A sad day in Latrobe, Pennsylvania

Yesterday was the last day for most workers at Rolling Rock’s Latrobe brewery.

In case you missed it, Anheuser Busch purchased the Rolling Rock brand from Belgium-based InBev SA and is moving all production to the Newark, New Jersey location.

Aficionados of craft beer would probably pass on Rolling Rock. It is, after all, an American pilsner and commits the grevious sin of using rice as an adjunct.

However, it was a regional brewer with a lot of personality. They painted their bottles when everyone else was using paper labels. Their commercials were quirky and amusing. And there was that mysterious “33″ on the back of every bottle. What was that about?

This unique American institution has now been moved from one mega-corporation into another. InBev’s keeping it in Latrobe allowed it to keep its personality, but now I think that’s in jeopardy. A shame, really.

According to several sources, the union has approved a contract from City Brewing (based in La Crosse, Wisconsin) which “hopes to start making beer and sports drinks at the Latrobe plant by January.”

Well, at least another smallish regional brewer will bring brewing back to the area.

Still, it’s the end of an era.