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Molson Family & Management Team join community in celebration

MONCTON, NEW BRUNSWICK–(Marketwire - Oct. 12, 2007) -

Canada’s oldest brewer marked a historic milestone today with the opening of the Molson Moncton Brewery, the first for the company in 52 years. The $35-million Moncton Brewery, which will serve the Maritime market, is the sixth brewery in Molson’s coast-to-coast operations.

“Today adds another page to Molson’s rich history and we are proud to celebrate with the people in Moncton, New Brunswick and the Maritimes,” said Kevin Boyce, President and CEO, Molson. “This is a significant investment for our company and today we are proud to officially call Moncton home.”

In a ceremony rich with heritage, Molson family members and the senior management team were joined by Premier Shawn Graham, Mayor Lorne Mitton and 500 community leaders to officially cut the ribbon to the new facility and celebrate the first “Cheers” with Moncton-made beer. A ceremonial keg tapping and daytime fireworks were also part of the festivities. Today’s ceremony was the start of a weekend of events in celebration of Molson’s arrival in Moncton.

Full story: via Marketwire

Posted on October 30th, 2007 by steven
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Officials from Labatt Breweries say they’ve uncovered how a handful of Stella Artois bottles were filled with ethanol instead of beer and ended up in the hands of drinkers at several Canadian bars.
Working in collaboration with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and bar owners across the country, the brewery found the affected bottles of the Belgian brew were meant for display purposes and were filled with concentrated alcohol as a replacement liquid.

They were never meant to be consumed.

However, a handful of bars from Kamloops and Toronto accidentally placed the potent bottles in beer fridges and sold them to unsuspecting boozers.

Patrons who drank from the bottles wound up vomiting and spitting out the pure alcohol.

Full story: The Toronto Star

Posted on October 30th, 2007 by steven
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WATERLOO, Ont. – Brick Brewing Co. Ltd. (TSX: BRB) is blaming The Beer Store, the dominant beer retailer in Ontario, for what Brick’s chairman characterizes as an “unsatisfactory” second-quarter profit of $283,000.

Brick said today gross revenue was $22 million in the May-July period, down 6.8 per cent from a year ago, and net revenue after distribution fees and production taxes fell 18 per cent to $9.6 million from $11.3 million.

Volume through The Beer Store slumped 12 per cent while Brick’s sales at Liquor Control Board of Ontario outlets increased by 16 per cent. Overall, volume was down 11 per cent.

The $283,000 in net income, worth a penny per share, compared with a year-ago profit of $962,000, a nickel per share.

“The contradictory sales patterns for our brands at the LCBO stores compared to TBS stores are highly instructive,” commented Brick president and CEO Doug Berchtold.

“Our brands are outpacing the market at the provincially owned LCBO stores. However, at TBS stores, which are owned by the national brewers, our sales are lagging.”

Berchtold said TBS marketing policies “unfairly disadvantage Ontario small brewers.”

Additionally, Brick no longer benefits from the Ontario small brewer tax break, and this raised its taxes by $947,000 compared with the year-ago quarter.

“These results are unsatisfactory,” stated founder and chairman Jim Brickman.

Full Story: Brick Brewing hits out at The Beer Store via The Toronto Star.

Posted on September 11th, 2007 by steven
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VICTORIA - Matt Phillips’ top beer brand will be back on the shelves this weekend, but with a new name.
Victoria-based Phillips Brewing unveiled Blue Buck Ale on the first day of the Great Canadian Beer Festival at Royal Athletic Park, six weeks after his company came under fire from a Lower Mainland brewer that forced him into a name change for his popular brew.
The Red Truck Beer Company of North Vancouver, which brews two beers - Red Truck Ale and Red Truck Lager - had told Victoria-based Phillips to cease production of its Blue Truck Ale or they would pursue legal action.

Full Story: Island brewer keeps on trucking with new label via The Vancouver Sun.

Posted on September 10th, 2007 by steven
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Denis Gravelle’s little store is an example of the business maxim of trading volume for profit margin. His ultra-low prices have made him the biggest beer retailer in Quebec.

The King of Beer holds court at the Marché Gravelle, a little “dépanneur,” or convenience store, at 29 Dalhousie St. in Aylmer.

To beer drinkers across eastern Ontario, western Quebec and beyond, Denis Gravelle is royalty because his prices, especially on the most popular brands such as Coors Light and Labatt Blue, simply can’t be beat. In fact, under Quebec regulations, he can’t set many prices any lower.

“My best deal today, right now, I have Sleeman Light at $20.39 a case,” Mr. Gravelle said. After tax and deposit, that adds up to $25.63, compared with $34.25 at Ontario’s Beer Store outlets, which — with Liquor Control Board stores — are the only retail sources for beer in Ontario.

