Beer and college football are a modern day tradition but anything with the name Joe Paterno at this point in history tends to come some controversy….
via triblive.com:
Now Jay Paterno, who coached as an assistant at his father’s side for 17 years, has joined forces with Upper St. Clair lawyer Mark Dudash, a 14-year veteran of the brewing industry, to start the Paterno Legacy Series of beer.
The brew, a premium American lager available in 12-ounce cans, is set to roll off the production lines at Latrobe’s City Brewing Co. in cases and 12-packs in time for tailgating season.
Paterno said the Latrobe connection was a critical factor in gaining his mother’s endorsement of the project.
Sue Pohland Paterno grew up in Latrobe, and she and her husband were married there. Her father, architect August Pohland, did design work at the Latrobe brewery when the Tito family owned it.
“We took our time,” Dudash said.
“We wanted to get it right,” Paterno said.
Their partnership developed in the midst of a craft brewing explosion that helped craft brews — ranging from well-established brands, such as Samuel Adams, to small regional labels from contract brewers — claim 11 percent of the American beer market last year. According to the Brewer’s Association, there were 3,200 breweries and 4,500 brewery licenses active last year.
Dudash envisions a brew with the kind of staying power JoePa had: “This isn’t a can collector’s series. This is to build a brand. We’re originating it for football season, but if it is successful, it could go into taps or different kinds of beer.”
Dudash successfully revived the Duquesne Beer label five years ago when he began brewing a European-style pilsner at Latrobe.
The Paterno Legacy will be a different beer, Dudash said. Its production is set to begin in late July.
To date, the partners have signed deals with four wholesalers: Erie Beer in Erie, Mahoning Beer Distributors in Punxsutawney, Voelker’s Beer Distributing in Danville, and W.R. Hickey Beer Distributor in State College. They hope to distribute an initial 7,000 cases across Pennsylvania this fall.
The price, Dudash said, will “probably be right around all the premium American lagers.”
Jay Paterno envisions “the kind of beer my dad would have had around the house,” he said. “I think he’d say it sounds like it could be some fun. Of course, if it had his picture on it, he’d probably say, ‘Get it out of the house.’ ”
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