Penn Brewery on the North Side is looking for a new home.

Len Caric, president and chief executive officer of Penn Brewery, said yesterday the brewery and restaurant need to move by the end of February when the lease expires because the landlord has increased rent by 360 percent.

"We are committed to having a presence in Pittsburgh. This was very unfortunate, but it gives us no choice," Mr. Caric said.

He said the restaurant will remain open until the end of February. As for the brewery, he said, "We are producing beer currently. We will be packaging what's out of our tanks through the first part of January."

After that, beer still will continue to be produced through a co-packer, the Lion Brewery in Wilkes-Barre.

Mr. Caric is looking for a new Pittsburgh home for both the restaurant and the brewery.

Penn Brewery opened its current location in the 1980s in the former Eberhardt & Ober brewery buildings. According to the brewery's Web site, the Pennsylvania Brewing Co. was the first craft brewer in Pennsylvania.

Mr. Caric joined the brewery in July and became president and CEO on Sept. 17, about the same time the increased rent was announced.

Mr. Caric met with employees Friday to explain the situation. The company has 48 full- and part-time employees, including 10 who work in the brewery.

The landlord could not be reached yesterday for comment.