Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Historic Beer Birthday: Johann George Moerlein

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Today is the birthday of Johann George Moerlein, who went by “George” (June 8, 1852-August 31, 1891). He was the son of Christian Moerlein, who founded the Christian Moerlein Brewery in 1853, when his son was one year old. He later joined the firm and was the vice-president at the time of his untimely death at 39.

And while he was obviously involved in the family business for all of his life, he’s perhaps more well-known for something else.

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In 1884, he “got the idea to take a trip around the world. Ten days later he was on his way to traveling a total distance of 35,194 miles by railroad and steamer. Throughout his trip, Moerlein wrote letters documenting his journey which were published in the local papers, The Commercial Gazette and the Volksblatt. The Krebs Lithographing Company of Cincinnati created 110 color illustrations, chosen from a collection of over 800 original pictures gathered during Moerlein’s travels. In 1886 George Moerlein’s “A Trip Around the World” was published.”

George Moerlein (seated) in India.

While having little to with their brewery, the book is still fascinating. Here’s a few more of the illustrations from it:

Singapore.
Constantinople.
Japan.

Beer Birthday: Van Havig

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Today is the 55th birthday of Van Havig, co-founder and master brewer at Gigantic Brewing in Portland, Oregon. Van used to be the brewer at Rock Bottom in Portland, but left shortly after the merger between Rock Bottom and Gordon Biersch, when some offhand remarks got him the boot. That’s when I first became aware of met Van, when he brewed a beer called Ned Flanders for OBF, a Flanders red that was aged in five different kinds of barrels and then was blended back together. And this was back in 2006, long before sour beers became trendy. I remember enjoying the beer near the line for it and overhearing someone complaining about the beer, saying to a friend that it didn’t taste right and that something was wrong with it. Laughing to myself, that persuaded me it was a very bold choice of a beer to make for the festival, as there was clearly nothing else like it at OBF that year. I spent a morning with Van, Ben Love and John Harris, from Ecliptic Brewing, during OBF a few years ago as they brewed a collaboration together, which afforded me an opportunity to discover what a thoughtful, philosophical brewer Van is, and what a pleasure he is to share a beer with. Join me in wishing Van a very happy birthday.

Van and me the day after Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival last weekend.
Van and me at the Firestone Walker Invitational last year.
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Van, back in his Rock Bottom days, circa 2006.
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Van in the Gigantic brewery.
During a collaboration brew at Gigantic a few years ago during OBF, with John Harris (from Ecliptic Brewing) and Gigantic’s Van and Ben Love.

Beer In Ads #4991: It’s The Time Of Year For Pearl Bock Beer

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Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. Bock, of course, may have originated in Germany, in the town of Einbeck. Because many 19th century American breweries were founded by German immigrants, they offered a bock at certain times of the year, be it Spring, Easter, Lent, Christmas, or what have you. In a sense they were some of the first seasonal beers. “The style was later adopted in Bavaria by Munich brewers in the 17th century. Due to their Bavarian accent, citizens of Munich pronounced ‘Einbeck’ as ‘ein Bock’ (a billy goat), and thus the beer became known as ‘Bock.’ A goat often appears on bottle labels.” And presumably because they were special releases, many breweries went all out promoting them with beautiful artwork on posters and other advertising.

Saturday’s ad is for Pearl Bock Beer. The ad was published in 1963. This one was for Pearl Brewing Co. of San Antonio, Texas, which was originally founded in 1883. This ad ran in The Fort Worth Star Telegram, of Fort Worth, Texas.

Beer Birthday: John Hansell

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Today is the 65th birthday of John Hansell, who is the creator and publisher of Malt Advocate, the whisky magazine in America, which also puts on WhiskyFest in several cities, including San Francisco. John’s a terrific person I don’t see nearly often enough, and sadly, not for several years. Join me in wishing John a very happy birthday.

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John with All About Beer’s Julie Johnson at the beer bistro in Toronto.
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John and Lew Bryson.
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Toasting Stephen & Maggie Beaumont’s wedding, with Tom Peters, from Monk’s Cafe, and Stephen Beaumont.
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John in a publicity shot with his wife Amy.

Beer In Ads #4990: Oil City Bock Beer

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Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. Bock, of course, may have originated in Germany, in the town of Einbeck. Because many 19th century American breweries were founded by German immigrants, they offered a bock at certain times of the year, be it Spring, Easter, Lent, Christmas, or what have you. In a sense they were some of the first seasonal beers. “The style was later adopted in Bavaria by Munich brewers in the 17th century. Due to their Bavarian accent, citizens of Munich pronounced ‘Einbeck’ as ‘ein Bock’ (a billy goat), and thus the beer became known as ‘Bock.’ A goat often appears on bottle labels.” And presumably because they were special releases, many breweries went all out promoting them with beautiful artwork on posters and other advertising.

Friday’s ad is for Oil City Bock Beer. The ad was published on June 6, 1936. The brewery was the Oil City Brewing Co. of Oil City, Pennsylvania, which was originally founded in 1867, but was only known by the Oil City name from 1933 until it closed in 1936.  This ad ran in The News Herald, of Franklin, Pennsylvania.

