This has been a much discussed topic lately, especially on Lew's blog. As a result I've been asking some questions of some of those @ Lion participating on mybeerbuzz and also some of my other contacts at Lion. Will Lion be brewing Liebotschaner Cream Ale again? Well I'm hapy to report that yes they are considering it but no, at this time they are still only discussing it and no decision has been made.So lets help Lion out...post your comments here and help them make the decision. I'll let Lion know what activity mybeerbuzz gets relative to Liebotschaner Cream Ale and maybe we can help them make a decision.
Update: This from Leo Orlandini @ Lion (check the comments for details):
One of the brewers from The Lion here! We appreciate all of your positive comments regarding Lieb. We just met this morning regarding the re-launch of Lieb. Everything looks favorable for the re-launch. I will keep you posted.
mybeerbuzz rocks and
ReplyDeleteLion you HAVE to brew Liebotschaner Cream Ale again!
I'll agree with both. It would be wonderful to taste Liebotschaner Cream Ale and I check mybeerbuzz.com several times a week, especially to see the local beer stuff.
ReplyDeleteRobert R (WB, PA)
Thank you both for joining in...
ReplyDeleteIs Lion even reading this? Do they even care what we think? I vote yes to brew it....I loved that beer.
ReplyDeleteJared
Jared...in order
ReplyDeleteYes and they should care. In all seriousness I know representatives of Lion are and will be reading this. As far as do they care, that's a little harder to quantify. They have agreed to participate on mybeerbuzz, so if that's any indication, I'd say they do care what the local beer community is saying. There's only one way to find out ....speak up NEPA Leibotschaner Lovers.
I'm in...it isn't my favorite Lion beer but its an old standby that I miss and would love to drink again. (Marty )
ReplyDeleteI still have a few precious bottles. I'd love to be able to enjoy them knowing i can get more and without the dread of knowing i'm drinking down history.
ReplyDeleteThe beer, er, ale is a masterpiece. Great taste and light and also reasonably priced. I've given it to many, many friends in a glass and their first reaction is "wow, that's good!"
Email the lion, let them know you like it and miss it and want it back. I think the brand has real niche potential-- every beer style retro and new has taken off. It's just a matter of time until cream ale does, like it once did. Lion can ride that crest.
Thanks for posting this and i full support it. I think those of us that love the brew, if it came back, would buy it even more than before and always keep it in the fridge (why not, it's not gonna break the bank) knowing how much it hurts when it's gone.
I'd like to see more draft presence along with that other chesnut stegmaier porter.
Long live Lieb!
Please brew this beer! This would be great!!
ReplyDeleteI would definitely buy it if they brewed it again. Although I would be grateful for a bottled version, having it available in kegs would be great too.
ReplyDeleteLion Brewing is a mybeerbuzz member...DO e-Mail them but please do comment here also. They will be reading this and I will be reminding them to check out the comments.
ReplyDeleteThere's something to be said to be faithful to your core customers, just like core customers being faithful to the old venerable brewery...
ReplyDeletewe want lieb!
I agree.
ReplyDeleteLocal beer community to Lion: Bring back the Leib!!
ReplyDeletejoe
Having heard other people on beeradvocate requesting it, I'd buy it to try it (and also to support the local brewery). Go Lion! (Can we please have the Summer Stock Lager back???)
ReplyDeleteOr how about Pocono caramel porter? YUM!
ReplyDeleteThe fact that anytime you mention liebotschaner on a blog it gets about 20 comments is telling enough. Check out lew's site there was a lot of activity.
I think some of us took Lieb for granite last time. We wont this time, we promise.
Carmel Porter was always a favorite of mine, although the last time I mentioned that beer to brewer Bob from Lion, he said no way to brewing it again.
ReplyDeleteLeib has had all sorts of comments here and on Lew's site...I agree a testament to strong local interest.
You bring it back and I'll buy it.
ReplyDeleteOne of the brewers from The Lion here! We appreciate all of your positive comments regarding Lieb.
ReplyDeleteWe just met this morning regarding the re-launch of Lieb. Everything looks favorable for the re-launch.
I will keep you posted.
Mr Orlandini joins us...Welcome Leo! Very exciting news. I appreciate the information and please DO keep us updated.
