Ohio Brew Week is for lovers? Well, for one couple it is.

Brooke Sheppard and Jesse Megenhardt, who reside in northern Kentucky, will be tying the knot on July 17 in Athens and treating their guests to the festivities of Ohio Brew Week.

The couple has been together since 2002, but said they really fell in love while attending Ohio University together. They both graduated as Bobcats in 2007. Sheppard works as a national sales recruiter for Total Quality Logistics and Megenhardt is a manufacturing engineering manager at Itron North America.

“We always tell people that we are college sweethearts just because that’s where we fell in love and really grew up,” Sheppard said.

Sheppard said that having their wedding in Athens was an easy choice. She is a graduate of Belpre High School and Megenhardt a graduate of Federal Hocking High School.

“Athens was a common choice,” said Megenhardt. He said Athens’ culture, atmosphere and environment made it a perfect place to attend college — and to get married.

The two will be married at Richland United Methodist Church with a reception following at Ohio University’s Baker Center.

“We wanted all of our friends from OU to be able to come and kind of have a reunion back in Athens since it’s been three years,” Sheppard said.

Sheppard said they were excited to find out that Ohio Brew Week coincided with their chosen wedding date.

“We knew that Brew Week would be close to our (wedding) date so we were really excited to hear that Brew Week was during the same time when the date came out,” Sheppard said. “We have a lot of out-of-town guests, including Ohio University alumni, so we opted for an early afternoon wedding and reception to cater to our guests. Our guests will have the opportunity to enjoy the Brew Week festivities and all that the city of Athens can offer afterwards.”

“I love beer,” Megenhardt laughed. “I love to taste and sample unique beers.”

Megenhardt said he was excited to offer his wedding guests the opportunity to try some of Ohio’s best craft beers.

“I can’t tell you how excited our guests are about our decision to have our wedding during Brew Week,” Sheppard said. “Not only do our guests get an opportunity to come back to campus and visit Athens, but they get to drink their favorite microbrew or craft beer while they’re at it.”

Megenhardt said this will be his second Brew Week and said he really enjoyed his first experience. His soon-to-be wife agreed.

“I have attended Brew Week in the past and it’s a really fun event,” Sheppard said. “I especially like Boogie on the Bricks that wraps up the week-long event. It’s a very upbeat, but casual event and I like how the community comes together to put such a great event on. I like trying craft beers, and having an opportunity to try ones from breweries across Ohio in one location makes it that much more convenient and fun.”

Ohio Brew Week kicks off next Sunday and wraps up with the Boogie on the Bricks celebration on Court Street on July 17. Craft beers from 26 Ohio breweries will be featured at 35 venues around town, and several thousand people are anticipated to visit Athens for the event. For information about Ohio Brew Week, visit www.ohiobrewweek.com.

http://sbrumfield@athensmessenger.com

Thurs., Aug. 5 -Entries Accepted including Wine & Beer
(except culinary) 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Fri., Aug. 6 -Entries Accepted including Wine & Beer
(except culinary) 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 7 - All Entries Accepted except Yeast & Pies
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 8 -ONLY Culinary and Beer Entries Accepted
9:00 – 11:30 a.m. – Class 200-217;
233-244; 246-257; 290-299; Judging of
Entries – Closed to public
Wed., Aug. 11 -ONLY Culinary Entries Accepted 9:00 –
10:00 a.m. Yeast and Pies; SPAM
Entries Accepted; Judging 1:00 p.m. (Class
268) 12:30 – 1:00 p.m.
- Fleischmann’s Yeast entries accepted (Class 269) 7:00 – 7:30 p.m. Judging 7:30 p.m.
Mon., Aug. 16 -Entry Pick Up – 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.4

CUYAHOGA COUNTY FAIR ENTRY FORMS

WE ARE HAVING A WINE TASTING SATURDAY
BECAUSE JEFF WOULD HAVE WANTED US TO.
Argentina is rapidly becoming a favorite wine producing country to the American palate. Well we are not going to let you down this time either. This week are welcoming back Andrew Moore of Wine Trends Distributor to introduce us to Norton Winery of Argentina. We will be pouring:

Norton Torrontes $9.99
Norton Sauvignon Blanc $9.99
Norton Malbec $9.99
Norton Cabernet $9.99
Norton Rsrv Malbec $17.99
Norton Cosechia Tardia (late harvest Chardonnay) $9.99

Great wines with great diversity. Come on down and enjoy a great wine tasting.

