Pennsylvania Breweries History: The Lion Brewery, Inc.
Pennsylvania has the richest tradition of brewing premium beers of
all the fifty states. At the turn of the century, more than two dozen
breweries were operated in the Northeastern Pennsylvania region alone!
The Luzerne County Brewing Company built a five-story brewhouse in 1901.
Shortly thereafter in 1933, Ted Smulowitz and Leo Schwartz purchased the
brewery and incorporated it as The Lion Brewery. Mr. Smulowitz (without
his partner Mr. Schwartz) produced a local favorite, Gibbons beer. The
Smulowitz family owned and operated the company until 1993 when it went
public. In January 1999, the Lion Brewery was bought
primarily by Charles Lawson, President and Chief Executive Officer, and
Patrick Belardi, Chief Financial Officer. The Lion Brewery is a privately
owned company brewing a wide variety of products. They not only brew beer,
but they also make several lines of soft drinks and non-alcoholic malt
beverages called Malta. The century old brewery does contract brewing
for other breweries that can not keep up with their own demand.
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