Oregon Daily
THURSDAY, JUNE 24. 1993
Major brewers entering
specialty beer markets
j Microbreweries’ success
has inspired national
brands to diversify offerings
PORTLAND I AH) — Allhough small
specialty brewers have tapped only a tiny
fraction of the American beer market,
their rapid growth in recent years is
prompting large breweries to offer new
products to compete.
"There seems to be n real growth and
interest in these more flavorful and full
bodied beers." said Ron Richards, a
spokesman for the Miller Brewing Co., in
Milwaukee.
Miller introduced Miller Reserve
Amber Ale this spring lo compete with
specialty beers brewed by small brew
eries and brewpubs
"Every one of the big guys art- gearing
up so-called speciality beers." said Kurt
Widmer, the president and master brtnv
er of the Widmer Brewing Co. in Port
land. one of the many small breweries in
the Ireer-rich Pacific Northwest
Specialty or craft beers are usually
stronger-flavored and darker than con
ventional American beers. They are
brewed with more costly ingredients, and
command higher wholesale and retail
prices.
Drinkers ot the small brewers products
sa\ the extra t ost is worth it.
"It's just better than Budweiser." said
Ted Walton. ifi. who was drinking a Fall
Sail Amber Ale "It's much fuller tasting
than regular l>t*er. Even though it's more
expensive, you get more for your money
A retired Scottish police officer on
vacation in Portland also praised the local
brews.
"That's more like a beer." Bill Ander
son said while savoring a Widmer
Hefeweizen. a thick, cloudy brew that is
markedly different from most American
beer.
"No disrespet t to most American lasers,
hut I fimi them very light I enjoy a pint
with o hit of body in it. This has got a bit
of texture to it."
Speciality t>eers are the fastest-growing
segment of the l»*er market.
Beer production at small breweries
increased from 491..194 barrels m 1990 to
1.2 million barrels in 1992, at < ording to
the Institute For Brew mg Studies in Boul
der. Colo., which tracks i raft brewing in
the United States and C-annda
During the same period, overall beer
production in the United Stales
decreased from a high of 194 H million
Imrrels in 1990 to 191.5 million barrels in
1992. said Benj Steinman. exec utive edi
tor of Beer Marketer's Insights, a beer
industry trade journal
Regional breweries such as Widmer.
the Full Sail Browing Co. in Hood River,
and the Redhook Ale Brewery in Seattle
have grown rapidly in recent years, and
many are building new breweries or
expanding their existing operations
"The microhrewers used to get a lot of
the ink. but now they're starting to matter
in the marketplace." Steinman said
That has led major brewers to fcx us on
the small hut explosive specialty market,
whit h made up only O.fi percent of the
total market last year w ith sales of Sf>14
million.
The Institute F'or Brewing Studies pre
dicts that specially beer sales will grow to
more than SI billion this year
Turn to BEER, Page 4
Hard hittin’
1 PfHAO tff forn*t*4
Jimmy Woodworth of Beaverton High School carries the ball during
a scrimmage at the Oregon Football Camp More than 470 high school
football players are spending the week honing their skills under the
direction of the University football staff
Eugene-Springfield gear up to fight gang-related crime
j Agencies want to
prevent the spread of
local gang violence
By Ed Carson
OtGQon Qa*iy B
School districts, law onforce
nutnt and other government
agencies from the Eugene*
Springfield urea, including the
University, said Wednesday that
they would work together to
raise community awareness and
implement a community gang
prevention and intervention
program.
Representatives from 11 agen
cies said they believe that by
taking preventive action now.
the Eugene-Springfield area t an
avoid the chronic gang violent u
afflicting Los Angeles, Seattle
and Portland
The various agencies said
strong action is needed now to
deal with increasing gang-relat
ed activity.
"We actually believe there is a
crisis in Eugene right now. We
can't wait any longer," said
Springfield Police Officer Debo
rah Gilmer.
l-aw enforcement officers
emphasized that they cannot
stop gangs by themselves
"Gangs are a community
problem, and we need to get
together to do what we can to
prevent additional violence in
our ((immunity," Gilmer said.
Law enforcement agencies
said that Eugene gang members
have been involved in such
criminal activities as burglaries,
illegal drugs, prostitution, rape
and murder.
To counter this rise in gang
related crime, law enforcement
agencies will target selected
gang members.
"We will lie as constitutional
ly miserable as we (.an be if
they're gang members." said
Lane County District Attorney
Doug Harcleroad.
The agencies have document
ed 100 gang members in the
Eugene-Springfield area
|an Ollvur. University assis
tant vice president lor insititu
tional affairs, said tfiu University
is not immune from the effec ts
of area gangs
"The safety of our rumpus is
directly related to the safety of
our community — you i an't
separate them." she soul. "We
have had an increase in gang
related activity and assaults in
the west-campus area.'*
No additional funding will lie
provided to these agencies to
expand and coordinate their
anti-gang efforts In fact, many
have seen budget cuts in recent
years Funding for gang preven
tion and intervention will come
from re-allocating existing finan
i wtl am) personnel rosourt es
Si IhwiI districts urn exploring
ways to provide information to
iit-risk children on tin* conse
quences and risks of becoming
involved
Thu agencies want to avoid
singling out minority youth, par
ticiilorly African-American and
Latinos, in their efforts to com
bat gangs. They say that gangs
come in all colors and combina
tions.
Ilarcleroad said that the way
to prevent young people from
wanting to join gangs is dear.
"If you keep kids in ui tivities
that are fun and exciting, they
won't join gangs. ”
WEATHER
Crank up the air conditioners
and break out the sun tea |ugs,
there will be mostly sunny skies
with temperatures in the 80s
through trie weekend
If you're stuck inside, check
out the Summer Fun photo
essay on pages 6 and 7 of this
issue.
FAST FOOD
AIRWAY HEIGHTS. Wash (AP) - A teenager who drive away in an i< e
rream truck Tuesday as Ihe driver was making his firs! delivery led polite
on a 15-mile chase before being captured. authorities said.
When officers caught up with the Dwyer’s Grand Ice Cream truck and
arrested the young driver, none of the tasty cargo was missing.
"I'm glad it's in one piece and there's still product on the truck," said
the truckdriver, Rich Shock.
Cars from three law enforcement agenices pursued the truck over bumpy
back roads starting in this suburb west of Spokane, authorities said. Chase
speeds didn't exceed 60 mph.
The teen was arrested for investigation of taking a vehicle without per
mission, reckless driving and attempting to elude police officers.
SPORTS
University junior track and field standout Kelly Blair has
been named to the first team (.TF Academic All-Amem a
squad as voted by the College Sports Information Directors of
Amenta.
Blair, who finished fourth in the heptathlon in last week's
IJSA/Mobil Outdoor Tati and Field Championships in
Kujrene after claiming the individual crow n at the NCAA meet
earlier this month in New Orleans, was one of 15 women cho
sen for the University Division at-large team after earning a
3.87 GPA in finance in her first four years at the University,
Blair is the first University sludenl/athlete to earn the award
since Bill Musgrave and Stepanie Kasperskj in 1<»90.