Baltimore Sun - New National Premium becoming a reality; owner gets original formula, unveils new logo

By Erik Maza
Baltimore Sun

The new owner of National Premium has overcome at least one hurdle before he has the beer in stores: he's gotten the original formula.

No one's had the original formula for Premium for quite some time. The closest facsimile is Heavy Seas' Classic Lager, which owner Hugh Sisson said is loosely based on the original Premium recipe, but differs in that its 100 percent malt where Premium wasn't.

Tim Miller, who bought the rights to National Premium last year, said he wouldn't move forward with the revival

unless he'd locked into the formula fans of the beer loved and remembered.

Since buying the trademark, he's been working with several of Premium's former brewers to come up with a formula that approximates the original.

In a press release this morning, he announced that he'd finally found it.

Next up, Miller has to find investors to fund the project, and contract brewers who might produce the beer for him. He said in the press release he's now in discussions with local and regional brewers and investors.

He maintains the beer will be ready for distribution by the start of the next baseball season in April.

Miller also unveiled today a new logo - pictured above - for the revived Premium that's inspired by the Maryland state seal.