mybeerbuzz - Wilkes-Barre Brewing History : Blog Title the same as above

Lion Brewery – Label Fun Bartels

29 November 2009

LionBartelsGoldLabel 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

LionBartelsBockLabel 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

LionBartelsOldLabel 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

LionJerseyLabel 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.

Lion Brewery – Label Fun Bunkerhill Lager

21 November 2009

LionBunkerhillLabel 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

LionCommonwealthLabel Here’s yet another I had never heard of. Commonwealth Boston Blonde Ale!

Lion Brewery – Label Fun Stegmaier 1857

17 November 2009

LionSteg1857DryLabel 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

LionHopXmasLabel 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

LionStoudstGoldLabel 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

LionStoudtsFestLabel 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

LionStegGoldMedalNewLabel 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.