DATE: Saturday, June 19
TIME: 5:00 to 9:00 PM
COST: $7.00 (Credit Cards Accepted)

LOCATION - 12414 Mayfield Rd (next to our old store)

LITTLE ITALY HAS A NEW WEBSITE!

http://www.ClevelandLittleItaly.com
Please bookmark this new site.
Updates on all Little Italy events will be posted here!
Please go to our new website for announcements and details on all of our events. We have a Facebook page too: www.facebook.com/LittleItalyCleveland

We'll post the announcements here too.

ALL ITEMS 50% OFF AT THE OLD STORE !
Come by soon. We're almost out!

We're down to just a few more weeks. So hurry and get that great bargain. Please help us make the move easier. Our backs and wheel barrels will thank you.

STORE HOURS AT NEW LOCATION
12414 MAYFIELD ROAD (Next to our old location.)
Monday: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday - Thursday: 1:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Friday: Noon - 9:00 PM
Saturday: Noon - 10:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Same phone number 216-231-9463

See you at the store.
Matt Silvaggio

Ohio Brew Week Homebrew Competition

Saturday, July 10, 2010

The annual Ohio Brew Week Homebrew Competition will be held on Saturday, July 10, 2010 in Athens, Ohio.

Free hotel rooms will be available to BJCP judges on a first come first served basis. Please contact Jane Zalewski at jzalew@verizon.net for details about judging. Beer and judge registration information will follow shortly. There will be two rounds of judging, 9 am and 12:30 pm. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. For more information regarding the competition, please contact Jason Klein at kleinjc40@hotmail.com. The competition will include all styles as listed in the 2008 BJCP Beer Style Guidelines. Last year we had around 175 entries and we are hoping to build on that total this year.

The Homebrew Competition marks the beginning of the annual Ohio Brew Week Festival in Athens, Ohio which runs from July 10 to July 17. There are beer related events every day and a special guest speaker at this week long city celebration. Several blocks in the city are blocked off to provide room for tents with beer and food vendors. Live bands play each evening. You can enjoy more than 100 craft beers from 23 Ohio microbreweries. For more information, see www.ohiobrewweek.com.

.

We do not know when exactly the design change occurred, only that it drastically affects the ability of the bucket to stay together! The photo above shows what can happen when the bottom drops off.
The buckets we are referring to are the 7.8 US gallon size that are typically used for primary fermentation. Evidently, Ropak Can-Am Ltd., the manufacturer of the buckets, has recently changed their design of the bucket which causes the bucket to crack or split along the bottom seam.

Please understand - only some of the most recently made buckets have this flaw*. Earlier versions of the fermenting bucket had supporting ribs around the perimeter of the bottom to help hold the bottom together. The photo below shows a comparison of the two buckets side by side

.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which bucket is more sturdily built!

*The buckets in question were manufactured in July 2008. You can tell the date of manufacture by turning over the bucket and looking for the date "2008" stamped or printed inside a clock-like looking circle, with a line pointing towards the "7" on the clock. What we discovered is that the bucket usually develops small cracks along the bottom seam, that get longer and wider as time (and use) go by.

We at JW Dover recommend that you check the bottoms of your buckets to see which kind you have. If you have one of these buckets described above, and you purchased it from us, you can get a replacement from us if you bring the bucket into our store. If you have purchased one on line from us please follow the 2 steps below:

1.Document that you have an affected bucket by taking a digital photo or two of the bottom
2.Send the photos to Jerome at jwdover@aol.com along with your name and shipping address. If you know your order or invoice number, that would be a big help.
We'll verify your purchase, and follow up as soon as possible with a replacement bucket.

We would like to thank our distributor for helping us support our customers through this ordeal, even though the bucket was not manufactured by them and is not their responsibility.

