Thursday’s ad is for Lion Oude Man Vieille Biere, from 1965. From the late 1800s until the 1980s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. I’ve been posting vintage European posters all last year and will continue to do so in 2020. This poster was created for Brasserie du Lion (sometimes referred to as Grande Brasserie du Lion) which is located in Tournai (known in Dutch as Doornik and historically as Dornick in English), and is a Walloon municipality of Belgium. As far as I can tell, it was founded in 1892 as Brasserie Auguste, and after 1910 was known by a variety of names, including Brasserie de Ligne, Brasserie de l’Alliance, and eventually Grande Brasserie du Lion Tournai. Although it seems possible the original Brassier du Lion was founded in Tournai and acquired the brewery in Ligne, renaming it. Also, some sources say it wasn’t known as du Lion until 1940, but I have found letters with the Brasserie du Lion letterhead dated in 1935. I don’t know who the artist is who created this poster.

Thursday’s ad is for Op-Ale, from 1965. From the late 1800s until the 1980s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. I’ve been posting vintage European posters all last year and will continue to do so in 2020. This poster was created for Brouwerij De Smedt which is located in the Flemish Brabant municipality of Opwijk, in Belgium. It was founded in 1790, but was acquired by Heineken in the early 2000s, who changed its name to the Affligem Brewery, although in 2010 Heineken dissolved Affligem and folded it into Alken-Maes. According to them, Op-Ales originated “at the beginning of the 20th century, after a “Competition for the Improvement of Belgian Beer” was launched to counterbalance new imported beers that entered the market. The competition inspired numerous brewers to create amber-colored beers based on mineral-rich brewing water, light-colored caramel malts and soft aroma hops. These beers are commonly referred to as Spéciale Belge.” At the bottom of the ad, it reads. “Dat is Fijn Bier,” which translates as “That is fun beer.” I don’t know who the artist is who created this poster, although it was designed and printed by the design firm Etipan in Brussels.

Friday’s ad is for 3 Bieres Exquises, from maybe the 1940s or 50s. From the late 1800s until the 1980s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. I’ve been posting vintage European posters all last year and will continue to do so in 2020. This poster was created for Brasserie F. Moeremans, which was located in Anderlecht, one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. There had been a lambic brewery on the site since at least 1892, but Moeremans bought it in 1930, reopening in 1931. They continued brewing there until closing in 1981. I don’t know who the artist is who created this poster.

Tuesday’s ad is for Special Ballon, from maybe the 1930s or 40s. From the late 1800s until the 1980s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. I’ve been posting vintage European posters all last year and will continue to do so in 2020. This poster was created for Brasserie de la Couronne, which was located in Uccle, which is one of the 19 municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. “The brewery was acquired in 1959 by Brasserie Leopold, renamed “Nouvelles Brasseries a la Couronne” and later closed in 1966.” I don’t know who the artist is who created this poster, although there is a stylized mark in the upper left corner that is most likely the artist’s signature.