Brewing

The U.S., Israel and Iran are playing a very dangerous game of chicken that soon could result in a new Mideast war. U.S. intelligence has concluded that Iran is not working on nuclear weapons. But the Bush administration and Israel, recently joined by France, are issuing increasingly loud threats of military action to frighten Iran into [...]

In a comment found in this blog post - Diary of A Singaporean Mind - is this bitter complain about soaring price of HDB:"The price of HDB flats are going up by leaps and bounds, for instance. What is being done by PAP? Actually someone (a taxi driver) told me this might well be a cunning strategy of the PAP to force young married couples to live with their parents or in-laws so that they will take

from contributor The Raging Polack In a tightening economy, one finds oneself having to ‘make due’ and often set a budget. The ever-looming threat of job loss means a tightening of belts is in order for many people. Naturally, this hold on buying breast implants for one’s mistresses causes depression – but here’s the [...]

Huntsville, Ala., has gone a year without its own beer after a fire destroyed Olde Towne Brewing. That's all about to change.Owner Dr. Howard Miller and business partner and brewer Don Alan Hankins are about to start brewing again in a new facility. The initial production will be draught only, but Olde Towne expects to start bottling in August.The microbrewery was the first in Alabama. The fire hi

Obama is the most liberal member of Congress. He claims to respect the Second Amendment, but thinks local gun bans are okay. He cosponsored a bill to limit gun purchases to one per month, voted "no" on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers, and believes semi-automatics should be banned. He consistently supported every gun control effort while in the Illinois state legislature and the U.S.

Clint Eastwood recently addressed comments expressed by director Spike Lee in regards to Eastwood’s World War II films, Flags of Our Fathers and Letters From Iwo Jima. Lee protested the lack of African-Americans in the films; claiming the director neglected to include them despite their presence in the actual battles. When asked about Lee’s comments, Eastwood suggested [...]

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The New York state attorney general is investigating a foundation operated by an Italian businessman who is the boyfriend of Anne Hathaway, a government spokesman said. The investigation involves the Follieri Foundation, a charity whose work includes vaccinating children in Third World countries. Raffaello Follieri, 29, dates the actress. The foundation website was not operating ye

One of the best small breweries in America, Foothills Brewing in Winston-Salem, N.C., plans to double its production.According to the Winston-Salem Journal, Foothills will spend $250,000 to increase production to 6,000 barrels later this year. The company makes a number of great brews, including Seeing Double IPA and Sexual Chocolate Imperial Stout. Foothills had to cut back on shipments of beer

Adobe and Qualcomm have teamed up and announced Flash support for the Brew Mobile platform. Apparently the new software will “fully integrate and deliver Adobe Flash technology to mass market handset devices,” and allow Flash developers to “create standalone applications that integrate mobile device functionality with web content and services.” The brew platform is to be [.

Short sellers TD Ameritrade Holding Corp.(NASDAQ: AMTD), E*TRADE Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: ETFC), and Charles Schwab Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHW) look like a... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Two billion dollars is a lot of cash for "general corporate purchases". Sounds more like it is for a "investment in long term opportunity". Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) today announced that it plans to offer and sell, subject to market and other conditions, 35,000,000 equity units and to grant the underwriters an option to purchase 5,000,000 additional equity units to cover over-allot

Adding fruit to beers will add a new and unique twist of complexity to the beverage. Raspberry wheat for example, would add a tart flavor as peach would add the smooth sweet taste that you all associate with peaches in your brew and make it as home brewery. If you plan to add [...]

Even as she continues her longshot presidential bid, Hillary Rodham Clinton faces substantial political fallout in New York, where black leaders say her standing has dropped due to racially charged comments by her and her husband during the campaign. Millions of New Yorkers feel there was insult, slight and disrespect to African American community. It may cost her Senate seat, if she runs for re-e

Even as she continues her longshot presidential bid, Hillary Rodham Clinton faces substantial political fallout in New York, where black leaders say her standing has dropped due to racially charged comments by her and her husband during the campaign. Millions of New Yorkers feel there was insult, slight and disrespect to African American community

Brewing is the actual process of alcoholic beverages and alcohol through fermentation. Brewing method is used with beer production, although the term can also be used for other drinks as well. The term brewing is also used to refer to any chemical mixing process as well. The process of brewing has a long [...]

