Planet Of Beer

SEATTLE & BURLINGTON, Vt.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Independent Brewers United, Inc., the parent of Magic Hat Brewing Company & Performing Arts Center, Inc. (”Magic Hat”), and Pyramid Breweries Inc. (NASDAQ:PMID) (”Pyramid”) today jointly announced the execution of a definitive merger agreement that contemplates, among other things, a tender offer to purchase all of Pyramid’s outstanding common stock for $2.75 per share in cash, or approximately $25.7 million in total purchase price. The all-cash offer represents a premium of 56.3% over the closing price of Pyramid’s common stock on April 28, 2008, the trading day prior to the public announcement of the execution of a Letter of Intent between Pyramid and Magic Hat regarding the proposed merger. The transaction received approval by the respective boards of directors of the merger parties. A newly formed merger subsidiary of Independent Brewers United expects to commence the tender offer for all outstanding shares of Pyramid common stock on July 2, 2008 or promptly thereafter.
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Boston, MA (June 2008) - Draft beer is a major revenue producer for a venue like Game On! which is located inside the world renowned Fenway Park in Boston. Draft beer is also, by nature, highly susceptible to wastage and pilferage if there aren’t adequate controls in place. Some estimates put the amount of draft beer lost due to inadequate controls close to 25%. With the restaurant industry already battling with a tough economic environment, some operators are looking to innovative solutions to protect their bottom-line. Game On!, owned by Lyons Group, recently implemented a new draft beer technology that allows their management to remotely monitor draft beer flow and cut down on any losses due to staff negligence or theft. The web-based software technology offered by Syracuse, NY based US Beverage Net is gaining popularity with cost conscious restaurant and bar owners around the country.
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Syracuse, NY (June 2008) - It seems that a perfect storm is brewing for the restaurant industry. Customer traffic is sliding, commodity and fuel prices are sky rocketing, and profit margins on food and beverage are being squeezed. One of the most troublesome categories for restaurants and bars to manage has been beer. Shortage of hops supplies has lead to price increases of 20 to 80 percent for different varieties. Breweries are transferring their increased cost burden to restaurants, even as restaurants struggle to justify price hikes to consumers. The situation spells trouble for restaurant concepts such as Hooters, which gets 25 percent of its revenue from beer. Faced with economic circumstances beyond their control, restaurant operators are focusing on something that is in their control - operational efficiencies. California-based Hootwinc, LLC, a franchisee operating Hooters restaurants in Washington, Oregon, and Southern California, has adopted a new technology at companywide stores to stem the draining profits from its bottom-line. The results, says Mark Potter, CEO of Hootwinc, are “drastic”.
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There are almost as many classifications of beer as there are people who drink it. O.K. that’s something of an exaggeration, but it is a fact that commercial breweries produce an amazing variety of beers with different flavours and textures, to cater for the very varied tastes of the beer drinker.

The home brewer can also produce an almost limitless variety of beers, but they will all generally fall into one of the main categories of beer. These categories are as follows:-

Bitter beer. - This is usually a fairly hoppy beer, with a medium to strong alcohol content. Bitter will come in different colours and flavours, but will always have a slightly bitter finish.

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The maguey plant refers to several closely related species of the genus Agave, which grows at 5,940 feet (1,800 meters) above sea level or higher in central Mexico. The maguey plant supplied the Aztec with both fiber for clothing and rope and the juice for popular drinks such as the fermented octli, today called pulque, and unfermented aguamiel. Though archaeologists to date have not found pulque workshops on archaeological sites, obsidian blades covered with sap resin have been found. These blades are extensively dispersed throughout Aztec sites and give insight into how Aztecs produced pulque, a drink still consumed by Mexican peasants today. Witnessed by the royal physician Francisco Hernández, pulque production was a laborious process that is performed today in the same fashion as that of Aztec predecessors.

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Perhaps the only good reason to fly Delta Airlines … or if you have to at least you won’t be stuck with light beer. Of course I’d prefer if they could can their “Eddy” line for their flights.

CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (June 26, 2008) - This month, the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company began partnering with Delta Air Lines to offer the airline’s customers Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat beer on all Delta flights worldwide. As the craft beer industry continues to grow in both popularity and sales, Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat is among four beer offerings. The introduction of Leinenkugel marks Delta’s first craft beer offering.
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ST. LOUIS, June 26, 2008 - Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. (NYSE: BUD), a leading global brewer, today announced that its board of directors has unanimously determined that the unsolicited, non-binding proposal by InBev (Euronext: INB) to acquire all outstanding shares of Anheuser-Busch for $65 per share is financially inadequate and not in the best interests of Anheuser Busch shareholders.

“InBev’s proposal significantly undervalues the unique assets and prospects of Anheuser Busch,” said Patrick Stokes, chairman of the board for the company. “The proposed price does not reflect the strength of Anheuser-Busch’s global, iconic brands Bud Light and Budweiser, the top two selling beer brands in the world, with Budweiser selling in more than 80 countries today. The proposal also undervalues the earnings growth actions that the company had already planned, which have significant potential for shareholder value creation; the company’s market position in the United States, the most-profitable beer market in the world; and the high value of its existing strategic investments.”
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Wine, a hugely popular premium alcoholic drink, finds its nomenclature from the Proto-Germanic “winam” and the Latin word “vine”, meaning grapes. As the name suggests, Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of grape juice. Crushed grapes are fermented using various types of yeast. This yeast converts the sugar content in the grapes into alcohol. The varieties of wines are a result of the variety of grapes and strains of yeast used to produce it.

Wines, like apple wine and elderberry wine, are prepared from Apples and Berries respectively, and are generally known as country wine. There are instances when wine(s) has also been made from barley, rice and other starch based edibles rather than sugar base. But these in taste and nature resemble more with beer than wine. The alcohol content in these wines is also larger than normal grape wine.

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MILWAUKEE (June 20, 2008) - Miller Brewing Company today announced the renewal of its Grand Champion sponsorship of the Wisconsin State Fair through 2010. A new three-year contract was agreed upon for Miller to continue to serve as the official beer of the Main Stage and official sponsor of two pavilions and several elements during the 11-day event. Miller has been a longstanding and leading corporate partner of the Wisconsin State Fair.

“The Wisconsin State Fair has a history that’s as strong and proud as ours,” said Jackie Woodward, Miller Brewing vice president of media and marketing services. “We are thrilled to continue our commitment to this annual summertime tradition in Wisconsin and look forward to another successful fair this year and beyond.”
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ST. LOUIS, June 20, 2008 - Carlos Fernandez G., chairman and chief executive officer of Mexican brewer Grupo Modelo, S.A.B. de C.V., yesterday informed Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. (NYSE: BUD) of his resignation from the American brewer’s board of directors, effective immediately. “Carlos has always provided great value as a member of our board, with insights into the business,” said August A. Busch IV, president and chief executive officer of Anheuser-Busch. “He remains a respected colleague.”

The resignation reduces the Anheuser-Busch board to 13 members. Modelo is the importer and distributor of the Budweiser, Bud Light and O’Doul’s brands in Mexico.
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