> Genessee in the Eastern US, Carling Red Cap, Old Vienna, 
> O'Keefe Ale, Formosa Springs Lager in Canada.

My favorite beer story regarding one of the now-defunct local Pennsylvania
beers, Ortlieb's...  

The family-owned brewery had been in existence since long before the
prohibition, but by the late 1970's was nearing the end of its heyday. Joe
Ortlieb was under a lot of pressure from the marketing types to buoy the
company's sagging sales by jumping on the "light beer" bandwagon. But he
steadfastly refused, insisting that light beer was just watered down beer
and that he wouldn't compromise his product that way. Eventually Ortlieb
acquiesced, in his own unique way:  Ortlieb's Do-It-Yourself Light Beer.  It
was a six pack containing three bottles of beer and three bottles of water. 

The Ortlieb name carried on until last year, fourth-generation Henry Ortlieb
having resurrected it as a microbrewery/restaurant in Pottstown, PA (which
brewed much better beer than the original, I might add). Visiting the
microbrewery was a real step into brewing history, the walls covered with
vintage Ortliebs ads, photos, memorabilia, newspaper articles, etc.  Alas,
Henry Ortlieb was killed in a water accident while vacationing in Costa Rica
last year. The brewery was shuttered, and a century of Ortliebs brewing
history came to an end.

Fortunately our other "local" beer has fared much better - family-owned D.G.
Yuengling and Son, the United States' oldest brewery, which has grown from
its small roots in Pottsville, PA to become the nation's fifth largest
brewer. In much of Pennsylvania, Yuengling lager is so much a part of the
local culture that you don't even ask for it by name; it's referred to
simply as "lager."  If you walk into any corner bar and ask for a lager, the
bartender pours you a Yuengling. Many locals don't even know that a lager is
a brewing style; they think it's just a particular Yuengling beer.

Mandatory Vanagon content:  A friend of mine, a professional brewer, once
modified his Westy by replacing the city water inlet on the side with a
fully functional beer tap. Needless to say, it was a huge hit at festivals
that summer ... although I can't say I'd want to drive past a cop with a
beer tap protruding from the side of my Westy. ;-)

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  www.busdepot.com
  (215)  234-VWVW

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