CoasterFanatic Posted December 8, 2005 Share Posted December 8, 2005 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051207/ap_on_bi_ge/brewery_bankruptcy Pittsburgh Brewing Files for Bankruptcy Pittsburgh Brewing Co., the maker of Iron City Beer, filed for protection from creditors under federal bankruptcy regulations Wednesday after failing to pay $2.5 million in water and sewage bills. Pittsburgh Brewing, which employs about 250 people, will continue to operate while under Chapter 11 protection, said company attorney Robert O. Lampl. The company had defaulted on sewage treatment payments dating back to 1996 and had failed to pay current water and sewage bills — charges totaling about $2.5 million, said Holly Parada, a spokeswoman for the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority. On Monday, the authority issued a notice threatening to cut off water service if the company's obligations weren't met by the end of the day Tuesday. The bankruptcy filing prevents the agency from terminating water service, Parada said. The filing in federal court in Pittsburgh shows Pittsburgh Brewing has estimated assets of less than $10 million and debts of less than $10 million. The company has struggled to survive in recent years amid a declining beer market and tougher competition. It took the unusual step of trying to win a government bailout of its pension plan before seeking bankruptcy, and was awaiting a federal agency's decision on the matter. The company, which also makes I.C. Light beer, had agreed with the water authority to pay off the charges in installments. After meeting some of its obligations, the company eventually fell behind in its payments. "It was a buildup of some past debt, and even though the place is paying as it goes, it can't take on all the past debt on demand," Lampl said. The outstanding charges include about $2.3 million in unpaid sewage treatment bills from 1996 to 2004 and roughly $200,000 in water and sewage costs for this year, Parada said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhishyBrewer Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 Yeah... I was going to post this. Read it last nigt on the A-B employee website. My first thought was poor Ted with no Iron City and Heinz Field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingScooter Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 That bites. When beer company's start going under... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterFanatic Posted December 9, 2005 Author Share Posted December 9, 2005 I don't think they will ever be able to recover. Their popularity has been going down for years and people just don't have the local pride anymore. The best case scenario would be for Penn Brewery to buy their lovely facilities and start mass producing the finest German beers made in the US! Then everyone can see for themselves how good Penn Gold and Weizen really are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreatOne Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 Considering it seems like half of Pittsburgh has filed for bankruptcy in the past 30 years, it can't be too surprising. Outside of the nice part of downtown(and Kennywood), Pittsburgh is a depressing city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkTrips Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 Does Yuengling count as mass consumption beer? I've never had it but a good chunk of my family in SW PA drinks it... - Joe, who has the collection of the IC cans from the Steelers' Super Bowl Titles in the 70s, and a Pitt national championship one for good measure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhishyBrewer Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 Outside of the nice part of downtown(and Kennywood), Pittsburgh is a depressing city. I agree. Toledo and Pittsburg are like the armpits of America. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hattuchili Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 Thats so sad! I have no idea, what I would do, if there would be no longer some Beck´s beer! :? --Sören Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 Yeah I heard this on the news last night. A 2.5 million dollar sewage bill? :shock: I myself am not a IC fan. Most people in the city don't like it much anymore. I drink it when there is nothing else to drink. No offense just not really my taste. Sorry Ted, I feel for ya man. When I go to the pens game in January I will have an IC just as a memorial to the company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
major woodie Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 I'm drinking a St Pauli Girl right now. The label is better than the beer. I recently moved to St Louis from Oregon and am suffering from good beer withdrawal. While Oregon may have some of the best beer in the world, the midwest has many of the best coasters. Coasters and beer do go together, at least in my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N'at Man Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 I agree. Toledo and Pittsburg are like the armpits of America. Classy post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DorneyDude Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 Does Yuengling count as mass consumption beer? I've never had it but a good chunk of my family in SW PA drinks it... - Joe, who has the collection of the IC cans from the Steelers' Super Bowl Titles in the 70s, and a Pitt national championship one for good measure It would certianly qualify as a mass consuption beer in Pa. I believe they currently have 3 breweries (2 in Pa, 1 in Fl) and I wouldn't consider them a "Micro Brewery" but I'm not sure how far their distribution goes. I'd probably put them in the "Regional Brew" category. Yuengling Lager would probably be a decent replacment for Iron City. They are both Lawnmower beers, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ltp74 Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 Iron City is nasty and most Pittsburghers only drink it when they have no other choice and IC Light is one of the most vile things I have ever drank. Stoney's and Straub are the best when it comes to Western PA beers, Rolling Rock is ok but its funny when yuppies where I live now act like they are super cool when they order it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_rock401 Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 If you think Iron City Light is the nastiest stuff you've ever drank, have you bothered to consume a Red Dog? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhishyBrewer Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 have you bothered to consume a Red Dog? Quarter draft night at Louie's(Cedar Point). I never had so much gas in my life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterFanatic Posted December 13, 2005 Author Share Posted December 13, 2005 Iron City is nasty and most Pittsburghers only drink it when they have no other choice Iron City is a "Premium" beer. If you want to discuss things that are nasty, maybe you should have a go at their Old German label. Yuengling Lager would probably be a decent replacment for Iron City. I would definately accept Yuengling as a replacement. Just had a couple Lord Chesterfield Ales this past weekend and they aren't too bad at all. Trouble is ... you cannot buy Yuengling in WV at all. I don't know if it is some kind of law, but it doesn't exist. The distributors market Loyalanna as a replacement, but I have never been too fond. // Hamms is my personal worst Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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