Historic Beer Birthday: Ernest G.W. Woerz

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Today is the birthday of Ernest Gottlieb Wilhelm Woerz (June 6, 1834-May 9, 1916). He was born in Stuttgart, Stadtkreis Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, but emigrated to the U.S. as a young man and immediately started working in the brewing business, spending a dozen years at the Yuengling Brewery before becoming brewmaster at New York City’s Beadleston & Price Empire Brewery in 1865.

In New York City, the Empire Brewery traded under that name after being founded in 1846, but the business name shifted with changing ownership structures. Woerz became part owner in 1865, when he became brewmaster (and later vice-president and treasurer), it was renamed the Beadleston, Price & G. W. Woerz, Empire Brewery, and in 1877 the name changed again to the Beadleston & Woerz Empire Brewery with his sole partner Ebenezer Beadleston, which it remained until shortly after his death, when it closed for good due to prohibition in 1920.

Here’s his short obituary from the New York Times:

And here’s another obituary:

Beer In Ads #4989: You’ll Like Pickwick Bock Beer

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Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. Bock, of course, may have originated in Germany, in the town of Einbeck. Because many 19th century American breweries were founded by German immigrants, they offered a bock at certain times of the year, be it Spring, Easter, Lent, Christmas, or what have you. In a sense they were some of the first seasonal beers. “The style was later adopted in Bavaria by Munich brewers in the 17th century. Due to their Bavarian accent, citizens of Munich pronounced ‘Einbeck’ as ‘ein Bock’ (a billy goat), and thus the beer became known as ‘Bock.’ A goat often appears on bottle labels.” And presumably because they were special releases, many breweries went all out promoting them with beautiful artwork on posters and other advertising.

Thursday’s ad is for Pickwick Bock Beer. The ad was published on June 5, 1951. The brewery was the Haffenreffer Brewery of Boston, Massachusetts, which was originally founded in 1870. It was located in the Jamaica Plain area of Boston, and today the site of the brewery is where the Boston Beer Co. operates one of its breweries. This ad ran in The Boston Globe, of Boston, Massachusetts.

Frieten Birthday: Eddy Cooremans

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Today is the 77th birthday of Eddy Cooremans, who is a Belgian frites ambassador. I first met Eddy in 2019, when Navefri/Unafri, the Belgian frites shops trade association (which represents Belgium’s 4,500+ frites shops/stands) brought a frites trailer to our lunch during the Brussels Beer Challenge judging. Eddy frequently works as an ambassador for the association, and has flown around the world to make frites in numerous counties during trade delegations and other international events. Eddy started as a locally famous football player in his youth, but after retiring became active in the frites industry, opening a Belgian frites shop in New York City in the 1980s, helped open the Belgian Frites Museum in Brugges, and writing one of the seminal books on Belgian frites, Van Aardappel tot Friet, with André Delcart. Last year, when I was back in Belgium, Eddy invited me to his home outside of Brussels and I spent the day with geeking out on all things frites. He was incredible generous with his time and it’s rare that I can find someone who will happily discuss the minutiae of frites for hours on end, but Eddy is one of those people, truly a kindred spirit. Join me in wishing Eddy a very happy birthday.

A couple of years ago in Eddy’s backyard, where he was teaching me the finer points of frites.
Serving fresh frites for our lunch.
Eddy has perfected the toss.
This was from 2019, the first time I met Eddy.

Beer Birthday: Kevin West

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Today is the 64th birthday of Kevin West, who had worked at Anchor Brewing for just under thirty years, and was lead brewer. He started as a bottler, and worked as a tour guide for a time in the late 1990s, but joined the brewing team twenty years ago. I’m not sure when exactly I first met Kevin, but it was a good while ago, and I certainly remember a memorable night at The Falling Rock in Denver watching Giants playoff baseball. But he’s a great advocate for craft beer in the Bay Area and Anchor in specific, of course. Join me in wishing Kevin a very happy birthday. Hopefully, he’ll be able to return to Anchor under its new management shortly.

At home in front of the brewery. (Photo by Shaun O’Sullivan)
Kevin with Bruce Paton.
Kevin with Shaun O’Sullivan, Dave McLean, Jamie Floyd, and Ben Spencer.
Pouring OBA at the brewery.
Behind the bar in the tap room. (Photo by Shaun O’Sullivan)

Beer In Ads #4988: Pearl Bock Beer Is Here!

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Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. Bock, of course, may have originated in Germany, in the town of Einbeck. Because many 19th century American breweries were founded by German immigrants, they offered a bock at certain times of the year, be it Spring, Easter, Lent, Christmas, or what have you. In a sense they were some of the first seasonal beers. “The style was later adopted in Bavaria by Munich brewers in the 17th century. Due to their Bavarian accent, citizens of Munich pronounced ‘Einbeck’ as ‘ein Bock’ (a billy goat), and thus the beer became known as ‘Bock.’ A goat often appears on bottle labels.” And presumably because they were special releases, many breweries went all out promoting them with beautiful artwork on posters and other advertising.

Wednesday’s ad is for Pearl Bock Beer. The ad was published on June 4, 1959. This one was for Pearl Brewing Co. of San Antonio, Texas, which was originally founded in 1883. This ad ran in The Brazosport Facts, of Brazoria County, Texas, which is part of the greater Houston area.