LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

It's always a pleasure to see someone doing well in the industry. That appreciation is enhanced when that someone is doing exceptionally well. Beer has been very, very good to the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico,CA. From its inception, Sierra Nevada has been a darling in the industry, one that everyone talks about with the intensity and passion of recalling an old girlfriend, a classic car, or favorite sports team.

My trip to Chico last month to visit Sierra Nevada was a memorable experience. In a year of reporting on public trading, regulatory petitions, and competitors' squabbling, it's a treat to be around people who are so focused on what they're doing that it doesn't matter what the competition is doing.

The Sierra Nevada team has a philosophy, in fact, of doing its job to the highest possible standards and not worrying about what competitors are up to. Do your best and the world will beat a path to your brewery. I wouldn't be the first person to acknowledge that fact, but it's a reality check to see at first hand why Sierra Nevada has received such media attention and consumer loyalty since they began in 1979. They're a class act.

Speaking of reality checks, we're starting a new feature this issue: reading tombstones in the brewery cemetery. This feature was suggested by a subscriber, Brian Hunt of Moonlight Brewing in Windsor, CA. Brian and I were on a radio interview show in Santa Rosa recently, and, after the program, we were sharing news in the parking lot..

"You're writing about all the guys who are doing well and have lots of financing," Brian said. "How about remembering those who didn't make it?" Brian had worked for a couple startup breweries in Northern California and knows of what he speaks.

Remembering failed ventures can serve as a sobering experience for those who see only blue skies. But brewing is no different from any other business; failure is an equal opportunity prospect for anyone who wants to take a chance at being an entrepreneur -- even in a hot industry like craft brewing. We'll treat the failed ventures with respect. We want to focus on why they failed, not gloat over their misfortunes.

THE HEILEMAN - STROH STORY

I was planning a story in this issue on the Stroh purchase of Heileman, which has already been extensively covered in the national media. Deadlines and a wealth of other information to report did not allow time to research the angle I wanted to take. I wanted to focus on how the acquisition will affect contract brewing. That's a major story, and there wasn't time or space to cover it. We'll be developing that subject for an in-depth story in months to some. It could result in a special series.