A STRANGE BREW STORY: BEER NEARS FOAMY FATE

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania wants to destroy four-and-a-half barrels of Milwaukee’s Best Beer, a half barrel of Rolling Rock and two half barrels of Keystone, confiscated at a party in 1999.

The brew’s demise is being sought by Assistant District Attorney Sherri Stephan of the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office.

Before destroying the beer, however, the law mandates the sovereign state must own it, so Stephan filed a suit – intriguingly captioned “Commonwealth of Pennsylvania versus Four Barrels of Milwaukee” – last week.

Questioned about this seemingly one-sided contest, Stephan strenuously denied that she and the others in the DA’s office had personal designs on the beer.

She smiled, then explained seriously, “We have to get ownership. It’s contraband now in the state police warehouse, and they have to clear things out.” That’s why she has filed a “forfeiture and destroy” order.

The brew was seized on Oct. 23, 1999, at an outdoor Halloween party near a home on Turkey Hill Road in Hamilton Township.

The party’s organizer, Steven David Lutjens, 24, was charging guests $5 each.

After reading a flyer promotion the party, state Troopers Chris King and Chris Moore, in party disguise, attended. They paid $5 each and, according to the police report, “troopers King and Moore helped themselves to plastic cup of beer.”

Bringing matters to a head, Pennsylvania Liquor Control agents and uniformed state troopers swooped down and broke up the party. Three underage drinkers were ticketed, and Lutjens was charged with selling alcohol without a license.

Lutjens, who had a clear record before ill-fated blast, pleaded that he did not know he was violating the law by charging for the beer and a band.

Public Defender Michael A. Ventrella said Lutjens’ record is now cleared because he has completed a sentence of accelerated rehabilitation.

By law, Stephen explained, Lutjens must demonstrate “he lawfully controls the liquor” in order to reclaim the beer.

Lutjens could not be reached, but a local beer dealer said Tuesday that unless the beer has been refrigerated for the last 18 months, no one is likely to want to drink it.