The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-22
ENOUGH BEER TO
LAST TO JULY 1,
Brewers Contradict Feigen-
span, Saying Reserves Will
Meet Consumption.
ALE SUPPLY FALLS FAST
Weather Will Be Large Fac
tor in Determining Rate
of Depletion.
ALE SUPPLY FALLS FAST

The fear OF Christian W. Feigen-
Brewers Association, that the whole
country will have to slake its thirst
with whskey for two months after
May /. and that New York and nearby
States will be restricted to whiskey as
early as April l because all the beer
will have been consumed by that time,
Is not justified, SO far as New York is
concerned. by reports from the brew
ers OF this city.
Some of the small breweries already
have sold all the stock of beer which
they accumulated before December l.,
when manufacture stopped, and some
of the large ones are approaching the
bottom of the crib, but enough brewers
the public against absolutely beerless
days and nights until the lid really
snaps shut on July l.
Price Sure to Rise.
The price is bound TO rise. however,
as soon as the President signs the new
revenue law taxing beer 50 a barrel and
undoubtedly will rise again from time &c
time as the supply Of the beverage
shrinks. Meanwhile the concoction oi
near beer is again permitted, and al
though many connoisseurs Of the rea
article do not like 1t some of them will
swig 1t rather than whiskey.
Mr.. Feigenspan. however, repeated
his statement last night, and declared
that II was a safe bet that the ma
top would be beerless by May /, He
also said that many breweries-soms
OF them large concerns-which in nor
NAL times sell 100000 barrels OF beei
annually. have closed because theil
stocks were exhausted. He expects
brewers in New York and elsewhere tC
follow the plan OF. the Newark brewer!
end pool their stocks so each firm ma!
renal IN N business as long as possible
with some OF the biggest breweriei
!. in the country shut down 1t means tina
the stock OF other plants will go in NJ
time" said Mr.. Feigenspan y am Ger
tain that the East will be beerless Apri
10 unless the Presidential ban on brew
ing Is lifted. The brewers may thei
manufacture until May /. when the!
will have TO discontinue under the pro
hibition act.
BeerIess Period Threatened.
Unless the President lifts the ba
and allows the manufact cture of bee
soon the country will be without bee
for a short time, anyway. II takes frou
six to eight weeks to make beer it 70
consumption. 30 that IL the ban ism
lifted until the supply Is exhausted ther
will be a period when no beer will
| obtainable.
THE serious question that faces TN
country Is: What will happen when tn
beer gives out? VIII the beer .drinker
turn to wine? II all the beer drlnkin
. people started to drink wine all tn
wine in the country would be consume
overnight. There Is no doubt In m
mind that they will drink whiskey In
stead OF beer. and II they do there wi
be serious consequences. There Is n
! danger OF whiskey being exhausted. Th
, distillers have from five to eight year
stock on hand"
: Mr.. Feigenspan said on Thursday ths
the Newark brewers had agreed 10 po,
D their supplies so that each would stay
: business as long as possible and a
would go out together unless Congres
: repealed war time prohibition. No sue
n movement In afoot among the New Yor
brewers and judging from what the
g | said yesterday a pooling suggestio
l would not be welcomed.
= II looks as II ale drinkers will have
: turn TO something else long before Jul
I /. The embargo on importation OF u
Coatta;tcd on Fourth pc1e.