Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

Socialize

Historic Beer Birthday: Sharon Vaughn

By

Today is the birthday of Sharon Vaughn (July 28, 1938-December 2023). Her claim to beer fame was being named as Miss Rheingold for 1965, the last Miss Rheingold in the golden era. She was also chosen by the new owners of the brewery rather than through a public vote, which hadn’t been the case since the second year of the contest in 1941. Unfortunately, the new owners didn’t really know what to do with her and she appeared in no ads her year, but instead only made public appearances at events and had fluff pieces written about those appearances. As a result, there’s far less breweriana of her than almost any other Miss Rheingold, which is a shame. She didn’t even appear in print until March of 1965, unlike previous ones who typically were announced the previous September or October.

She was born in Missouri, but moved to Washington state when she was five, and graduated from the University of Washington as a music major. While in college, she became Miss Washington and represented the state at the Miss America Pageant, where she was second runner-up. After college, she moved to New York City and attended Julliard. She began getting small parts in Broadway musicals, but also sang in nightclubs and appeared in television commercials. In 1965, she took a year off to become Miss Rheingold. Afterwards, she was cast in Funny Girl, and also appeared in the film a few years later. While in L.A. for filming she met talent agent Byron Lapin, whom she married. She also did some television, appearing on Bewitched and Get Smart. The couple later moved to St. Louis when he took over his family’s business. She passed away in December of 2023.

In 1968, Vaughn played a villain known as “Wanda” in an episode of “Get Smart” called “The Groovy Guru.“
Headshot when she competed in the Miss America pageant as Miss Washington.
Getting her evening gown ready for the Miss America pageant.

Beer In Ads #5036: Old Bohemian Bock Beer

By

Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. 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 Old Bohemian Bock Beer, which was published on July 27, 1962. To be fair, it’s primarily advertising their Light Beer, but also mention they have Cream Ale and Bock beer, too. It’s also an interesting advertising strategy, the anti-local but cheaper gambit. This one was for the Eastern Brewing Corp. of Hammonton, New Jersey, which was originally founded out of Prohibition in 1933. This ad ran in the Daily News, of New York, New York.

Beer In Ads #5035: Brewed In The Winter For Spring Pleasure

By

Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. 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.

Saturday’s ad is for Acme Bock Beer, which was published in 1949. The brewery was the Acme Brewing Co. of San Francisco, California, which was originally founded in 1907, though they also opened a location in the Los Angeles area. Today the brand is owned by North Coast Brewing. This ad ran in the Palo Verde Valley Times of Blythe, California.

Beer In Ads #5034: Schaefer Bock Beer

By

Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. 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.

Thursday’s ad is for Schaefer Bock Beer, which was published on July 25, 1979. This one was for the F. & M. Schaefer Brewing Co. of New York, New York, which was originally founded in 1842. This ad ran in Newsday’s Suffolk Edition, also of New York, New York.

Beer In Ads #5033: Weihnachts Bock

By

Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. 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.

Thursday’s poster is for Falken Schaffhauser’s Weihnachts Bock Beer, and was published in 1928. This one was made for the Bierbrauerei Falken Schaffhausen, or Falcon Brewery, of Schaffhausen, Switzerland. The brewery was founded in 1799, and is still in business today, and is “considered the only independent brewery in the Schaffhausen region,” and is Switzerland’s 5th largest brewery. This one is for their Schaffhauser Weihnachts Bock (Winter Bock) and shows a pair of goats butting heads with a holday candle behind them. It was created by Swiss artist Arnold Oechslin.

Beer Birthday: Tony Simmons

By

Today is the 61st birthday of Tony Simmons, who owned the Pagosa Brewing & Grill of Pagosa Springs, Colorado Springs, which was founded in 1996. He began homebrewing in his school locker, but later got more formal training attending the Siebel Institute. He also created the recipe for Poor Richard’s Ale in 2006 to celebrate the 300th birthday of Benjamin Franklin, and with the BA invited all members to brew it, too, and over 100 breweries took him up on it, brewing their own version of his recipe. I run into Tony from time to time at beer invents, and it’s always a fun time. More recently, in July of 2022, Tony and his wife Julie closed the brewery and retired. Join me in wishing Tony a very happy birthday.

Me and Tony in Philadelphia for CBC in 2016.
A publicity shot from Brewer Magazine.
On Capitol Hill.

Beer In Ads #5032: Oster Bock

By

Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. 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.

Wednesday’s poster is for Falken Schaffhauser’s Oster Bock Beer, and was published in 1928. This one was made for the Bierbrauerei Falken Schaffhausen, or Falcon Brewery, of Schaffhausen, Switzerland. The brewery was founded in 1799, and is still in business today, and is “considered the only independent brewery in the Schaffhausen region,” and is Switzerland’s 5th largest brewery. This one is for their Schaffhauser Bock and shows a stylized village being struck by lightning. It was created by Swiss artist Arnold Oechslin.

Beer In Ads #5031: Schaffhauser Bock Sings

By

Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. 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.

Tuesday’s poster is for Schaffhauser Bock Beer, and was published in 1927. This one was made for the Bierbrauerei Falken Schaffhausen, or Falcon Brewery, of Schaffhausen, Switzerland. The brewery was founded in 1799, and is still in business today, and is “considered the only independent brewery in the Schaffhausen region,” and is Switzerland’s 5th largest brewery. This one is for their Schaffhauser Bock and shows dapper two men singing with mugs of beer in their hands. It was created by Swiss artist Arnold Oechslin.

Beer In Ads #5030: Bock Beer Is Back!

By

Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. 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.

Thursday’s ad is for Goetz Country Club Bock Beer, which was published on July 21, 1948. This one was for the M.K. Goetz Brewing Co. of Saint Joseph, Missouri (and they also had a brewery in Kansas City), which was originally founded in 1859. This ad ran in The Okmulgee Daily News, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma.

Beer In Ads #5029: Falken Schaffhauser Oster-Bock Flies

By

Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. 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.

Saturday’s poster is for Falken Schaffhauser Easter Bock Beer, and was published in 1926. This one was made for the Bierbrauerei Falken Schaffhausen, or Falcon Brewery, of Schaffhausen, Switzerland. The brewery was founded in 1799, and is still in business today, and is “considered the only independent brewery in the Schaffhausen region,” and is Switzerland’s 5th largest brewery. This one is for their Schaffhauser Bock and shows a very thirsty man who apparently shimmied up the town maypole to grab one of the bottles of beer tied to the wreath at the top. It was created by Swiss artist Arnold Oechslin.