In Ontario, 24 bottles of Coors Light cost $36.35, including GST, PST and deposit, but at the King’s, the customer walks out with a two-four for $26.34.

Full Story: The Aylmer Ale King via The Ottawa Citizen.

Posted on September 10th, 2007 by steven
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Best microbrewery in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) - Mill Street, Toronto

Best microbrewery in Ontario (outside of the GTA) - Church-Key, Campbellford

Best beer brewed in the GTA - Mill Street Tankhouse Pale Ale, Toronto

Best beer brewed in Ontario (outside of the GTA) - Beau’s Lug-Tread Lagered Ale, Vankleek Hill

Best bar in the GTA in terms of draught beer selection - C’est What, Toronto

Best bar in the GTA in terms of bottled beer selection - beerbistro, Toronto

Best bar in Ontario (outside of the GTA) - Winking Judge, Hamiliton

Best brewpub or tied house in Ontario (including the GTA) - Mill Street Brewpub, Toronto

Best beer of the festival - Black Oak Transvestite’s Tipple, Oakville

From 2007 Golden Tap Award Winners.

Posted on August 20th, 2007 by steven
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Divine new Rickard’s Original White, a white beer with hints of citrus and coriander

TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire - Aug. 16, 2007) - Rickard’s Original White, a unique brew, is now available in bottles to purchase from The Beer Store and the LCBO for the ultimate enjoyment of beer enthusiasts in search of a new flavour experience.

Brewed in the Belgian tradition, Rickard’s Original White is an unfiltered wheat beer with a natural cloudiness, and distinctive hints of citrus and coriander.

“Today’s beer drinkers are developing a more refined taste - Rickard’s White is a testimony not only to this evolving taste, but to gastronomic and culinary trends where beer is a key ingredient to enhance flavours,” Brigitte Marcotte, Director, National Marketing, Rickard’sTM. “This spring’s launch of Rickard’s White on tap was extremely successful and we’re anticipating a similar response from beer drinkers now that they can enjoy this unique beer in the comfort of their own backyard.”

Full story: Rickard’s Original White now in Bottles Across Ontario via Marketwire.ca.

Posted on August 16th, 2007 by steven
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CANADIAN PRESS
A court appearance by Steelback Brewery CEO Frank D’Angelo on a sexual assault charge has been put off until next next month.

A representative for the brewing magnate made a brief appearance in a Toronto court today.

D’Angelo is now scheduled to appear in court Sept. 24.

Police allege the 48-year-old sexually assaulted a 21-year-old woman in a Toronto hotel on June 3.

Lawyer Gary Clewley has said his client is innocent and that D’Angelo’s high profile probably contributed to the charges.

One of D’Angelo’s most recent public appearances was on July 26, when he sang the national anthem at a Toronto Argonauts game at the Rogers Centre.

As reported: D’Angelo sex court date postponed by The Toronto Star.

Posted on August 16th, 2007 by steven
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It looks like Canada’s national men’s basketball team is getting “wacked.”

But, surprisingly, it’s a great thing.

Yesterday, Frank D’Angelo, President and CEO of D’Angelo Brands and Steelback Brewery, announced that Wacked — Energy Drink and Steelback Beer — will become, respectively, the official energy drink and official beer of the senior team.

“We’re going to do everything to get the team whatever they need for financial assistance,” D’Angelo said.

Full Story: Can hoops to go ‘wacko’ via SLAM! Sports.

Posted on August 15th, 2007 by steven
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Molson Coors hops to first increase in years as profit and sales jump

MONTREAL –Molson Coors Brewing Co. says it has booked a 19 per increase in second-quarter earnings to $185 million (U.S.) as the company sold more Coors Light in the United States and Canada and marked the first Canadian market-share growth in years.

The American-Canadian brewer said yesterday sales were $1.68 billion in the quarter ended July 1, up 5.9 per cent from a year earlier.

Volume was up 0.7 per cent to 11.5 million barrels, or 1.35 billion litres.

Molson Coors earned net profit of $2.04 per share, up from $156.2 million, or $1.81 per share, in the same 2006 quarter.

The most recent results included charges of $25.4 million, a gain on the sale of an equity interest in a Canadian business and a one-time tax benefit.

Sales to retailers increased 1.1 per cent in Canada and 1.6 per cent in the U.S., but declined 7.5 per cent in the United Kingdom as unfavourable weather cut sales compared with year-earlier levels bolstered by soccer’s World Cup.

“We grew total company volume, led by market-share gains in the U.S. and Canada,” Denver-based chief executive Leo Kiely said during a conference call.

“This represents our first Canada share gain in nearly four years, and the achievement of one of our most important goals leading into the merger.”

Full Story: Molson: Brewer pulls ahead in Canadian market share via the Toronto Star.

Posted on August 10th, 2007 by steven
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