Saturday’s ad is for Bass Ale, from 1939. Bass Ale was one of the beers that helped push me away from the regional lagers I grew up drinking in Eastern Pennsylvania, and toward more flavorful beers. Jazz clubs in New York City in the late 1970s frequently carried Bass, and I really liked how different it tasted, compared to what I was used to. In this ad, again for the U.S. market, they’re showing the closing of the stock market in both the U.S. and England, but both are finishing their day with a bottle of Bass Ale.
Archives for September 2017
Beer Birthday: Alan Atha
Today is the 66th birthday of Alan Atha, former co-founder and brewmaster of Baeltane Brewing in the town I most recently lived in, Novato, California. I first met Alan when he was a nanobrewery in planning, and he’s taken the experimental spirit of homebrewing and transitioned beautifully to commercial brewing, while retaining the playful nature that makes so many of his beers interesting, and delicious, with names like The Frog That Ate the World Double IPA and Rumplestiltskin. Unfortunately, Baeltane closed last, and I’m not sure what Alan’s next move will be, beer-wise, but hoping we’ll learn something soon. Join me in wishing Alan a very happy birthday.
Alan, in a great photo by Mario Rubio.
Serving bread and beer. [Photo by Riggy.]
Joe Tucker, me and Alan at the Craft Beerd book release party in Petaluma.
[Note: first two photos purloined from Facebook]
Beer In Ads #2414: Great Stuff This Snow Train
Friday’s ad is for Bass Ale, from 1941. Bass Ale was one of the beers that helped push me away from the regional lagers I grew up drinking in Eastern Pennsylvania, and toward more flavorful beers. Jazz clubs in New York City in the late 1970s frequently carried Bass, and I really liked how different it tasted, compared to what I was used to. In this ad, another one from the “Great Stuff This Bass” series,” they’re also employing another regular character from this time period, “Bill Sticker,” who in this ad managed to put a banner on the side of a railroad passenger car of a “snow train” taking people into the mountains for skiing. The ad is also for an American audience, where I guess Bill is on his own working ski holiday.
Beer In Ads #2413: Fastest Time To Bass
Thursday’s ad is for Bass Ale, from 1938. Bass Ale was one of the beers that helped push me away from the regional lagers I grew up drinking in Eastern Pennsylvania, and toward more flavorful beers. Jazz clubs in New York City in the late 1970s frequently carried Bass, and I really liked how different it tasted, compared to what I was used to. In this ad, for the U.S. market, they’re depicting the fastest way to get a drink of Bass Ale. Specifically, they’re contrasting how long it takes to get to England (4 days by ship) versus going to your neighborhood bar (4 minutes) or your own refrigerator (4 seconds).
Beer In Ads #2412: Great Stuff This Bobby
Wednesday’s ad is for Bass Ale, from 1940. Bass Ale was one of the beers that helped push me away from the regional lagers I grew up drinking in Eastern Pennsylvania, and toward more flavorful beers. Jazz clubs in New York City in the late 1970s frequently carried Bass, and I really liked how different it tasted, compared to what I was used to. In this ad, another one from the “Great Stuff This Bass” series,” they’re also employing another regular character from this time period, “Bill Sticker,” who in this ad managed to put a banner on the bum of an English policeman.
Beer In Ads #2411: For A Tall Drink — Order Bass
Tuesday’s ad is for Bass Ale, from 1939. Bass Ale was one of the beers that helped push me away from the regional lagers I grew up drinking in Eastern Pennsylvania, and toward more flavorful beers. Jazz clubs in New York City in the late 1970s frequently carried Bass, and I really liked how different it tasted, compared to what I was used to. In this ad, for the U.S. market, they’re depicting American businessmen having returned from a trip to England recommending they drink Bass Ale. Although actually, they said it like so: “For A Tall Drink — Order Bass.” That’s certainly an odd way of putting it. I didn’t think “tall” was a qualitative statement of beer, but I may start using it that way. “Hey, that was a really tall thing to say.”
