Lion Brewery – The History Hop Room
20 December 2009
Here’s the first of what I hope to be a series of “historical” and incredibly cool photos from the Lion Brewery courtesy of Leo. This photo shows the “Hop Room” from the old Stegmaier Brewery.
Lion Brewery – The History Cooker & Masher
Today's old (and very cool) photo comes to us from the Stegmaier Brewery circa 1950’s and shows the Cooker & Masher. What a great photo.
Read more...Lion Brewery – The History Lauter Tun
This photo is incredible and shows the ornate detail of the Stegmaier Brewery Lauter Tun. In a modern brewery the Lauter Ttun is an industrial functional piece of working equipment. Back in these days, it was more that than…MUCH more than that. Thanks Leo.
Stegmaier Brewery – The History Fermenting Tanks
Today’s photo shows the fermenting tanks at the old Stegmaier Brewery. There look to be about 6 or 8 tanks in the room and they appear to be all wood or wood-clad.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Our Seasons Best
As we approach the holiday season, I thought it would be nice to post up a holiday seasonal from Lion. Today we feature Our Seasons Best Special Edition Lager Beer. I love how the label includes details on the malt & hops and how simple the label design is. Cheers & Hoppy Holidays to everyone.
Lion Brewery – Advertising Fun Gibbons
Today we wander even further from beer labels into some Gibbons advertising. This one comes to us courtesy of jesskidden and it shows an print ad from 26 Sept 1952. The ad features the tag line “The Proof is in the Taste"—Best-liked Beer in town because Gibbons is the best-tasting Beer! Have a Gibbons and Prove it to yourself! If it’s Gibbons it’s always Good—The Lion Inc. Gibbons brewery Wilkes-Barre”
Lion Brewery – Advertising Fun Liebotschaner Select
14 December 2009
Today we feature another cool Liebotschaner Select advertising card. The advertising tag line reads, “America’s Finest Munich Type Beer…and old world “Munich Type” beer brewed of imported hops, one hundred percent barley malts and utilizing the crystal clear waters of the beautiful Pocono Mountain region of Pennsylvania.” It’s mellow flavor is savored by discerning beer drinkers everywhere.”
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Lion Beer
13 December 2009
What label says Lion Brewery MORE than Lion Beer? Here we have the classic green Lion Beer label. I suspect this is a mid 1930’s vintage label, but please correct me. The label does carry a 1933 copyright and IRS tax label and PA permit.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Blue Hen Beer
And so the label fun continues….I present for you Blue Hen Beer…this looks fairly recent and I just love the little hen standing on the soldier’s shoulder. Nothing says beer like a hen ;)
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Latina
11 December 2009
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Stegmaier Golden Nuggets
09 December 2009
Nothing says fun like Golden Nuggets. Of course I’ll keep this on the up-and-up and avoid the easy jokes…all I want to know is, where is Crystal Lake?
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Boardy Barn brew
07 December 2009
And the Lion label beat goes on….Today’s label is the Boardy Barn Brew…correct that…it’s the “World Famous Boardy Barn Brew Fine Lager Beer.” This is apparently a bar in the Hampton’s in New York and I love the “Take the Party Home” slogan….I guess they don’t realize “home” is Wilkes-Barre, PA.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Hope Oktoberfest
05 December 2009
I know we’re pushing toward Xmas, but why not have a little Hope Oktoberfest beer?
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Kappy's
03 December 2009
How about a little Kappy’s ?!…Premium Quality Beer…Pocono Brewing Company and it has the government warning label. So who was Kappy?
Lion Brewery – Label Fun (Sort of)
02 December 2009
Here’s a reader contribution (Thank Jeff)—dated Dec 1959. It’s not exactly a label, but cool nonetheless. Look closely….woof!
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Bartels Extra Light
01 December 2009
This may (or may not) be our last Professor Bartel’s label in the bunch…guess we’ll see. Of interest in this one is that the label says Edwardsville, PA (not Wilkes-Barre). I present to you Bartel’s Extra Light beer. I also remind you to submit your labels…we’ve been running this series one label every other day since Sept and here we are in Dec with no end in sight.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Bartels
29 November 2009
Call me on this one if you’d like, but even the professor will agree that this is a label we have not posted yet….it’s subtle, but different.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Bartels Bock
27 November 2009
Who knew the professor did a Bock beer? I present Bartel’s Bock Beer (with reputation old).
Lion Brewery - The End of 16oz Returnable Production (The Movie)
25 November 2009
I put together a quick movie so you can all experience what the Lion Brewery soaker machine and bottling lines are like in action and so you can all get a peek at the last day of 16oz returnable bottle production at Lion Brewery. As I said Monday, this is a very historical event and one I'm excited to be a part of. Thanks again guys!
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Bartels Ale
Since everyone loves the Professor, let’s hit a few Bartel’s labels in a row….in no particular order…
Lion Brewery to End 16oz Returnable Production
23 November 2009
I was lucky enough to be invited down this afternoon to witness the end of an era at Lion Brewery. As of the end of today’s production schedule, Lion is ceasing the use of 16oz returnable bottles. It was exciting to see the last batch of bottles going through the soaker, and the last batch of bottles being filled with Stoney’s Beer. It’s always an amazing trip inside the Lion Brewery, but I was lucky enough to see the soaker in action. As Darel put it, the soaker is an amazing Rube Godberg-type machine that cleans bottles, removes old labels and prepares them for filling. This machine is the size of a house and has been in action since 1964 at the Lion. It was incredible to witness the giant gears, shafts and arms as the soaker swallows empty bottles and kicks out sparkling clean bottles.