ReplyDeleteIt's no wonder i love the Lion, always did since about 1986.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely having a lieb or two from my stock this weekend to celebrate. It will be a happy moment, not a bittersweet one!
p.s. leo, it's ok to charge more, we'll pay it, but please consider keeping the ale the same, we loved it that way. and that classic retro label with the pilsner glass is too hip.
Can you rack some sixtels for me please? My home unit is getting really cranky about pouring some of this
ReplyDeleteMrs. beerbuzz & I will do the same tonight only with a Steg Oktoberfest instead (No Lieb's in our basement). We'll raise a glass and cross our fingers that everything works out. I'd agree with keeping the quality up regardless of price (although I'm sure they've worked out the cost alread as part of the investigation for re-launch). I'd also agree that keeping the old-time label as much in tact as possible would also be cool. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteI'll be curious to see if they rack it in full kegs and sixtels as well.....stay tuned.
ReplyDeleteIf it's of any interest to anyone...we've had 180 people read this thread today and over 220 since yesterday when I first posted it.
ReplyDeleteWe plan on bringing Lieb back in draft and in the bottle.
ReplyDeleteBTW, wait until you taste this years Holiday Warmer. We may even rack some off into some oak barrels and let them age for a while.
I might even get nuts and have a lieb/steg porter half and half.
ReplyDeleteWe should have a relaunch party soemwhere ultra hip like swoyersville
its good to know about it? where did you get that information?
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to try this year's warmer...and I'd vote YES to barrel aging some of the batch...might be a great beer to age and break some out at next year's Oktoberfest. Please keep us updated.
ReplyDeleteDid the recipe change for this years warmer?
I'll second the vote for the half-n-half...but you have to come up with a cool name for it. As far as where did I get the info excavator....Leo Orlandini is one of the long time master brewers @ Lion brewery...I suspect they let him in on the secret...
ReplyDeleteHey Leo, now that we have your ear, how about bringing back the professor on the label of bartels beer? He was an icon for, oh, about 100 years before he sadly disappeared.
ReplyDeleteThe professor says: There is none better
Clearly there's a desire here to support our local brewery. This is a good thing. Perhaps the Lion could let us know when one of its beers goes on tap somewhere new.
ReplyDeleteI have been working with Lion to help provide the local Lion-beer lovers with some insight as to where we can find their beers on tap locally.....stay tuned.
ReplyDeletestingo, that would be nice but in the meantime we seem to have some connected, communicable folks here we can let each other know, perhaps this website should have a page for lion tap handles that we could contribute to and reference.
ReplyDeletewell its nice to know that you have great hits here.
ReplyDeleteI will work with our sales team to try to keep everyone posted as to Lion draft handles in the local trade. Thanks for all of the support. The Lion cannot roar without your support. These are exciting times.
ReplyDeleteIt's alright. It's like Genny Cream Ale, a little better though.
ReplyDeleteThanks Leo...I've been working with a few of your co-workers @ Lion...I think it would be a great thing if we can start to post where Lion beers can be found locally on tap. I realize this is a moving target with the distributors in the middle, but I think if we combine the efforts of Lion and the efforts of the mybeerbuzz members, we can post on the Lion page a list of where Lion Brewery products are on tap locally at any given time. Personally, Steg Porter is a favorite, but I never seem to be able to find it on tap locally (except of course at the Lion Oktoberfest). I'd love to be able to find out who currently has Steg Porter, or Oktoberfest, or Holiday Warmer on tap. Very exciting...
ReplyDeleteCome on anon...in the words of Lloyd Bensten....I've had Genny Cream Ale, I've tasted Genny Cream Ale...and I'm happy to report Lieb is WAY better that Genny Cream Ale. I appreciate the opinion but Read the posts so far....
ReplyDeleteMarty's Blue Room in Nanticoke tends to have the current Stegmaier seasonal as well as at least one other Lion beer on tap whenever I've visited.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the beginning of our Lion-Local-List...
ReplyDeleteLeo you picked the best beer resource in PA to join in. Thanks to you and thanks to mybeerbuzz for connecting our beer community with our local brewer!
ReplyDeleteprof bartels - I agree, that there's a community willing to keep posting about the whereabouts of the Lion products. My point though, was to get the Lion involved as til now they seem to be unusually quiet when it comes to marketing their products.
ReplyDeleteAs long as were making some suggestions how about a Stegmaier variety pack for the holidays. Steg 150, porter, cream ale and a seaonsal?
