancerous polyps.
# # #
The ACG was formed in 1932 to advance the scientific study and medical
treatment of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. The College
promotes the highest standards in medical education and is guided by its
commitment to meeting the needs of clinical gastroenterology
practitioners. Consumers can get more information on gastrointestinal
disorders through the following ACG-sponsored programs:

* 1-800-978-7666 (free brochures on common gastrointestinal disorders,
including ulcers, colon cancer, gallstones, and liver disease)

* 1-800-HRT-BURN (free brochure and video on heartburn and GERD)

* http://www.acg.gi.org (ACG's Web site)

http://www.post-gazette.com:80/neigh_westmoreland/20001016trashtruck6.asp

Police seize two rigs - Truckers loaded beer after dumping hazardous waste

Monday, October 16, 2000

By Don Hopey, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

Correction/Clarification: (Published Oct. 17, 2000) Two trash trucks
charged by state police with illegally hauling cases of beer after
dropping off loads of waste asbestos at the Greenridge Landfill in East
Huntingdon, Westmoreland County, did not stop at the Valley Landfill,
also in East Huntingdon. A story in yesterday's editions incorrectly
said the trucks stopped at both landfills.
*******

Beer goes good with a bunch of stuff -- pizza, peanuts, a burger, even
another beer -- but not asbestos.

So last week when state police and a Department of Environmental
Protection inspector discovered two tractor-trailers dumping waste
asbestos at a Westmoreland County landfill and then loading up with
2,688 cases of beer, they put the brakes on the operation.

So-called "backhauling" of food products or produce for human
consumption in vehicles used to transport waste materials is prohibited
for health reasons. Asbestos is known to cause cancer in humans.

"It's illegal to use the same tractor-trailers to carry waste and food
products," said Chuck Duritsa, DEP regional director. "We conduct these
inspections as part of an ongoing effort to assure waste haulers comply
with Pennsylvania's environmental and safety laws. The seizure of these
two trucks shows the effectiveness of surprise inspections."

The trucks, which arrived at the Greenridge Landfill in Westmoreland
County on Thursday, were used to transport 22 tons of asbestos waste
from Massachusetts.

State police and DEP personnel became suspicious after inspecting the
logbook of one trucker, and they followed the truck to the Anex
Warehouse and Distribution Co. on Lebanon Road in West Mifflin. It was
loaded with cases of beer, as was a second truck that had arrived from
the landfill.

State police stopped the tractor-trailers, both owned by Moreco
Transportation Inc. of Hudson, N.H., as they left Anex Warehouse and
impounded them. Counting the value of the beer and trucks, the amount of
the seizure was approximately $292,000.

The drivers, Oscar Emparo Paez, 29, and Michael E. Gildersleeve, 39,
both of New Hampshire, face criminal charges. If convicted, the drivers
and trucking companies face forfeiture of the vehicles and loads, and up
to $10,000 in fines.

In addition to seizing the two trash-hauling beer trucks, DEP inspectors
participating in a multi-state waste truck inspection program found 30
violations on 59 trucks randomly inspected outside the landfill. There
were five violations for leaking waste material, 12 violations for
improper covers, one for an unsecured load, 11 logbook violations, 17
signage violations and four fire extinguisher violations.

State police also issued 24 summary traffic violations.

Delaware, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Virginia and the District of
Columbia also conducted waste truck inspections.

Drew Avis

unread,

Oct 23, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/23/00

The Submarine Captain wrote:

> Unibroue ales do not exceed 9% ABV (Trois Pistoles), and I've never heard
> of a Canadian beer that was half as strong as SA Triple Bock... I know a
> welsh pub owner brewing in his converted backyard loo intends reaching 25%
> ABV with Champagne yeast, but it's not on the market yet...
> Between those measurements in ABV, ABW, original gravity and even
> Plato/Balling degrees / solids percentages, beer is probably too
> complicated a thing for journalists and soldiers... :o> Now will canadian
> judges buy such b*llsh*t ?...

Probably, most Canadians have this macho belief that our beer is somehow
stronger and we're better drinkers for it. Someone even gave me a
muddled explanation about how Americans measure by weight and we measure
by volume which explains why their beer has less alcohol (um, ok, you're
wrong but even if you were right 5% avw is what, 6.3% abv?). I've never
seen a 17% brew, and even our micros are starting to churn out lower alc
beers (Big Rock had a 3% job for a while, and is currently peddling a 4%
version).

Drew

Joel Plutchak

unread,

Oct 23, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/23/00

Drew Avis <aa...@americasm01.nt.bork.com> wrote:
>Probably, most Canadians have this macho belief that our beer is somehow
>stronger and we're better drinkers for it. Someone even gave me a
>muddled explanation about how Americans measure by weight and we measure
>by volume which explains why their beer has less alcohol (um, ok, you're
>wrong but even if you were right 5% avw is what, 6.3% abv?).

No, in the US beer has traditionally been measured in percent
alcohol by weight (%abw), while the rest of the world uses percent
alcohol by volume (%ABV). Most mainstream North American Industrial
Lager weighs in at 4%abw, which puts it at about the 5%abv. The
difference between the numbers is all (ignorant) people see, not
realizing that the units makes the numbers the same for mainstream
US and Canadian lagers.

>(Big Rock had a 3% job for a while, and is currently peddling a 4%
>version).

Is that 4% by weight or volume?
--
Joel Plutchak

"What two ideas are more inseparable than beer and Britannia?" - Sydney Smith

Drew Avis

unread,

Oct 23, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/23/00

Joel Plutchak wrote:
> No, in the US beer has traditionally been measured in percent
> alcohol by weight (%abw), while the rest of the world uses percent
> alcohol by volume (%ABV). Most mainstream North American Industrial
> Lager weighs in at 4%abw, which puts it at about the 5%abv. The
> difference between the numbers is all (ignorant) people see, not
> realizing that the units makes the numbers the same for mainstream
> US and Canadian lagers.

Really... the American beer I see all seems to be labelled ABV, but then
I'm looking mostly at "imported" and probably re-labelled stuff.

> >(Big Rock had a 3% job for a while, and is currently peddling a 4%
> >version).
>
> Is that 4% by weight or volume?

Heh heh, that would be by volume.

Drew

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