KANYE WEST AND COMPANY HAS SOME LEGAL WOES BREWING! Kanye West along with fellow rappers Common, Method Man, and Redman were sued yesterday by a late Jazz artists’ daughter over a sample they used in various songs by the artists. Kathleen Firrantello, whose father is musician Joe Farrell, filed the suit in a U.S. District Court in New York claiming por

The first thing you’ll need to do when brewing is to sanitize everything that will come in contact with your unfermented beer. It will take time for the sanitizer to do its job, so don’t rush things. Next, you’ll need to rinse everything to remove any remaining sanitizer. Any remaining [...]

We have tracked these Master Limited Partnerships (MLP's) and spin-offs or carve-out IPO's from larger oil and gas companies for quite some time. What is... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeet... this is pretty impressive. PORTLAND -- Oregon craft brewing production keeps bubbling over. Figures released today by the Oregon Brewers Guild show production across the state grew at a rate of 8.1 percent last year. Total beer production for the state was about 860,000 barrels, or 285 million bottles of beer. That's an increase of more than 64,000 barrels from the

Joey Roth didn't set out to be an industrial designer. Beginning college as a creative writing major, he quickly came to the realization that he may never emulate the work of his beloved authors and decided to pursue the design avenue of commentary instead. His first foray into manufacturing -- Sorapot -- occurred somewhat unexpectedly, and allowed a unique insight into the creative and production process for the many people who followed Roth's journey.

AOL News Guillermo Arias, AP Big StormsMay Be Brewing Busy Hurricane Season PredictedShould We Expect Another Katrina? Teens Lack Financial Know-HowAre You Any Smarter Than They Are? NFL Great Gets Tasered Cops Need to Call BackupHe Faces Multiple Charges Next

A Publicis de Vancouver, no Canadá, foi encarregada de criar uma prancha de snowboard para sampling e resolveu fugir do convencional. Ao invés de colocar uma logo gigante na prancha, a identidade local da marca foi passada, através do estilo de vida das pessoas da região, que costumam ligar para o trabalho e dizer que [...]

A Miller Brewing Co. marketing campaign that is coinciding with the NCAA men's basketball tournament has been deemed such a success that the Milwaukee beer maker now is contemplating a similar effort for this year's National Football League season. Miller's "March Hoops" program allows tavern-goers to face off -- using Nintendo Wii controllers -- in a specially designed basketball video game.

Hantu Laut At the rate Sabahan ministers are leaving Abdullah's cabinet very soon there wouldn't be any of them left to represent the state at Federal level. Rumours abound that some more ministers would be leaving soon as most are disappointed with Abdullah's treatment of those from Sabah and Sarawak by giving them minor ministry and deputy ministers ignoring the facts that without them there

My boy doesn't want one video game or one video game console, he wants the Nintendo, the Sony and the Xbox and he wants all the games that go with it. He also wants access to the computer so that he can play games on the computer as well. It is as if he is plugged into these games all the time, at least he would like to be if allowed. Video games are big business, with over $13 billion spent each year on video and computer games. This suggests that an awful lot of playing is going on. New releases of games are eagerly anticipated by players and many are willing to stand in line for a day or two to get hold of a new system or spend hours hunting down a new release. Unquestionably, video games are attractive toys, particularly to boys.Undoubtedly, parents have been concerned for a long time

Many enemies of (and even a few supporters of) A Newt One continue to insist that John McCain doesn't have a chance this fall. The simple fact is that that dog just don't hunt. Although the election of John McCain is, by no means, a certainty, it's not a long shot by any means.Following on the heels of recent movement toward McCain, of Virginia and Ohio, Rasmussen Reports has just moved Michigan and Pennsylvania from "likely dem" to "leans dem".The categorizations are based on polling, recent history and the betting in Rasmussen's markets.However, if polling alone is used, the news is really bad for the Democrats, especially if Florida is added to the mix. The reason why is that, based on polling alone, John McCain currently leads both Obama and Clinton in all 5 states. Let me repeat that.

This shining coffee maker is not the usual coffee maker we all know where we place coffee powder in a filter and let hot water drips on it to brew coffee.This unique coffee maker brews a single cup of coffee at the touch of a button. But before that, we must place a K-cup coffee that is available in several flavors.I watched an animated video of how this coffee machine works at Green Mountain Coffee.What is a K-Cup?The patented K-Cup design protects our exceptional coffee from moisture, oxygen and light, so you get a consistently excellent cup, every time.-->K-Cup

"Anheuser-Busch on Tuesday lashed out at Miller Brewing Company over a Miller Lite ad that playfully uses the Budweiser dalmation. “Keep up the bad work, Miller Beer,” thundered a full-page ad in the USA Today. The ad goes on to say that the ad has prompted A-B to give a donation to animal rescue groups. The ad -- in which a dalmation leaps from a Bud wagon into a Miller Lite delivery truck

