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The Times Leader timesleader.com
WILKES-BARRE, PA
OLYMPIC SHOWCASE
SUNDAY, JULY 29, 2012
A R E A B E E R C U LT U R E F L O U R I S H E S
We’ll drink to that
By MATT HUGHES mhughes@timesleader.com
DON CAREY/THE TIMES LEADER
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U.S. 3 SOUTH KOREA 1
INSIDE A NEWS: Local 3A Nation & World 5A Obituaries 8A, 9A B PEOPLE: Community News 2-6B, 9B, 11B Birthdays 8B C SPORTS: Outdoors 10C D BUSINESS: Stocks 3D E VIEWS: Editorials 3E
Bartender Kim Challenger inspects a freshly poured draft of craft beer last week at Elmer Sudds in Wilkes-Barre.
Local craft brews gain appreciative following Wilkes-Barre during a Friday happy hour. Both men discovered they prefer “hoppy” beers. And while Joe began drinking craft beers about four years ago, Frank, 60, also of Shickshinny, developed an eclectic taste for craft brews long before that. “I worked on the road for 23 years, so any city you went to, you drank their beer. If I was in Boston, it was Sam Adams. You drink with the locals,” Frank Buchalski said.
By STEVE MOCARSKY smocarsky@timesleader.com
Luzerne County’s love affair with locally brewed beer began in the 1850s, flourished for decades, survived a rocky spot during Prohibition and eventually waned, as romances often do. But in recent years, the county has seen that spark reignite as a new generation of craft brews has reawakened taste buds here and in communities across the nation. “Brewery numbers fell from 2,000 before Prohibition down to about 40 in the 1970s, and now there are about 2,000 again; I’m talking nationally,” said Ed Maier on a recent walk-through of Susquehanna Brewing Co. just outside Pittston in Jenkins Township. And several Luzerne County bars are taking advantage of the availability of local brews, ex-
BILL TARUTIS/FOR THE TIMES LEADER
Adjusting to changes
It was that growing interest in Susquehanna Brewing Co. President Ed Maier, left, and coowners Fred Maier and Mark Nobile stand inside their new brew- craft brews in the area and ery in Jenkins Township. changes in the national beer inpanding their beer selections over the last decade or so, and offering everything from golden lagers to India pale ales and chocolate stouts to porters.
dustry that led Maier and his “I like the different tastes,” 28- friend Mark Nobile to sell their year-old Joe Buchalski, of Shick- beer distributorships. They shinny, said as he and his dad, Frank, sipped some Stella Artois at the Arena Bar and Grill in See CULTURE, Page 12A
Our region’s history rich in suds
WEATHER Natalie Vincelli. Partly cloudy. Chance for rain, thunderstorms. High 82. Low 64. Details, Page 12C
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no lager beer here, son. Go to Philadelphia,’ because Philadelphia was an early brewing center in America,” Maier said. In Philadelphia, Stegmaier met John Reichard, who sent
CONGRESS
Barletta’s votes impact his portfolio Lawmaker from Hazleton says he doesn’t know what his financial adviser buys and sells. By MARK GUYDISH mguydish@timesleader.com
See HISTORY, Page 11A
See STOCKS, Page 6A
CLARK VAN ORDEN/THE TIMES LEADER
Old beer coasters, a bottle opener and a tip tray, items local breweries used to advertise, are part of a local brewery memorabilia collection at the Luzerne County Historical Society Museum.
said Fred Maier, co-owner of Susquehanna Brewing Co. and Stegmaier’s great-great-greatgrandson. “He actually landed in New York City and they said, ‘Sorry,
See SHOOTING, Page 2A
him to Northeastern Pennsylvania to brew beer with a lager yeast that was new to the country.
By STEVE MOCARSKY smocarsky@timesleader.com
JENKINS TWP. – WilkesBarre might be best known in the contemporary beer world as the site of The Lion Brewery, whose output is mostly on contract to other labels, but the city and several other municipalities in Luzerne County actually have a rich history in brewing. J. Fellows established the region’s first commercial brewery in Pittston in 1789, according to the Luzerne County Historical Society. But it was Charles Stegmaier who left an indelible mark on the local beer culture when he established a brewery in WilkesBarre in the mid 19th century. In 1849, Stegmaier immigrated to the United States, bringing lager beer-brewing technology with him from Germany,
HANOVER TWP. – Two men were shot near the entrance to the Hanover Village Apartments complex Saturday afternoon, according to Hanover Township police. Police said they responded at 1:27 p.m. to a report of a large fight with gunshots fired outside Building 1 of the complex. The two gunshot victims, identified by police as Khauri McPhail, 25, and Sean McPhail, 26, both of New York, had left the scene before police arrived. Police would not say whether the victims are related. Both men later arrived at the emergency room of Wilkes-Barre General Hospital and were later taken by ambulance to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township, where they were treated for gunshot wounds. Police said neither was taken to the General Hospital by ambulance. Geisinger spokesman Dave Jolley said Sean McPhail was treated
Do U.S. representatives vote on legislation that has the potential to impact their profits in the stock market? A Times Leader analysis Barletta shows that, in the case of Rep. Lou Barletta, RHazleton, the answer is yes. Financial disclosure forms of other area representatives – Tim Holden, D- St. Clair, and Tom Marino, R-Lycoming Township – show the two reported little or no stock investments, though Holden has come under fire in the past for supporting legislation that benefits businesses owned by a family friend and frequent campaign contributor. But Barletta’s portfolio is rich in stocks, particularly energy stocks, and many of those companies are potential beneficiaries of his frequent votes to roll back or simplify pollution regulations
Story of brewing in NEPA doesn’t begin and end with Steigmaier.
F ETC: Puzzles 2-3F G CLASSIFIED: 1G
2 hurt in Hanover Township shooting Pair treated at area hospitals after incident at Hanover Village Apartments complex.
LOCHTE WINS GOLD; PHELPS SHUT OUT Ryan Lochte strolled the deck of the Olympic Aquatics Centre with his gold medal for the 400meter individual medley. Michael Phelps? He was nowhere to be found. On a stunner in London, Michael Phelps lost to his American rival by more than 4 seconds Saturday. That’s not all: The winningest Olympian ever didn’t win any medal at all for the first time in a race of this magnitude since he was 15. Complete coverage of the Olympic Games begins on Page 1C.
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