The Better Business Bureau of Akron

The BBB serving Ashland, Medina, Portage, Richland, Summit & Wayne Counties

Hi everyone....
It is this time of the year already again! Just a reminder that we will provide the OP Aquavit for a very special toast Friday, October 9th at 12-noon, as we Scandinavian-Americans in the Greater Cleveland area come together for our annual salute to the first European to set foot on the North American continent, the great Viking explorer Leif Erikson! We shall gather at 11:45 am in the parking lot of Shooters, on the west bank of the Flats. Parking is free and secure. Following the toast, everyone is invited to have lunch together at Shooters. Past celebrations have proven that it is a grand opportunity for all of us to get together, and celebrate our Scandinavian roots. Others who endorse historical accuracy are also welcome to attend!! The Leif Erikson monument has stood at the base of the swing railroad bridge adjacent to Shooters since 2001, the millennium celebration of Erikson's historic voyage.This commemoration has been under the authority of a presidential degree, naming October 9th of each year a day to celebrate the contribution of Viking explorers, who landed in North America (roughly 400 years before Christopher Columbus was born). Please send this out to your own Viking email lists - spread the word - the more the merrier!! Please RSVP to furb1071@msn.com by Oct 5 so we can give Shooters a reasonable count. See you there Bengt Gerborg, President Swedish Cultural Society, Cleveland

Featured Country : SWEDEN

The Leif Ericson Viking Ship, Inc. in association with the Leif Ericson Society International, takes great pleasure in cordially inviting you to attend the annual observances that are held in commemoration of the first European to discover North America over 1000 years ago, Leif Ericson.

In 1964, the U.S. Congress, by joint resolution, declared October 9th as Leif Ericson Day. Since then, the Scandinavian community both in the Philadelphia area and all over North America, has held that day as a very special occasion. Note: This year we will be observing all ceremonies on Sunday, October 11th.

Each year, a featured Scandinavian country is chosen, and this year that honor belongs to Sweden. We are happy to announce that Consul General Alf Karlsson, from the Swedish Consulate in New York has been invited, as well as local U.S. Congressman Joe Sestak. In addition, invited guests include Consuls from all the Scandinavian countries and members of the local community business and government.

Join us at 12:00 p.m. at the annual Leif Ericson Day banquet. This year again, the luncheon will be held at
the Holiday Inn Select in Claymont, DE, with all the pomp and ceremony that befits this auspicious occasion. This is a great time to mingle with old friends, enjoy a good meal, listen to words from guest speakers, see our display of Viking artifacts, and hear news of our famous traveling Viking Ship "Norseman".

The next segment of our celebration begins at 2:30 p.m. at Market Square Memorial Park in Marcus Hook, PA. Come and see our replica Viking Ship "Norseman" and her crew on the banks of the Delaware River. At 3:00 p.m. there will be introductions of honored guests, as well as the reading of proclamations from the President of the United States, the Governor of Pennsylvania, and inspirational words from keynote speakers. At the conclusion of this ceremony, a wreath symbolizing the encampment at Vinland, will be dedicated in honor of the life and accomplishments of Leif Ericson.

We hope that you will mark your calendars and plan to attend one or both of our festivities, and bring a friend, a relative or a neighbor. This cultural observance is open to all nationalities, as we celebrate the historical fact that "Leif Landed First". After another successful event last year, we are very excited to continue with our new venue and location. Please visit our website at www.vikingship.org for all details.

Best regards,

Joe Jeantet

Joe Jeantet, Chairman

Leif Ericson Day 2009

The new study of sick bees disclosed fragments of ribosomal RNA in
their gut, an indication of damage to the ribosomes, which make
proteins necessary for life, according to a study in Tuesday's issue
of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

RNA, which is made from DNA, is central to protein production.

The sick bees suffered an unusually high number of infections with
viruses that attack the ribosome, the researchers from the University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the U.S. Department of Agriculture
reported.

"If your ribosome is compromised, then you can't respond to
pesticides, you can't respond to fungal infections or bacteria or
inadequate nutrition because the ribosome is central to the survival
of any organism. You need proteins to survive," May R. Berenbaum, head
of the department of entomology at Illinois, said in a statement.

The researchers said the varroa mite, which was accidentally
introduced to the U.S. in 1986, is a carrier of picorna-like viruses
that damage the ribosomes.

The mite may act as a tipping factor leading to ribosome breakdown,
the researchers said.

The study was funded by the Department of Agriculture.