The South Florida economy has slowed but is growing still, though not in the real estate industry. Broward County unemployment sits at 3.9% and Miami-Dade County is holding at 3.7%. Both remain... (Read the rest of this blog entry at www.floridamortgagedaily.com)

A lot of media attention has been focused on the plight of the U.S. residential real estate market. But where is the U.S. commercial real estate sector headed? Will it follow housing’s lead down? By all appearances, commercial real estate has performed admirably. New York-based real estate research firm Real Capital Analytics noted commercial property sales hit $401 billion through October 18, outpacing last year’s $359 billion total. The U.S. Commerce Department said construction spending on office buildings, shopping centers, and other private, non-residential projects jumped 15.2% in August. The commercial sector has been immune to the residential mortgage mess because for the most part, buyers and sellers are more sophisticated, and they have more financial flexibility and resources to ride out credit market turmoil, experts told the Associated Press on October 22. Bernard Baumohl, managing director of New Jersey-based Economic Outlook Group, said, “It’s a different animal

Vegan burger alert! An anonymous burgler sneaks in with some inner-se action. She had this to say:Not sure if it's a commercial burger or homemade. Served on organic New Seasons bun. Very tasty with your choice of condiments. And the sprouts are just icing on the burger.Roots Organic Brewing1520 SE 7th Portland, OR 97214(503)235-7668

For anyone with a love of American craft beer the Anchor Brewing Co. in the Potrero Hill section of San Francisco is hallowed ground. The day that Fritz Maytag acquired the failing brewery in 1965 the craft brewing revolution was dawning.Maytag moved the brewery in 1979 to its current location in a former Chase & Sanborn Coffee roasting plant. Andrew Cox gave me a tour of the facility where I got the chance to see Anchor Steam being brewed and walk through the entire process. One of the things about a visit to any brewery large or small is the sensory overload that takes place between the aromas, temperature changes from one area to another and the noise level in areas such as the bottling line.During the visit we ran into Bruce Joseph in Anchor's distillery and got to talk about turning out micro distilled whiskey, gin, brandy and grappa.I had the chance to try two of the newest products from Anchor during my visit. Joseph gave me a taste of Anchor Genevieve, a 94.6 proof old school

MR.BEER Ultimate Beer Kit Brewing SystemThe Mr.Beer¨ Ultimate Addition Beer Kit comes complete with everything you need to brew and bottle 7 great-tasting batches of beer -- this Brew Kit also contains all of our brewing tools and lots of extras. Designed with simplicity and ease of use in mind -- Mr.Beer¨ provides reliable results every time you brew. With over 650K kits sold Mr.Beer¨ is the most popular home beer brewing system in the world! MAKES A GREAT GIFT!MR.BEER Ultimate Beer Kit Brewing System

MR.BEER Pro Beer Kit Brewing SystemThe Mr.Beer¨ PRO Addition Beer Kit comes complete with everything you need to brew and bottle 3 great-tasting batches of beer -- this Brew Kit also contains all of our brewing tools to make your life easier. Designed with simplicity and ease of use in mind Ð Mr.Beer¨ provides reliable results every time you brew. With over 650K kits sold Mr.Beer¨ is the most popular home beer brewing system in the world! MAKES A GREAT GIFT!MR.BEER Pro Beer Kit Brewing System

MR.BEER Premium Beer Kit Brewing SystemThe best starting point for a beginning brewer -- the Mr.Beer¨ Premium Beer Kit comes with everything needed to brew and bottle your first 2 gallons of top-quality beer. Reuse this kit again and again with our Refill Brew Packs which are available in many flavors so you're sure to find the right brew for you. With over 650K kits sold Mr.Beer¨ is the most popular home beer brewing system in the world! MAKES A GREAT GIFT!MR.BEER Premium Beer Kit Brewing System

MR.BEER Deluxe Beer Kit Brewing SystemWith the Mr.Beer¨ Deluxe Brew Kit you'll brew up 2 gallons of great-tasting beer in as few as seven days -- and you will be drinking your first batch in just two weeks. It is designed with simplicity and ease of use in mind -- providing reliable results every time you brew. With over 650K kits sold Mr.Beer¨ is the most popular home beer brewing system in the world! MAKES A GREAT GIFT!MR.BEER Deluxe Beer Kit Brewing System