ReplyDeleteNot a bad idea. Didn't there used to be a variety pack?
ReplyDeleteYes, we used to have a variety pack. The last time we did it the beer was in the wooden crates.
ReplyDeleteWow....I'm probably not that old...and I suspect retro-wooden crates would be pricey.
ReplyDeleteThe Lion was among the first (if not THE first) to do a sampler 12 pack, back about 1996. I was a distributor sales rep at the time, and we sold a bunch of them. They were labor-intensive to put together at the brewery, requiring individual cases of each style to be emptied by hand, two bottles at a time, into the 12 packs. Not sure if technology has progressed to the point where that can be done mechanically or not.
ReplyDeleteIt was not that long ago, right after our 100th Anniversary in 2005. Prior to that we had them in the glossy 12 pack battery box.
ReplyDeleteI thought I had seen these in the past....makes sense now. I'll bet it is still labor intensive to make.
ReplyDeleteJust curious, the menu for Chowning's Tavern in Williamsburg still lists Lieb on tap:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.colonialwilliamsburgresort.com/files/Gambols_Light_Fare.pdf
Perhaps the Lion is still making some Lieb?
Or the list (or beer) are hopelessly out of date.
ReplyDeleteI think a research trip to Williamsburg is in order. The food menu and the other beer choices certainly look inviting...
ReplyDeleteNot a bad idea...I did intend to call them today and ask, but my day took a turn to the busy side and I forgot.
ReplyDeleteI remember a Stegmaier variety pack from about 1990-- it had stegmaier porter, stegmaier 1857, stegmaier dry (seriously) and I believe steg light. I was always a bit surprised they went with light over gold medal.
ReplyDeleteThat was when the steg porter had the foil on the necks.
Wow Prof. Bartels....I actually remember that as well, although I assumed my memory of "dry" was inaccurate. Good call.
ReplyDeleteActually, it was Stegmaier 1857 Dry, and I believe Stegmaier 1857 Light, both short-lived brands. This variety pack was a full case containing four different six packs, and I'd guess that the professor's timeline is about right.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was 1857, 1857 Dry and 1857 Light and Porter in the variety case back then with the foil label.
ReplyDeleteA fun note. The Steg 1857 labels had a misspelling that got past all the proofreaders and went to print! The word "smoothness" was spelled "smoothess"!!!
"Smoothess"..very funny that no one caught it. I guess one could read that as a combination of "soothing" and "smoothness"...both good in a beer.
ReplyDeleteIt was around the same time that otto's oat bran beer was around. Maybe time to dig that one out again now with all of the favor oatmeal is getting.
ReplyDeleteAlso haven't seen my cousin from philadelphia in a few years, esslinger. There were two essential decisions: Cream ale or beer. If the answer was beer then it came down to: bartels, gibbons or esslinger.
And what was the answer when it came down to cream ale?
ReplyDeleteOH Lieb of course
ReplyDeleteThere used to be a Brewery Hill variety case too, no? Don't take this the wrong way, but I couldn't be happier that the BH line has gone away. The Cherry Wheat has my house record for 'longest time in residence at the back of the fridge'. I struggled to get through it, and couldn't bring myself to drink the last bottle. I think it was in the fridge for a year or more before I finally poured it down the drain.
ReplyDeleteThe good news is HOW FAR the Lion has come since then! All of the Steg seasonals have been great, and I look forward to the return of Liebotschaner, and more great things to come! Keep up the great work, Leo et al!
-Joe (not old, but old enough to remember Esslinger returnable bottles for < $10/cs ;)
Right on with the esslinger! I remember the big 4- steg gd, esslinger, bartels and gibbons all at $5.45 a case 16oz in returnable bottles circa late 80's.
ReplyDeleteFor me all fruit beer is bad, not just the lion's.
Has there been any progress on the return of Liebotschaner Cream Ale since last year?? I have been trying to figure out a way to get Kegs delivered to the Northern Virginia area since I first tasted the stuff in Wiliamsburg in 1993. No luck so far, not even in bottles!
ReplyDeleteNo update so far. The last I heard they were waiting on the packaging but that was some time ago.
ReplyDeleteI keep hearing that Liebotschaner Cream Ale is going to be re-launched and I certainly hope that it will be. Any news on this?
ReplyDeleteCheers
No news so far Alec but stay tuned....if I get any news from Leo I'll pass it on.
ReplyDelete