Thursday’s ad is for the Christian Staehlins Phoenix Brewery, from 1850. The brewery was located in St. Louis, Missouri. I love these old posters of longshots showing the entire brewery complex. Don Russell was just telling he’d recently learned that a lot of these were created for insurance purposes since photography was expensive and hard to do from the vantage point you’d need to get the whole brewery in the shot.
Wednesday’s ad is for Budweiser, from 1953. With the curious tagline “When you know your beer it’s bound to be Bud.” Or at least at the weenie roast.
Tuesday’s ad is for Carling Black Label, from 1961. One form their “People Try It and They Like It” series, this one features one of the simplest beer pairings, but also one of the most sublime: potato chips and beer. Although that may simply be because I’m obsessed with potato chips. And to the end, surely they could have found some better looking chips.
Monday’s ad is for Rheingold, from 1958, featuring Miss Rheingold from that year, Madelyn Darrow. I far as I can tell, she’s sightseeing on a fire boat — is that what they call a boat owned by the fire department? — and wearing a bright red ensemble, with white gloves of course, for the journey.
Friday’s ad is for Goetz, and their Country CLub Malt Liquor. It’s from 1955 and “Mmm — just wait until you taste it.” That’s not me saying that, that’s what the ad copy says. Notice that can looks smaller? It doesn’t appear to be a 12 oz. can. Maybe that’s the “new” part of “Party Brew!”? I also love this bit of ad copy: “So smooth — so different! Looks inviting … tastes exciting!” Hilarious. What exactly does “exciting” taste like?
Thursday’s ad is for Schaefer, in the “smart new package.” When the ad is from, I’m not quite sure, but based on the can, probably the 1950s or before. It’s a simple ad, but for some reason — most likely nostalgia — I’ve always liked the Schaefer branding.
Wednesday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1948. I love the look on her face, like she’s about to play a trick on someone, instead of simply delivering a beer. I know it was 1948, but it’s hard not to notice the servant/slave and husband/master relationship depicted in the ad. At least she looks happy in her subservience. He just looks clueless.
Tuesday’s ad is for Miller High Life, from 1953. With the tagline “Recipe for Pleasure,” they’re pushing the radical notion that seafood and beer might well be enjoyed together. Who knew?
Monday’s ad is for Lowenbrau, which is 1976 was billed as “The world’s most exclusive and expensive beer.” Given the recent debate over the packages and prices of beer, it’s pretty funny to see so pedestrian a beer as this in a Champagne ice bucket with gold foil covering the neck and crown. If that was truly the most expensive beer in 1976, then it really says something about how awful the beer scene must have been at that time. And for that matter, is it really wise to declare that you’re the “most expensive” anything?
Friday’s ad is for Miller High Life, from 1941. It’s a two-color ad, using mostly red, but it really makes the beer bottle and glass pop. It looks this might only be part of the ad, it feels like something must be missing, and the proportions don’t look quite right, either, providing more evidence that this is only a piece of the original ad.