This place was a crowd favorite. Portland Hamburglers "HoldEverything", "SpecialSauce", "Hamburgler", and "Bun-dita" (your favorite pet food shop proprieter of Meat for Cats & Dogs) travel North to sample these brown biscuits.Large natural ground beef, grilled out on the patio for viewing pleasure with the usual suspects and chips. It was nice to have a condiments bar as well. There was some talk of something called a "Hamwallet". Have to figure it out next time.Beer Advocate seems to like the beer there as well.Bonus Pickle!Amnesia Brewing832 N. Beech St.Portland, OR 97227(503)281-7708

It's looking like the next big forum uproar will be over Prosper's actions in the forums to stamp down the revelation of personally identifiable information (PII). Where does this information mostly come up? Why, when lenders go hunting for fraud. This has coalesed around a posting by Prosper Shira reinforcing Prosper's current PII position: Members have done a terrific job helping Prosper

Usually when you keep getting hints of something, there ends up being a certain level of truth to them. That what is going on with Arhcer Daniel's Midland (ADM). Earlier this summer ADM made waves when in Brazil they announced they were "actively" seeking investment in the country's ethanol industry. Already producing bio-diesel there, a deal for ethanol would cement ADM's place as the worlds largest producer of the fuel. A month ago ADM underwent a management reorganization that more... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Maronite Patriarch, PM Siniora, Saad Hariri and General Aoun happened to be there, in addition to the French special envoy Koussran and the Syrian Foreign minter Farouk al Sharaa. Additionally, the Shimon Perez is also there… I usually do not believe in conspiracy theories, but this is way too much to be just a coincidence. I think that Lebanon’s short and medium term future is being decided at the moment in Rome. To be more precise, I think the meeting will be about choosing a new president and giving Aoun a last chance to make a public turnabout… And if you want to know if this round of “secret talks” have succeeded, just watch Joumblatt tonight on LBC…Call me a pessimist but I think it will fail…

Just a quick post to alert you to something I just discovered. I think this deserves to be No 35 in my list of why I am moving away from Blogger:Google's Blogger site is being used by malicious hackers who are posting fake entries to some blogs. The posts attempt to lure readers to what is purported to be a legitimate link or a YouTube video but instead leads to booby-trapped downloads that could infect a Windows PC. The virus, named the Storm Worm or Virus is also hitting inboxes worldwide. I have had quite a few of these nasty emails myself.A Google spokesperson said: "The blog posts are likely from users' whose machines have been compromised by a virus.... Among the other recipients of spam e-mails generated by the virus are users' mail2blogger accounts, which allow them to update their blogs via e-mail,"Please go and read more on the BBC News site, where I originally read about this. A text box on the right hand side of the article gives some examples of the kind of text being u

It looks like Molson Coors Brewing wants its Coors Brewing subsidiary to come out with a hit craft beer more than once in a blue moon.Beer distributors and company employees have been told the company formed AC Golden Brewing Co. in Colorado to make "above-premium beers." The company says it will use low key roll outs in hopes of finding another Blue Moon, a brand that is among the fastest growing at the craft end of the market. Coors also makes Coors Light, Killian's Irish Red and Keystone, but avoids connecting Blue Moon with these brands.AC Golden Brewing's efforts will be closely watched by craft brewers. Anheuser-Busch has been extremely active in rolling out craft-styled flanker brands in recent months. The larger brewers benefit from established distribution channels which can more easily obtain store cooler space and bar tap handles than small brewers. While the giant brewers are careful to not put major ad spending behind the brands, the process of consumer discovery of thes

John Hickenlooper parlayed the name recognition and business knowledge that came from running one of the nation's most successful brewpubs into a winning bid to become the mayor of Denver. Now Hickenlooper has decided to sell off his interest in the business and focus on politics.Mayor Hickenlooper founded Wynkoop Brewing Co. in 1988 and was a shareholder in Wynkoop Holdings Inc., which owned several other popular Denver restaurants. Hickenlooper sold his 40 percent share in the company, which had been in a blind trust, back to the holding company. The Wynkoop ownership group now includes senior managers and long term employees of Wynkoop Brewing and the other restaurants. Wynkoop is credited with starting the revival of the Lower Downtown (LoDo) section of Denver. The area is now one of the more popular sections of the city. Hickenlooper was first elected in 2003 and then reelected in 2005.

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta is the world's busiest airport. In my experience the security lines are the longest and the terminals crowded and hot. Flight delays on some days are more common than on time departures.All of this travel fun has just become a little easier to stomach. Sweetwater Brewing will open a location today on Concourse B at the airport offering beer and food.The new Sweetwater Draft House & Grill will feature the Atlanta brewery's beers and pub fare. The brewery, founded in 1997, is opening the location in partnership with Concessions International, which runs food operation in nine airports. Sweetwater Draft House joins a growing list of airport beer bars that go beyond the standard mix of mega brews to bring some local flavor to thirsty air travelers.

