| Latrobe Brewing Company | |||||
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Latrobe Brewing Company viewed from Ligonier Street |
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| Location | Latrobe, Pennsylvania USA |
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| Owner(s) | City Brewing Company | ||||
| Year opened | 1893 | ||||
| Active beers | |||||
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Latrobe Brewing Company in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, founded in 1893, was one of the largest breweries in the United States and the maker of Rolling Rock beer. It was purchased by Labatt Brewing Company in 1987, which in turn was purchased in 1995 by the Belgian brewing conglomerate Interbrew, which merged into InBev in 2004.
In May 2006, InBev announced that it was selling the Rolling Rock brands to Anheuser-Busch, the largest brewer in the United States. This sale, however, excluded the Brewery,[1] leaving an uncertain future for the Latrobe brewery, which only continued producing the Rolling Rock Brands through July 31, when production was moved to an Anheuser-Busch facility in Newark, New Jersey.[2]
On June 21, 2006, InBev signed a letter of intent with City Brewing Company from LaCrosse, Wisconsin, "giving it exclusive rights for an undetermined time to negotiate a purchase of the plant." City Brewing currently operates the historic G. Heileman Brewery in LaCrosse.[3] However, with the sale of the plant still in limbo, the Latrobe Brewing Company plant officially shut down on July 31, 2006, and the plant sat idle.
In September 2006, City Brewing Company from LaCrosse, Wisconsin agreed to purchase the brewery [1].
In March 2007, the brewery reopened its doors and produced Samuel Adams. The Boston Beer Company signed a deal with the plant's current owners, City Brewing Company in April 2007 to produce beer in the plant. The Boston Beer Company had pledged $3 to 7 million dollars to upgrade the plant. It is estimated that 200,000 to 250,000 barrels of beer would be produced in the plant during the remainder of 2007.[4]
In late October 2008, City Brewery-Latrobe laid off 70 workers forcing a temporary shutdown, and has not brewed beer at the plant since November.[5] Boston Beer Co. has since moved their operations to an old Pabst brewery they purchased near Allentown, PA.[6] In May 2009, Iron City Brewing signed a deal with City Brewing Co to begin producing beer at the plant,[7] with brewing started in June and bottling/kegging production resumed in July, 2009.[8]
In July 2009 some Southampton brands (Double White, IPA, Altbier, Pumpkin, Imperial Porter) were moved to Latrobe from Lion Brewing.
In addition to Iron City Beer, City Brewing also produces Stoney's and Stoney's Light.
On December 8, 2009 City Brewing completed the installation of a can line and started canning in 12 and 16 ounce packages. A 24 ounce can line is expected to be completed in early 2010.