After today, the Lion will begin bottling in 12oz non-returnable bottles. The soaker will eventually be removed, the line changed and even a building addition will be added to allow Lion to implement a canning line in the future, so stay tuned for details on that.
The photos below show 1) The used bottles being organized to go into the soaker, 2) The bottles being loaded into the soaker chains, 3) the bottles entering the soaker, 4) The clean bottles exiting the soaker, 5) the back of the filling line before the pasteurizer, and 6) the bottling lines running the last of the 16oz returnables-- Stoney’s Beer.
Returnable bottles go way back for the Lion Brewery so it is certainly a historical day for local brewing. Thank you to Darel and the rest of the guys at Lion for inviting me down to witness it for myself.
**As an added bonus…be SURE to tune in tomorrow for some more exciting news from Lion.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Jersey lager
Yes it’s Premium Jersey Lager Beer…another label I had not heard of. Am I the only one amazed at how many brews have come out of Lion? Am I the only one amazed there no one (except perhaps my feeble attempt) has compiled these into some sort of retrospective? I’m betting I’ve only hit a small percentage of the labels.
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Lion Brewery – Label Fun Bunkerhill Lager
21 November 2009
Who could forget BunkerHill….OK I’ll admits I would have had to have heard of Bunkerhill to forget it…but I didn’t forget to include it here.
Loin Brewery – Label Fun Commonwealth Boston Blonde Ale
19 November 2009
Here’s yet another I had never heard of. Commonwealth Boston Blonde Ale!
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Stegmaier 1857
17 November 2009
We continue to plow forward with some great Lion Brewery Labels. Here’s one we missed….Stegmaier 1857 Dry…and I’m SURE There are SO MANY MORE out there we have missed….keep ‘em coming.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Hope Christmas Ale
15 November 2009
As we head down the holiday highway, I thought I’d post up one I know Leo will remember…Hope Christmas Ale.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Stoudt's Gold
14 November 2009
I couldn’t resist just one more recent contract brew from Lion….Stoudt’s Gold.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Stoudt's Fest
13 November 2009
So we’ve started to run out of labels, so I thought I’d wander a little to the Stoudt’s Fest, which was of course contract brewed @ Lion Brewery for a little while.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Stegmaier
11 November 2009
I KNOW there are a LOT more labels out there from Lion Brewery that we haven’t published, so please join in. There are tons of contract brews, odd labels and other products…so please send in pictures or suggestions. I thought I’d return to the classic Stegmaier Gold Medal Beer foil label.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun LionsHead
10 November 2009
By request and popular demand….Lionshead!
Lion Brewery – Label Fun 1857 Premium
09 November 2009
I’ve inadvertently wandered into more current labels, so why not post up the 1857 Premium Lager label.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Brewery Hill Raspbery Red
07 November 2009
Unless I missed one, this should be the last Brewery Hill label…Brewery Hill Raspberry Red.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Brewery Hill Pocono Pilsner
05 November 2009
I swear we’re ALMOST done with the Brewery Hill labels…Brewery Hill Pocono Pilsner.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Brewery Hill Pale Ale
03 November 2009
Yes it’s ANOTHER Brewery Hill label….Brewery Hill Pale Ale.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Brewery Hill Black & Tan
01 November 2009
As long as we’re cranking out Brewery Hill beers, why not Brewery Hill Black & Tan.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Brewery Hill Carmel Porter
30 October 2009
I’ll admit that this is perhaps one of my favorite all time Lion brews….I present for your enjoyment, Brewery Hill Carmel Porter.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Red Baron
26 October 2009
Here’s one I’ve been trying to track down, and finally found it. I present the rare Red Baron Cherry-Flavored Beer!
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Gibbons Porter
24 October 2009
Here’s another beer that I wasn’t aware of, and one I’m very curious to hear more about. Gibbons Premium Quality Porter.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Gibbons
As long as we’re riding the Gibbons train, why not post another Gibbons label. Today I present Gibbons Premium Quality Ale. This is the 1950’s versions of the label and I think it’s a really cool looking label.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Stegmaier's Ale
20 October 2009
Here’s a favorite label of mine coming to us from the 1940’s, Stegmaier’s Ale!
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Liebotschaner Select Beer
18 October 2009
I know we just mentioned Lieb, but why not do it again, especially if it’s a different label. Liebotschaner Select Beer! This one comes to us from the 1960’s.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Bartel's Porter
16 October 2009
I just checked and we’ve been doing the Lion Brewery label fun for over a month…so why not revisit our favorite professor. Today’s label is Bartel’s Porter…with reputation old.
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Gibbons
14 October 2009
Here’s one I remember from my childhood. No not from drinking it but from seeing advertising everywhere. I present to you Gibbons…or as it’s better know…G-I-B-B-O-N-S..pure refreshing Gibbons, that’s why Gibbon’s is good so next time you should say Gimme Gimme Gimme Gimme Gibbons!
Lion Brewery – Label Fun Liebotschaner Cream Ale
12 October 2009
A perennial favorite and a beer that promises to make a re-appearance very soon. Liebotschaner Cream Ale.