[Related content: stocks, food and beverage, Anheuser-Busch, food prices, Michael Brush]
By Michael Brush
MSN Money
Faced with a deep recession and a terrible job market, more than a few hard-pressed Americans no doubt enjoy the simple pleasure of a cold one after a long day.

But the three biggest beer companies are serving up a little buzz kill with their brew.

Beer prices rose nearly 4% in the first half of the year, and big brewers say prices will keep going up this fall. They're up less than a dollar a case thus far, but it bucks the trend of a 1.5% overall decline in food and beverages prices this year.

And what's the extra dough paying for? Profit growth and pricier commodities used to make beer, the brewers say.

Oh, and at least one other thing: more-expensive executives, whose pay in many cases has nearly doubled over the last year.

Maybe they'll buy the next round.

Can you say bonanza?
Take the top executives at Anheuser-Busch InBev (AHBIY, news, msgs). While consumers shelled out more for their blue-collar Budweisers in the first half of this year, compensation for Bud execs advanced 92%. The top 13 executives made $73 million in the first half of 2009, or $5.6 million each, on average -- up from $38 million a year before.

And mind you, Anheuser-Busch InBev execs received a 79% pay increase in 2008, reminds Paul Hodgson of The Corporate Library, an independent corporate governance research firm. The increases are mainly due to gains from stock options and stock vesting.

Anheuser-Busch InBev top brass aren't the only beer execs getting in on the act. Molson Coors Brewing (TAP, news, msgs) chief Peter Swinburn got a 120% pay increase in 2008, to $6 million from $2.7 million the year before, according to company reports. And Boston Beer (SAM, news, msgs) chief Martin Roper saw his pay go up 28% last year to $2.75 million, according to company filings.

These pay increases for the beer-sector execs come at a time when executive pay has been going the other way. Median pay for CEOs of companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index ($INX) last year declined 8.7%, according to Equilar, an executive compensation research firm.

But the big beer companies say the pay increases make sense because their companies just got a lot bigger through mergers and joint ventures. Molson Coors has grown as a result of a joint venture that combined its U.S. operations with those of Britain-based SABMiller (SBMRY, news, msgs) into a new company called MillerCoors. And of course, Belgian company InBev created an international beer monster last year when it bought Anheuser-Busch and created Anheuser-Busch InBev.

Beer companies also say their execs deserve more because they are hitting higher performance targets. These are the profit gains that bring beer lovers pain -- because they translate to higher prices.

The price increases
In the first half of the year, beer prices in the U.S. went up 3.7% overall, according to beer expert Ben Steinman of Beer Marketers Insights. And beer companies said last week that more increases are on the way.

"We plan on taking price increases on a majority of volume and in a majority of markets this fall," says an Anheuser-Busch spokesman. MillerCoors says it will also raise prices on some products. At least one producer of pricier imports, Heineken, has similar plans.

Beer companies say they have to raise beer prices because they're still catching up with big increases in commodity prices over the last several years. "You can't take beer up $2 a case (at once)," says Harry Schuhmacher of Beer Business Daily. "It would be too much of a shock to the consumer. So beer went up way less than the costs went up for the last five years, and the beer companies just ate the difference. Now they are trying to get some of that back."

The power to raise prices without hurting sales is rare in a recession. But these companies seem convinced you'll put your beer goggles on and keep buying.

Recessions may make people want more beer, says a study from Mintel, a consumer research company. The theory: Beer drinkers crack open more brews during downturns as a form of escape, and also because they're forced to spend more time at home. Plus wine drinkers "trade down" to beer.

The beer companies are also taking dead aim at consumers trying to save a buck in the recession. During hard times, you'd expect people to switch from relatively costlier domestic brands, such as Bud Light, Coors Light or Budweiser, which go for around $17.60 a case on average, according to Information Resources, a consumer research firm.

That's exactly what's happening during this recession. Consumers have been turning to cheaper brands like Natural Light and Busch Light from Anheuser-Busch, and Keystone Light and Miller High Life from MillerCoors. These beers cost around $12-$14 a case on average, Information Resources says.

