Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. Bock, of course, 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.
Tuesday’s ad for “Bock” shows a woman server holding a tray of dark beer mugs. For some unknown reason she’s also holding up her left arm as if she’s waving. Next to her, a sterotypically racist depiction of an African-American server is being knocked over by a charging goat. His tray appears to have had cocktails and other non-beer drinks on it, so I’m going to conclude that’s why the Bock goat targeted him. The lithograph was created in 1889. The lithographer was R. H. Eichner & Co. of Baltimore, Maryland.