The Brewers Association, which promotes the craft segment of the domestic beer industry, is singing a happy tune these days. They put out a press release and held a conference call for journalists yesterday to highlight the 11 percent growth rate during the first half of 2007 for the craft segment. There is plenty to celebrate.Several companies are leading the charge for the craft segment. Boston Beer Co. is setting a torrid pace, up 24.1 percent, while the Craft Brands Alliance (Widmer Bros., Redhook, Kona and Goose Island) is up 11.8 percent and Sierra Nevada Brewing is up 10.3 percent. It is indeed a great time to be a craft brewer.However, it is also a good idea to look around and see that with the growth are hints of consolidation among craft brewers, not just in terms of mergers, but also in the form of marketing and distribution clout. The big brewers are not satisfied to sit on the sidelines while small brewers tap the consumer trend for craft brews. The Craft Brand Alliance is

Matt Brewing of Utica, N.Y., has announced a deal that will make the company the exclusive marketer and distributor for Lake Placid Craft Brewing's line of Adirondack-themed brews. The agreement has an option clause allowing Matt to buy Lake Placid Craft and its brands. Christopher Ericson founded the company in 2001. Lake Placid's brands include Lake Placid Ubu Ale, Lake Placid India Pale Ale and 46'er Pale Ale. The deal would involve the company's Plattsburgh location and Ericson would continue to operate the brewpub in Lake Placid, the home of the 1932 and 1980 Olympic Games.The move unites Matt's Saranac brand with the Lake Placid brews. Matt plans to start producing Lake Placid Craft brand's in Utica at some point during the next year. The company would then use it distribution network to spread the beers around the Northeast and elsewhere.Matt Brewing holds fond memories for me. First of all, it was my Father's favorite beer, especially while fishing on Oneida Lake or the

Former Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed is predicting a "war" between the federal government and Alberta over pollution caused by the growing oil sands industry. He says the conflict could be a threat... Earth-centred news for the health of air, water, habitat and the fight against global warming

You know I suspect both women acted inappropriately here. But is doesn’t justify the damage that was done or that kind of behavior. I bet the park is going to get sued because they didn’t act quicker. You can tell by reading the article.

Charles Bamforth (Oxford University Press) "This book is not an exercise in trying to convince you, the reader, of the merits and demerits of drinking beer. I assume that as you have picked it up, and are starting to read, you have an existing interest in beer. The aim of this book is to give the nonspecialist a feel for the science and technology that underpin a truly international beverage. I use the word “international,” accepting that to do justice to the entire world of beer would have demanded more than a single volume. Markets differ considerably from country to country, but the scientific principles of brewing are constant the world over. It is the science and the technology about which I particularly wish to inform the reader, for the processes involved in the brewing of beer are as fascinating as they are, in some ways, unique. I have several audiences in mind for this book. First, and perhaps foremost, are the laypeople who want to know, in reader-friendly terms, what go

Most of America celebrates Independence Day on July 4th. For fans of Iron City beer the real celebration will take place three days later.U.S. Bankruptcy Judge M. Bruce McCullough has approved Pittsburgh Brewing Co.'s reorganization plan. The company has been operating under bankruptcy protection since December 2005 when mounting debt and the threat by the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority to shutoff service forced the company to file.Pittsburgh Brewing Acquisition LLC headed by John Milne managed to get creditors to accept $5.03 million to satisfy more than $26 million in debt. The company plans to invest more than $4 million in upgrading the facility and marketing brands from the 147-year-old brewery. The company expects to receive funding from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Allegheny County and the city of Pittsburgh.Pittsburgh Brewing had a previous stint in bankruptcy in 1995.

It takes plenty of water to make beer. In the case of Pittsburgh Brewing, water is an even more important ingredient as the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority (PWSA) remained the final hold out to approval of the brewery's Chapter 11 reorganization plan.Late last week the brewery and the utility came to an agreement. The PWSA has said it was owed $2.6 million in unpaid water bills. Pittsburgh Brewing went into bankruptcy in December 2005 when the utility threatened to shut off service. The PWSA has agreed to accept $500,000 to settle its claim.Pittsburgh Brewing Acquisition will also have to pay off a lien of $575,000 in claims accumulated after the Chapter 11 proceedings began. The company expects to receive some government funding to help keep Iron City and other brews flowing.

