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Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer In Ads #1476: The Bloom Of Health

February 24, 2015 By Jay Brooks


Tuesday’s ad is for Anheuser-Busch’s “Malt-Nutrine,” from 1908. Malt-Nutrine was promoted not as a non-alcoholic beer, but as a “pure malt tonic” and sold by druggists and grocers. “The Bloom of Health” that the ad refers to apparently only “blossoms” if you have enough “life-giving blood.” Luckily, Malt-Nutrine is “a blood and strength maker.” Here’s the best bit: “Every drop of it is alive with the health-bringing juices of barley and the vigorous tonic powers of imported Saazer Hops.” You’ll feel good enough to play golf or plow a field.

A-B-1908-bloom-of-health

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, Anheuser-Busch, History

Beer In Ads #1475: The Wise Trainer Of Athletes

February 23, 2015 By Jay Brooks


Monday’s ad is another one for Budweiser, this one from 1910. The headline is “The Wise Trainer of Athletes,” but that’s just the start. It continues. “The Wise Trainer of Athletes Knows that the moderate use of a mild stimulant is beneficial to his charges. The vast majority of such men recommend Budweiser Because it is nourishing and refreshing and quickly relieves the tired feeling that may result from physical activity.” My son Porter just joined his middle school’s track team, but I think I’ll hold off on adding beer to his workout regime, at least for now.

Bud-1910-wise-trainer

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, Budweiser, History

Beer In Ads #1474: A Congenial Friend, And A Cool, Refreshing Bottle

February 22, 2015 By Jay Brooks


Sunday’s ad is for Budweiser, from 1913. Showing an idyllic suburban porch setting, with a tray of beer bottles, and this question. “Where’s more real enjoyment? The shady home-porch, a comfortable chair, a good cigar or pipe, a congenial friend, and a cool, refreshing bottle of Budweiser.” Apparently, in 1913, the St’ Louis brewery was producing 3 million bottles each week. But I wonder how many people in 1913, well before the post-war suburban boom that occurred after 1945, even had a porch like this one?

Bud-1913

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, Budweiser, History

Beer In Ads #1473: Count Me In, Says Dorothy Dandridge

February 21, 2015 By Jay Brooks


Saturday’s ad is for Rheingold, from 1960. Another Rheingold ad from this time period featuring a celebrity, this time it’s Dorothy Dandridge, an American actor and singer, and the first African-American to be nominated for an Academy Award, in this case for her performance in the 1954 film “Carmen Jones.”

Rheingold-1960-dandridge

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, History

Beer In Ads #1472: The Pleasure of Yachting Is Incomplete Without Budweiser

February 20, 2015 By Jay Brooks


Friday’s ad is for Budweiser, from 1905. At least it’s not just yachting. The full tagline is “The Pleasure of Yachting, Golfing, Fishing, Camping Is Incomplete Without Budweiser.” But since this particular ad’s illustration is aboard a yacht, I have to wonder if there are companion ads on a golf course or campsite. Either way, the ad is certainly going for the outdoorsy demographic circa early 20th century.

Bud-1905-yachting

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, Budweiser, History

Beer In Ads #1471: Drink The Famous Bock Beer

February 19, 2015 By Jay Brooks


Thursday’s ad is for Pabst, from 1897. In honor of the Chinese New Year, and more specifically because it’s the year of the goat, this ad is for the Bock Beer made by the Pabst Zythepsary. Zythepsary, by the way, is an archaic word for brewery. Happy New Year.

Pabst-bock-1897

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, History, Pabst

Beer In Ads #1470: Shook Itself Like An Angry Bulldog

February 18, 2015 By Jay Brooks


Wednesday’s ad is for Budweiser, from 1910. After fighting a muskie fish you’re “mad and sweaty” you’ll want a beer. But I love their description of Budweiser. “It’s alive with the strength of the finest barley grown in the New World and the tonic properties of the finest hops grown in the Old World.” The “tonic properties” of hops?

Bud-1910-fish

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, Budweiser, History

Beer In Ads #1469: Puzzle?

February 17, 2015 By Jay Brooks


Tuesday’s ad is also for Budweiser, from 1962. It’s part of Anheuser-Busch’s “where there’s life” series and features Helen Williams, the first African-American model to “break into the mainstream.” Born in New Jersey, she’d been wildly popular in France in the 1950s but — surprise, surprise — she faced rampant discrimination in her native country from modeling agency until her cause was taken up by several reporters who took her side and wrote about her plight, prompting her to get offers of modeling work from a variety of clients, including Budweiser. In the ad, Williams is looking up from the crossword puzzle she’s working on to watch unseen hands pouring a can of Budweiser into a glass for her. I know a beer always helps me with crossword puzzles.

Bud-1962-helen-williams

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, Budweiser, History

Beer In Ads #1468: House Building

February 16, 2015 By Jay Brooks


Monday’s ad is for Budweiser, from sometime in the late 1940s or early Fifties, is my guess. A couple looks over a tiny house model for what looks like it will be an actual tiny house when built full size. I know it’s just a scale model, but it looks like a one-room studio home with a bathroom, or closet. And how about his fashion sense, that green jacket with the ridiculously large yellow ascot; and striped grey pants?. Is he going to a Packers game or just a player? Maybe it’s a bachelor pad and that’s his sister or girlfriend helping him with the design?

Bud-house-model

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, Budweiser, History

Beer In Ads #1467: After The Show, Wherever I Go, I Meet This Old Friend Of Mine

February 15, 2015 By Jay Brooks


Sunday’s ad is for Rheingold Beer, from 1960. “After The Show, Wherever I Go, I Meet This Old Friend Of Mine — Rheingold Extra Dry, says the great authority on scat, Cab Calloway.” I’m not sure who the other guy looking in the mirror is, although he is sharing a beer with Cab Calloway, so he’s probably a friend or colleague. I guess the show went well?

Rheingold-1960-cab-calloway

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, History, Music

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