Because that's where the demand is going, that's where the beer companies are charging more. The cheaper brands listed above are all up 4% to 5% this year, says Information Resources. Pabst Blue Ribbon, another low-priced beer, is up 6.74% in the first half of the year. In contrast, Bud Light, Coors Light and other premium brands are up less than 3%, Information Resources says. The companies "are attempting to reduce trade-down, and if there is trade-down, at least it will be to a higher price," explains Steinman.

Of course, this price wrangling is made easier because just three beer companies -- Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors and Pabst Brewing -- control 95% of the U.S. beer market.

The price increases are having their desired impact on the bottom lines. Molson Coors saw earnings advance 20% in the second quarter to $205.4 million, or $1.11 a share, even though it shipped 3.2% less beer. Price increases, along with cost cutting, explain this feat.

Likewise, at Anheuser-Busch InBev revenue advanced 2.9% in the first half of this year even though the amount of beer sold slipped 0.4%. Price increases, cost cutting and one-off savings on pensions following the merger helped the company boost profits 53% to $1.92 billion from $1.25 billion the year before.

For investors, though, even this pricing power doesn't necessarily make the stocks a buy.

"Beer is a big, mature industry. It averages 1% growth a year in most years," says Steinman, of Beer Marketers Insights. And earlier this decade, volume growth was flat because hard liquor was taking market share, he says. That trend could return once the recession ends and people have more money.

Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs Group analysts do have "buy" ratings on Molson Coors because it looks cheap and because of expected continued cost savings in the U.S., which it can pass on to investors, if not consumers. But Carlos Laboy at Credit Suisse has a neutral rating on the stock, citing market-share losses in Canada and market weakness in the United Kingdom.

Deutsche Bank analyst Andrew Kieley likes Boston Beer, in part because a new plant in Lehigh, Pa., should help reduce costs and boost margins. But it looks like investors are already pricing this in. Kieley has a "hold" rating on this stock because, at $39.50, it trades above his 12-month price target of $39.

Goldman Sachs analyst Javier Gonzalez Lastra has a "neutral" rating on Anheuser-Busch InBev in part because of rising financing costs.

And if it's any consolation for you beer drinkers, beer company workers -- if not their execs -- are sharing your pain.

To reduce costs, Molson Coors has been cutting back on what any beer drinker would think of as a golden perk: free beer for life in retirement. And you thought the higher prices hurt.

At the time of publication, Michael Brush did not own or control shares of any company mentioned in this column.

Correction: This column originally named an incorrect home country for InBev, the Belgian-based predecessor to Anheuser-Busch InBev (also based in Belgium).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JW Dover Inc Receives 2009 Best of Cleveland Award

U.S. Commerce Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement

WASHINGTON D.C., June 8, 2009 -- JW Dover Inc has been selected for the 2009 Best of Cleveland Award in the Beer Homebrewing Equipment & Supplies category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).

The USCA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2009 USCA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Commerce Association (USCA)

U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S. Commerce Association

CONTACT:
U.S. Commerce Association
Email: PublicRelations@us-ca.org
URL: http://www.us-ca.org

Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors say they will raise prices.
Posted by Elizabeth Strott on Wednesday, August 26, 2009 8:37 AM

Beer drinkers, get ready to shell out more for a Bud: Anheuser-Busch InBev (AHBIY) is boosting the price of its brews. The increases will occur later this year and will cover "different price tiers," the company told The Wall Street Journal late Tuesday. "We do plan on taking prices up in the fall on the majority of our volume in the majority of the U.S.," Dave Peacock, president of Anheuser-Busch InBev's U.S. division, told the paper. "The environment is very favorable, we think."

Rival MillerCoors also plans price increases. "We have seen very strong pricing to date this year, and we are projecting a favorable pricing environment moving forward," Brad Schwartz, the vice president of revenue management and sales development at MillerCoors, told the Journal. MillerCoors is a joint venture of Molson Coors (TAP) and SABMiller (SBMRF).

Neither company said how big the price increases would be. Beer prices in the U.S. have been rising despite the recession. In July, the price of beer, ale and other malt beverages sold for consumption at home had risen 4.6% from July 2008, according to the Labor Department's Consumer Price Index. The year before, prices rose 5.3%.

Meanwhile, distilled spirits rose 2%, and wine was up 1.6% in July. Consumer prices overall were down 2.1% in July, the biggest year-over-year drop since 1950.

Belgian InBev bought Anheuser-Busch last year.