Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer In Ads #5168: Only F&S Has Sealed-Ageing*

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Two years ago 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 F&S Bock Beer, which was published on January 11, 1957. This ad was for the Fuhrmann & Schmidt Brewing Co. of Shamokin, Pennsylvania, which was originally founded in 1906. This ad ran in The Shamokin News-Dispatch, also of Shamokin, Pennsylvania. I do love the “Sealed-Ageing*” copy: “Only F&S ‘Sealed-Ageing” can accurately control the quality and purity of the beer every step of the way to you. No light, no dust, no impurities can possibly endanger its uniform goodness.”

Beer In Ads #5167: It’s Here Now! … Metz Bock Beer

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Two years ago 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.

Saturday’s ad is for Metz Bock Beer, which was published on January 10, 1949. This ad was for the Metz Brewing Co. of Omaha, Nebraska, which was originally founded in 1856. This ad ran in The Omaha World Herald, also of Omaha, Nebraska.

Beer In Ads #5166: Gunther’s Great New Winter-BOCK Arrives In Town Today!

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Two years ago 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.

Friday’s ad is for Gunther’s Bock Beer, which was published on January 9, 1942. This ad was for the Gunther Brewing Co. of Baltimore, Maryland, which was originally founded in 1900. This ad ran in The Daily Mail, of Hagerstown, Maryland.

Beer In Ads #5165: Here I Am Folks, Bock Again

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Two years ago 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.

Thursday’s ad is for Old King Bock Beer, which was published on January 8, 1939. This ad was for the South Western Brewing Corp. of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, which was originally founded in 1934. This ad ran in The Daily Oklahoman, also of Oklahoma, Oklahoma.

Beer In Ads #5164: Congress Bock Beer Brewed With Creamalt

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Two years ago 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.

Wenesday’s ad is for Congress Bock Beer, which was published on January 7, 1959. This ad was for the Haberle Congress Brewing Co. of Syracuse, New York, which was originally founded in either 1857 or 1865. This ad ran in The Syracuse Herald Journal, also of Syracuse, New York.

Beer In Ads #5163: Fresh As A Babbling Brook, Congress Bock Beer

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Two years ago 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.

Tuesday’s ad is for Congress Bock Beer, which was published on January 6, 1960. This ad was for the Haberle Congress Brewing Co. of Syracuse, New York, which was originally founded in either 1857 or 1865. This ad ran in The Syracuse Herald Journal, also of Syracuse, New York.

Historic Beer Birthday: Henry C. Berghoff

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Today is the birthday of Henry C. Berghoff (January 6, 1856-June 28, 1925). He was an American politician, lawyer, and businessman. Berghoff was born in Dortmund, in what today is Germany, and emigrated to the U.S. in 1872, when he was sixteen years old. He settled in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and along with his brothers co-founded the Herman Berghoff Brewing Company in 1887, and in 1888, they opened their first Berghoff Brewery in Fort Wayne, serving Dortmunder-style Berghoff’s Beer. It seems to have remained in the family although Berghoff went through a number of name changes over the years, but in 1954 appears to have been sold to Falstaff, who used it to brew various brands over the years before closing it in 1991.

Henry C. Berghoff in 1901.

Here’s part of his biography, from his Wikipedia page:

Berghoff was born January 6, 1856, in Dortmund, Kingdom of Prussia (now Germany), and immigrated to the United States in 1872, settling in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He, along with his brothers, also German immigrants, founded the Herman Berghoff Brewing Company in 1887, and in 1888, they opened their first Berghoff Brewery in Fort Wayne, serving Dortmunder-style Berghoff’s Beer. Henry Berghoff held positions in and established various other local businesses throughout his career. A lifelong Democrat active in the party’s local leadership, he also became involved with local Fort Wayne politics, serving for three terms as Treasurer of Fort Wayne from 1883 to 1889 and Comptroller of Fort Wayne from 1896 to 1901. He mounted an unsuccessful campaign for Indiana State Treasurer in 1890. In 1893, he assisted the county sheriff in putting down a local riot. From 1900 to 1902, he served as Chairman of the Allen County Democratic Committee.

In the 1901 Fort Wayne mayoral election, Berghoff received the Democratic nomination for Mayor of Fort Wayne. He went on to defeat Republican Charles E. Reese and Socialist Martin H. Wefel in the general election after a heated campaign in which his Republican opponents harshly criticized his German background. He took office upon being sworn in on May 9. As mayor, Berghoff presided over the opening of the first electric interurban railroad in Fort Wayne in 1901, the completion of the current Allen County Courthouse in 1902, the completion of the South Wayne Sewer at the end of 1902, and the appointment of the first Fort Wayne Board of Parks Commissioners in 1905. However, he came under controversy for his handling of the threat of a water famine in 1901, his refusal to approve the bond of Robert B. Dreibelbiss for his appointment to the Fort Wayne Municipal Court in 1902, and his approval of an ordinance granting a municipal franchise to the Fort Wayne Electric Light and Power company in 1904. In 1905, Berghoff was defeated in a bid for City Councilman-at-large. Berghoff left office on January 1, 1906, after serving a four-and-a-half-year term as mayor of Fort Wayne (the only mayor of Fort Wayne to do so).

After his mayoralty, Berghoff returned to business with the Berghoff Brewery and various other local establishments, most notably the German-American National Bank, which he had co-founded in 1905. Berghoff died on June 28, 1925, in Fort Wayne, after suffering an apoplectic stroke, survived by his wife and several children.

Here’s Berghoff’s obituary from the Journal-Courier in 1925:

And here’s another obituary, this one from the Star Press:

And here’s an account of the brewery from the Fort Wayne Daily News on July 11, 1895:

Ad for Berghoff’s Bock Beer from 1907.
And this is from the brewery’s Grand Opening on June 2, 1888!

Beer In Ads #5162: I’m Back Again! Duquesne Bock Beer

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Two years ago 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.

Monday’s ad is for Duquesne Bock Beer, which was published on January 5, 1950. This ad was for the Duquesne Brewing Co. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which was originally founded in 1899. This ad ran in The Pittsburgh Sun Telegraph, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I am curious how exactly it’s “The Real ‘One-Eyed’ Bock.”

Beer In Ads #5161: Uncle Ned Says: Free State Bock Beer

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Two years ago 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 Free State Bock Beer, which was published on January 4, 1940. This ad was for the Free State Brewery Corp. of Baltimore, Maryland, which was originally founded in 1900 by Frederick Bauerschmidt, but was known as Free State after Prohibition ended until 1950. This ad ran in The Evening Sun, of Baltimore, Maryland.

Beer Birthday: Michael Roper

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Today is the 72nd birthday of Michael Roper, who along with his wife Louise, founded and owns the Hopleaf Bar in Chicago, Illinois, one of the city’s best beer bars. His story in the beer world is quite interesting and important, and you can read more about it in an interview by All About Beer Magazine’s John Holl, a Voyage Chicago profile, or you read about the bar’s history on Hopleaf’s own website. I think I first met Michael when the Craft Brewers Conference was in Chicago, which was 2010, although our paths may have crossed before then. But I’ve certainly run into him since then, most recently when we both happened to be in Brussels a couple of years ago. Join me in wishing Michael a very happy birthday.

After a memorable dinner in 2023 at La Villette in Brussels with Lisa Morrison, Michael, Louise Roper and Stephen Beaumont.
Michael, with Jonathan Surratt and Wendy Littlefield, then from Vanberg & DeWulff, when we had dinner there several years ago.
Michael’s Flagship February photo from his essay a few years ago.