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.