Ireland: Brian Cowen - the first finance minister in the world to have a beer named after him
Brian Cowen may be the first finance minister in the world to have a beer named after him after he supported changes that would favour smaller brewers, RTE Business posted on May 12. "Brian's Brew" - created by the Irish Craft Brewers' Guild - was made for the minister after he promised tax changes to give smaller brewers a boost.
The guild did not say what kind of beer would be, but the minister is believed to drink stout.
Cowen has offered tax breaks to microbreweries - small operations producing hand-crafted drinks - to encourage investment, lift employment and spur competition.
The Irish Craft Brewers' Guild said the measure could generate Ђ8-Ђ12m in Exchequer returns and create 1,200 jobs.
14 May, 2005
