Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads for awhile. 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.

Sunday’s ad is for Eichler’s Holiday Beer, essentially the same as their Bock Beer, which was published on December 14, 1934. Apparently, this was the first time they’d made it since Prohibition. The brewery was The John Eichler Brewing Co. of New York City, New York, which was originally founded around 1862 as Kolba’s Brewery, but Eichler took over in 1865. This ad ran in The Mount Vernon Argus, of White Plains, New York.