BREWING There is a myriad of ways to brew your favorite coffee and for the most part it all begins with a simple introduction: Know Thyself. Are you after a thick silty morning mug? A thinner brighter brew? A full bodied but smooth sensation? Once you have this part down, you're ready for [...]

According to the Brewers Association, based on 2006 sales here are the Top 50 American Brewing Companies:1 Anheuser-Busch Inc., St Louis, MO2 Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI3 Coors Brewing Co., Golden, CO4 Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL5 Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA6 D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc., Pottsville, PA7 Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA8 Gambrinus San Antonio, TX9 New Belgium Brewing Company Inc., Fort Collins, CO10 High Falls Brewing Co., Rochester, NY11 Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR12 Redhook Ale Brewery, Woodinville, WA13 Pittsburgh Brewing Co., Pittsburgh, PA14 Pyramid Breweries Inc., Seattle, WA15 Minhas Craft Brewery, Monroe, WI16 Matt Brewing Co., Utica, NY17 Deschutes Brewery Inc., Bend, OR18 Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City, MO19 Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK20 The Harpoon Brewery, Boston, MA21 Full Sail Brewing Co., Hood River, OR22 Anchor Brewing Co., San Francisco, CA23 Kona Brewing Co., Kailua-Kona, HI24 Magic Hat Brewing Co., South Burlingto

Boston Beer Co., which has been looking for extra brewing capacity and has been talking about building a brewery in Massachusetts, has signed a deal with City Brewing of Wisconsin to contract brew some Samuel Adams products at the former home of Rolling Rock beer.City Brewing purchase the former Latrobe Brewing Co. plant in Pennsylvania last year from InBev, which sold the Rolling Rock brand to Anheuser-Busch. It is in the process of a major overhaul of the brewery, with plans to reopen the facility in the next few weeks.Under the deal, Boston Beer will invest $3 million to $7 million in upgrades to the brewery. Boston Beer is also negotiating a possible partial ownership stake in the facility. The company said it expects Samuel Adams to start rolling off the bottling line at the plant sometime during the second quarter of 2007. The company says it is still considering a plan to build a brewery in Freetown, Mass. The latest cost projections for that brewery range from $190 million to $

Ruda Landman is leaving Carte Blanche according to an Iol story. I am not saddened by this. She is an incredible investigative journalist and business woman, but it has been 19 years that she has been a part of the show. Hopefully the show will not suffer but will carry on with some fresh blood.Carte Blanche needs to take this opportunity to redesign, re-align and refocus their goals and ambitions for the next 19 years without Ruda.I hope that wherever Ruda goes she goes well and is successful, but thank goodness she is leaving Carte Blanche. Now, anyone got any ideas for Derek?This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 License.

Ruda Landman is leaving Carte Blanche according to an Iol story. I am not saddened by this. She is an incredible investigative journalist and business woman, but it has been 19 years that she has been a part of the show. Hopefully the show will not suffer but will carry on with some fresh blood.Carte Blanche needs to take this opportunity to redesign, re-align and refocus their goals and ambitions for the next 19 years without Ruda.I hope that wherever Ruda goes she goes well and is successful, but thank goodness she is leaving Carte Blanche. Now, anyone got any ideas for Derek?This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 License.

Dow has been the subject a quite a few rumors lately: First, a British newspaper printed a rumor in February that a group lead by KKR and Carlyle were going to make a $60 a share offer for the company. I went on record at the time with my plea to CEO Andrew Liveris to not sell the company. The rumor subsided (did not "go away") and then market was hit with the events of the past two weeks that commanded everybody's attention. Then, Tuesday on CNBC's "Mad Money" show Jim Cramer (who I beat to the punch on Google ) commented on the rumors admitting he has been waiting since February for DOW and AA to dip after takeover rumors which were printed a British newspaper. While he discouraged speculation on potential buyouts if the fundamentals are not strong, "the fundies for both DOW and AA are pretty good." According to the rumors, Dow could be purchased by private equity firms at $60 a share, a substantial premium from its present rate of $42.94. He noted the company has a 3.5% dividend

As a regular weekend feature, Lyke2Drink will visit some of the world's great watering holes. This week we head to Atlanta to visit a brewpub that combines great beer and fine food.5 Seasons Brewing Co.5600 Roswell Road (The Prado)Sandy Springs, Ga. 30342404.255.5911Frequent visitors of Lyke2Drink will recall my recent frustration with brewpubs that fail to deliver a quality experience. (If you missed it, check out my comments about a visit to Jacksonville's River City Brewing.) Consider me a tough customer: I actually expect good beer, friendly service and decent food when I make a trip to a brewpub and plunk down my money. It also helps if you have a staff that appears to actually enjoy their jobs and know a little bit about the beer and food they are serving. I'm passionate about beer and food. If you run a brewpub, I think you should be, too.This past week I was in Atlanta on business and an old friend, Richard Skiermont, and I decided to have dinner. I had very little time to d