Beer In Ads #2410: Great Stuff This Boxing
Monday’s ad is for Bass Ale, from 1940. Bass Ale was one of the beers that helped push me away from the regional lagers I grew up drinking in Eastern Pennsylvania, and toward more flavorful beers. Jazz clubs in New York City in the late 1970s frequently carried Bass, and I really liked how different it tasted, compared to what I was used to. In this ad, another one from the “Great Stuff This Bass” series,” they’re also employing another regular character from this time period, “Bill Sticker,” who in this ad managed to put a banner on the back of one of the men in a boxing match. Really, the two boxers look tangled up so maybe the banner’s actually on both of them. I guess they’re so engrossed in pummeling each other that they didn’t notice?
Making A Mess (Of Commercial Success): Lite Beer Version
Today is the birthday of Shel Silverstein (September 25, 1930 – May 10, 1999). He “was an American poet, singer-songwriter, cartoonist, screenwriter, and author of children’s books. He styled himself as Uncle Shelby in some works. Translated into more than 30 languages, his books have sold over 20 million copies. He was the recipient of two Grammy Awards, as well as a Golden Globe and Academy Award nominee.” While he’s probably best known for his children’s books, he also created a number of works for adults, drawings for Playboy, poems, and songs, too.
One of his songs was recorded by folk singer Bob Gibson in 1995 and appeared on his album entitled “Makin’ A Mess: Bob Gibson Sings Shel Silverstein.” That song was called “Making a Mess (of Commercial Success).” It’s about the time he and a friend were extras on a television commercial for low-calorie light beer. I don’t know if the story’s true, but it’s pretty funny. Here are the lyrics:
“”There was me and Jack working Duval Street
singing our songs by the dock
When this TV director came looking for extras
said he needed our pretty faces right down the block
They were making some kind of commercial
About the beer we like here in Key West
And we had to do was go sit on a stool
and do what we really do best
He said they were paying a C-note
We really needed the bread
So we pointed our feet to that bar down the street
lit up like a Hollywood set
Now there were camera and cables on every table
and we were grinning from ear to ear
It was almost like stealin’ that’s how we were feelin’
when they passed ’round these big mugs of beer
They said “Now, boys, just try to act thirsty
and sit down here right at the bar
and just try to pretend that you’re out on a bender…”
I said Buddy we’re with you so far
They gave me the line “It’s less fillin'”
and Jack got the line “great taste”
and they yelled ‘rehearsal’ and we started acting
with beer foam all over our face
They yelled take 1 and filled up our glasses
Stuck a big busty blonde on my lap
Jack said “tastes great” and I said less filling
This acting stuff sure is a snap
Well I thought they would hand us an Oscar
when the director said “beautiful, kids”
“But can you give me more soul?”
I said hell, let her roll and they shouted take 2 and we did
Well those hot lights sure kept us sweatin’
and the beer got messed up with the lines
Jack said it tastes fillin’, I said gets you drunker
the director yells take 29!”
And here’s the song itself, sung by Bob Gibson:
Beer In Ads #2409: A Hop Merchant In 1777
Sunday’s ad is for Bass Ale, from 1926. Bass Ale was one of the beers that helped push me away from the regional lagers I grew up drinking in Eastern Pennsylvania, and toward more flavorful beers. Jazz clubs in New York City in the late 1970s frequently carried Bass, and I really liked how different it tasted, compared to what I was used to. In this ad, Bass makes the claim that by using lots of hops in their beer that they made the hop merchant a “man of substance,” which they insist we can clearly “see from his picture” here in this ad. While I know many fine hop merchants, most of whom are indeed men of substance, I’m not quite sure that being 100 feet tall is proof of anything. Or maybe it’s simply how well-dressed he is. If so, not sure that outfit exactly translates as impressive in the modern world.
Beer In Ads #2408: Great Stuff This Fishing
Saturday’s ad is for Bass Ale, from 1940. Bass Ale was one of the beers that helped push me away from the regional lagers I grew up drinking in Eastern Pennsylvania, and toward more flavorful beers. Jazz clubs in New York City in the late 1970s frequently carried Bass, and I really liked how different it tasted, compared to what I was used to. In this ad, another one from the “Great Stuff This Bass” series,” they’re also employing another regular character from this time period, “Bill Sticker,” who in this ad managed to put a banner on the back of man fishing on the bank of some body of water. He’d already had at least three bottles of Bass so that’s probably why he didn’t notice.