Another one of my many obsessions is my unabashed love of the Muppets. I came across a new video today of the Muppets covering the LCD Soundsystem song Dance Yrself Clean. In the Video, apparently shot in Brighton, both Cookie Monster and Animal are seen drinking Kronenburg 1664 — hey, they’re both over 21 — and in fact at the end (spoiler alert) both pass out on Brighton beach surrounded by beer cans. Enjoy.
Guinness Ad #57: The Ideal Summer Resort
Our 57th Guinness poster by John Gilroy shows four of the zoo animals — the seal, kangaroo, toucan and pelican — frolicking on a sunny beach. The seal has a pint of Guinness balancing on top of the beach ball he’s balancing on his nose and the ad’s slogan is “Guinness — the ideal summer resort.”
Beer In Ads #319: Double Diamond, The George & Dragon
Friday’s ad is from 1954 and is for the UK brand Double Diamond. With the slogan “A Double Diamond works wonders,” it’s part of their “Inn-Sign Rhymes” series. This ad’s sign is for “George & the Dragon.”
The Rocketbeer Rocketeer
I’m a huge fan of Dave Stevens and especially his story of The Rocketeer, which was a fabulous comic book before it was a 1991 film with Bill Campbell, Jennifer Connelly and Alan Arkin.
What’s not to love about an adventure story with a jet pack at the heart of it? I was captivated by jet packs after I first saw one in the James Bond movie Thunderball. So what does another of my singular obsessions have to do with beer? Glad you asked. I stumbled upon this 1976 ad for Pabst Blue Ribbon earlier today and it features — yeah, you guessed it — a jet pack. Although they call it a “rocketbelt” in the ad, it’s a jet pack all the same. The original video was uploaded to YouTube by the very cool sounding Rocket Belt Society.
Beer Amongst The Belgians
British beer writer Tim Webb is working on what looks to be an interesting documentary series on beer in Belgium, to be called Beer Amongst The Belgians. The series is directed by Taylor Brush for Spotted Tail Productions. The video is listed as the “the final of the promotional episode.” The “promotional episode is a proof-of-concept to find funding to finance the six hour-long episodes.” It’s about 26 minutes, and is a great start, I’d say. Enjoy.
Former MADD Chapter President Caught Driving Drunk
I don’t want to make light of this, or even make too much out of it, because everyone makes mistakes. Hell, even the head of the OLCC resigned after getting a DUI in April 2006. But I still feel it has to be pointed out (and thanks to Rob for the tip).
The Gainesville Sun is reporting that Debra Oberlin was arrested last week and charged with a DUI. Oberlin is the former President of the Gainesville, Florida chapter of the neo-prohibitionist Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). She was the President of the local chapter for three years in the 1990s before it was disbanded for “lack of financial support” in 1996.
But she didn’t just go a little bit over the line, she sprinted past it. Like most states, Florida’s BAC level is 0.08. Oberlin blew a .234 and a .239, while claiming to have had just four beers. The police report indicates she was observed “driving erratically on Northwest 19th Street, swerving and crossing lanes.” That’s the type of drunk driver even the most ardent supporter of alcohol doesn’t want on the road.
The Dog Of Beer Labels
Beer In Ads #318: Miss Rheingold Bowls
Thursday’s ad is from 1956 and is for Rheingold Beer. Miss Rheingold for that year was Millie Merritt and in this June ad she’s gone bowling, an activity far more popular in 1956 than today. I spent many happy hours bowling in my youth, though all of it without the benefit if beer, sad to say.
Taybeh Beer Update
A couple of days ago, I posted a video from Palestine’s only brewery, Taybeh Beer, founded in 1993 by Nadim Khoury, who learned to homebrew while living in Boston. I admit that I wondered how the beer tastes, so I was delighted to hear from fellow beer blogger David Turley, who writes Musings Over A Pint. Turley had an opportunity to try the beer during a trip with his family to Jerusalem last August. He recently posted his impressions of the beer and stories from his pilgrimage in Taybeh, A Beer Without A Country. Give it a read, it definitely helps round out the story. Thanks for your insights David.
A postcard from Taybeh (courtesy of David Turley).
Saturday Toast To Don Younger
There’s at least one more worldwide toast to Portland Publican Don Younger. This one is set to take place at 5:00 p.m. YLT (your local time) on Saturday, February 26. It was organized by Phil Farrel, who you probably will recognize as “The Rubber Chicken Man.”
Phil Farrell
Phil gave me a flier about the toast during SF Beer Week, and I’ve gotten several e-mails about the toast now, so I figured I should help spread the word, too. The BA’s CraftBeer.com also mentions it in a post by Celebrator publisher Tom Dalldorf entitled A Toast To: Don Younger 1941-2011.
Don raising a pint with Jonathan and Robin Surratt during GABF in 2007. On Saturday we should all do likewise.