Government officials in Rochester, N.Y., hope to snag enough state and federal grant money to put the High Falls Brewing Co. in the energy business. Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks used her State of the County address this week to lay out the plan to build an ethanol plant.Monroe County hopes to help High Falls Brewery attract state and federal funds to build a $3 million research and production plant, which would take brewery waste and turn it into ethanol. Brooks said the plant could produce 300,000 gallons of ethanol annually to help fuel brewery and county vehicles. Any excess product would be sold to local residents.If the fundraising is successful, construction would begin in January 2008.

After a number of delays, Pittsburgh Brewing Co. has filed a reorganization plan that may allow the maker of Iron City Beer to emerge from bankruptcy. The plan calls for the company to be acquired by Pittsburgh Brewing Acquisition and pay $3.98 million to creditors, erasing millions in other debts. The brewery must win approval for the plan from the creditor group by April 27th. At least one half of the creditor group, holding at least two thirds of the debt must vote in favor of the plan. The investment group acquiring the company is headed by John N. Milne of Westport, Conn. Milne will become chief executive officer at the brewery, while fellow investor Timothy Hickman of East Liverpool, Ohio, will become the company's president. The plan calls for creditors to receive quarterly payments spread across five years. Left out in the cold are most of the estimated 75 shareholders of the current company, who will not receive any payments for their stock.

Granite City Food & Brewery Ltd., an 18-location Midwestern restaurant chain, has been granted a patent by the United States Patent Office for a proprietary beer brewing process that they call Fermentus Interruptus.The Company uses a central brewing location for the production of unfermented and unprocessed hopped wort and then transports the liquid to its restaurants. The brew is then placed into fermentation tanks where it is finished into beer. The process cuts down on the equipment and labor costs associated with running separate brewpubs. Because the liquid being transported across state lines is not finished beer, the company does not have to involve distributors in the shipments. Granite City says the proprietary process will allow it to continue its geographic expansion.

Heineken Pushing Non-Alcoholic Brand in Europe: In an effort to attract the growing Muslim population in Western Europe, the Netherlands' brewing giant Heineken is backing the Fayrouz non-alcoholic beer brand with a $48 million advertising effort. +++ +++ +++ +++ Honey Porter in a Landslide: The Boston Beer Co. polled beer fans and the winner of the brewery's annual Beer Lover's Choice is Samuel Adams Honey Porter. The brew beat Samuel Adams Smoked Lager by a vote of 8,206 to 5,984. Attendees at nearly 800 tasting events nationwide cast ballots during August and September. Honey Porter will be released in January. +++ +++ +++ +++ Pyramid Exits Soda Business: Seattle's Pyramid Breweries has sold its Thomas Kemper soda brand to Portland, Ore., based equity firm Adventure Funds for $3.1 million. The soda line includes a root beer, ginger ale and orange cream. +++ +++ +++ +++ Only Happy Cows: It just might be that a division of

U.S. Bankruptcy Court Chief Judge M. Bruce McCullough is not ready to declare last call for the Pittsburgh Brewing Co. At a hearing yesterday the financially challenged brewer of Iron City beer revealed that Unified Growth Partners(UGP)of Greenwich, Conn. was prepared to make an investment of more than $7 million in the brewery. Judge McCullough approved $500,000 in interim financial from UGP and gave the brewery until Jan. 16th to file its reorganization plan. That plan is expected to include information on how the company will cut labor and other costs, while boosting marketing for its brands. Creditors had been protesting the brewery's lack of a plan and financing scheme, but withdrew their objections because of recent payments and negotiations with the brewery and UGP representative John Milne, who will become Pittsburgh Brewing's chief executive officer if the plan moves forward. Pittsburgh Brewing has been in and out of bankruptcy in the past. One of the moves the organizati

No Busch in NASCAR: Since 1984 NASCAR's Grand National Series, basically the Triple A level of stock car racing, has been sponsored by Busch beer. That will all end when the 2007 season finishes up next fall. Anheuser-Busch announced this week it has decided it will not renew the title sponsorship. NASCAR, which faced a similar challenge a few years ago when cigarette maker RJ Reynolds dropped the Winston sponsorship of the top level series, must now find a replacement. Sports marketers predict the annual price tag for the series could be as high as $30-$40 million. NASCAR fans are recognized as among the most brand loyal in any sport. +++ +++ +++ +++ What Everyone is Really Drinking: During my travels I'm reminded that for every great beer bar and even for every bar that has at least one craft beer on tap, there are dozens that offer nothing more than a few pale domestic lagers and light beers, with a token import tossed into the mix. That's why it comes as no

A potential shut off of water service forced Pittsburgh Brewing into bankruptcy last December. Now the maker of Iron City could see its electricity service cut off because of lack of promised payments. Duquesne Light Co. has petitioned the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for permission to shut off power to the 145-year-old brewery saying the brewery had failed to make a $9,807 security deposit the court ordered paid in February and the company owes more than $45,000 for three months of service. A year ago today the brewery filed for bankruptcy protection after the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority said it would shut off water over unpaid bills. The water utility says Pittsburgh Brewing still owes $55,000 on a $110,000 security deposit, plus $75,570 in back bills. Pittsburgh Brewing claims to have new investors lined up ready to pump millions into saving the brewery. It wants the court to allow interim financing from that group so it can make it through the holidays, a key beer selling seas

The 145-year-old Pittsburgh Brewing Co. may live to brew again. The makers of Iron City told a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge on Thursday that they have found an investor willing to keep the company in operation.Brewery President Joseph R. Piccirilli, who was part of a group that purchased the company when it was bankrupt in 1995, said an investor is ready to put up more than $7 million to fund modernization of the brewery and marketing campaigns. Attonreys for the company and investor are trying to finalize details of the deal. Piccirilli and Pittsburgh's attorneys would not identify the mystery investor group, but said they planned to file a revised financial disclosure statement by Dec. 20. The name is likely to be in that filing. The brewery hopes to get creditors to sign-off on a reorganization plan by mid-February. Pittsburgh Brewing filed for bankruptcy in December 2005 when the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority threatened to shut off water because of unpaid bills. The federal go

Fuller Set to Grow: After experiencing a 31 percent jump in profits during a six month period following the acquisition of George Gales & Co., executives at British brewer and pub company Fuller, Smith & Turner said its thirst for acquisitions has not yet been quenched. Fuller is said to be placing a greater emphasis on food in its pubs as Britain prepares for a pub smoking ban in 2007. +++ +++ +++ +++SABMiller Plans More Investments in India: Fresh off its acquisition of Foster's Group holdings in India, SABMiller says it plans to pump $125 million into existing operations during the next two to three years. The money will be spent on marketing and brewery expansion at nine plants in India. The company's brands in India include Royal Challenge, Haywards 5000 and Castle. The company is the second largest brewery operation in the country behind and United Breweries. +++ +++ +++ +++Beer Too Cheap?: A beer price war among supermarkets in the United Kin

Pittsburgh Brewing Co. continues to try to keep its head above water while it finalizes an agreement with an equity investment firm.In the latest moves, the company made a $49,000 payment to the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau after the government agency had filed a motion to U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge M. Bruce McCullough to close the bankrupt brewer because the firm had failed to make a promised payment on Jan. 1st for the overdue excise taxes. Then the company was able to get negotiators for the 145 members of the International Union of Electrical Workers-Communication Workers of America Locals 22B and 144B who work at the plant to agree to contract concessions. The workers will vote on the new pact on Jan. 21st. John Milne of Westport, Conn., who leads the investor group, will become Pittsburgh Brewing's new CEO. The group must file its reorganization plan with the Bankruptcy Court by Tuesday. Milne has said that part of the plan calls for spending at least $1 millio

Pittsburgh Brewing President Joseph R. Piccirilli, who gained control of the company during bankruptcy proceedings in 1995, will apparently lose his grip on the maker of Iron City beer as part of the protracted bankruptcy process now winding its way through the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.Bankruptcy Judge M. Bruce McCullough granted yet another extension to Pittsburgh Brewing, this time until Feb. 6, before it has to file its reorganization plan. Lawyers for the group headed by John N. Milne of Connecticut, who will become the new chief executive officer of the company if the plan is successful, have been lining up support for the plan from labor unions and creditors.Milne told media at yesterday's hearing that Piccirilli will stay in place through a transition phase and then leave the company. Pittsburgh Brewing has been in bankruptcy since December 2005. Media reports also noted brewery officials have been meeting with Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell's staff about aid to help the brewery ge

Coffee makers with built-in grinders give coffee lovers added freedom and choice when it comes to brewing their coffee dose. First of all, a coffee maker with grinder means that you can buy your coffee beans and grind only as much as you need for ...