Beer In Ads #3118: Franziskaner Salvator Bier

September 16, 2019 By Jay Brooks

Monday’s ad is for Salvator Bier, from 1937. From the late 1800s until the 1970s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. This poster is a little bit strange since it appears at first to be for Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu, which was created out of a merger of the Spaten-Brauerei and the Franziskaner-Leist-Bräu of Munich, Germany in 1922. What’s strange is that Salvator Bier is a Paulaner brand while the poster also includes Zurich and below that, Stüssihofstatt. Stüssihofstatt appears to be an old farmhouse in the Swiss canton of Uri that’s a heritage site, having been built in 1451. But there was also a Franziskaner Hotel in Zurich, and it seems more likley that’s what the poster was for, though why it also advertised Salvator Bier remains something of a mystery. So there’s a number of disparate elements here, and it’s slightly confusing, to say the least. I’m not sure who the artist was who created the poster, but his initials were L.G.

Beer In Ads #3117: Braustube Hürlimann

September 15, 2019 By Jay Brooks

Sunday’s ad is for Braustube Hürlimann, from 1934. From the late 1800s until the 1970s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. This poster was made for the Hürlimann Brewery, of Zurich, Switzerland. The brewery was founded in 1836 by Albert Hürlimann. In 1996, it was bought by Feldschlösschen, which in turn is owned by the Carlsberg Group. This one shows a smirking woman serving several glasses of a beer on a tray. I feel like there’s a story there that we’re not meant to know … but I’d certainly like to. It was created by Swiss artist Hugo Laubi.

Beer In Ads #3116: Summer Bier

September 14, 2019 By Jay Brooks

Saturday’s ad is for Summer Bier, from 1956. From the late 1800s until the 1970s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. This poster was probably made for Swiss Brewers Association, who commissioned similar posters throughout this period, but I don’t really know for certain. The poster was created by Swiss artist Paul Gusset, and he created a similar one called Bier ist Gut around the same time.

Beer In Ads #3115: Hacker Herrenhell

September 13, 2019 By Jay Brooks

Friday’s ad is for Hacker Herrenhell, from around 1933. From the late 1800s until the 1970s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. This poster was made for the Hacker Brauerei of Munich, Germany, which was founded in 1417, by Maria Theresia Hacker’s father and her new husband, Joseph Pschorr. Pschorr bought it and turned it into Munich’s biggest brewery. Unsatisfied, he started a second brewery, naming it after himself, the Pschorr Brauerei, and when he passed away gave each of his breweries to one of his sons. In 1972, finally, the two merged to become the Hacker-Pschorr Brewery. The poster was created by German graphic designer and artist Otto Ottler.

When Frederick The Great Went To War On Coffee

September 13, 2019 By Jay Brooks

You’re probably familiar with this great beer quote by Frederick the Great, also known as Frederick II of Prussia:

Many battles have been fought and won by soldiers nourished on beer.

And it is a great quote, but the context in which he said it is even more interesting. It was from a proclamation he made on September 13, 1777. Also said during that proclamation was this. “Everybody is using coffee. If possible, this must be prevented. My people must drink beer.” He was dead set against the use of coffee by his citizens, but especially his troops. Here’s the paragraph the quote is taken from:

It is disgusting to notice the increase in the quantity of coffee used by my subjects, and the amount of money that goes out of the country as a consequence. Everybody is using coffee; this must be prevented. My people must drink beer. His Majesty was brought up on beer, and so were both his ancestors and officers. Many battles have been fought and won by soldiers nourished on beer, and the King does not believe that coffee-drinking soldiers can be relied upon to endure hardships in case of another war.

According to William H. Ukers, in Chapter VIII of “All About Coffee,” entitled “The Introduction of Coffee to Germany,” his prohibition of coffee was short-lived.

For a time beer was restored to its honored place; and coffee continued to be a luxury afforded only by the rich. Soon a revulsion of feeling set in; and it was found that even Prussian military rule could not enforce coffee prohibition. Whereupon, in 1781, finding that all his efforts to reserve the beverage for the exclusive court circles, the nobility, and the officers of his army, were vain, the king created a royal monopoly in coffee, and forbade its roasting except in royal roasting establishments. At the same time, he made exceptions in the cases of the nobility, the clergy, and government officials; but rejected all applications for coffee-roasting licenses from the common people. His object, plainly, was to confine the use of the drink to the elect. To these representatives of the cream of Prussian society, the king issued special licenses permitting them to do their own roasting. Of course, they purchased their supplies from the government; and as the price was enormously increased, the sales yielded Frederick a handsome income. Incidentally, the possession of a coffee-roasting license became a kind of badge of membership in the upper class. The poorer classes were forced to get their coffee by stealth; and, failing this, they fell back upon numerous barley, wheat, corn, chicory, and dried-fig substitutes, that soon appeared in great numbers.

The full story was told in “The World of Caffeine: The Science and Culture of the World’s Most Popular Drug,” by Bennett Alan Weinberg and Bonnie K. Bealer, excerpted below:

CaffeineWorld-1

It is disgusting to notice the increase in the quantity of coffee used by my subjects, and the amount of money that goes out of the country as a consequence. Everybody is using coffee; this must be prevented. My people must drink beer. His Majesty was brought up on beer, and so were both his ancestors and officers. Many battles have been fought and won by soldiers nourished on beer, and the King does not believe that coffee-drinking soldiers can be relied upon to endure hardships in case of another war.

CaffeineWorld-2

“Alas!” Cried the women, “take rather our bread.
Can’t live without coffee! We’ll all soon be dead!”

CaffeineWorld-3

Fred-the-Great-Ripley

Beer In Ads #3114: Hacker Märzen

September 12, 2019 By Jay Brooks

Thursday’s ad is for Hacker Märzen, from around 1930. From the late 1800s until the 1970s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. This poster was made for the Hacker Brauerei of Munich, Germany, which was founded in 1417, by Maria Theresia Hacker’s father and her new husband, Joseph Pschorr. Pschorr bought it and turned it into Munich’s biggest brewery. Unsatisfied, he started a second brewery, naming it after himself, the Pschorr Brauerei, and when he passed away gave each of his breweries to one of his sons. In 1972, finally, the two merged to become the Hacker-Pschorr Brewery. The poster was created by German graphic designer and artist Otto Ottler.

Beer In Ads #3113: Waedenswiler Excelsior-Bräu

September 11, 2019 By Jay Brooks

Wednesday’s ad is for Waedenswiler Excelsior-Bräu Doppel-Bock, from 1910. From the late 1800s until the 1970s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. This poster was created for the Brauerei Wädenswil, located in Wädenswil, Switzerland, which is a municipality in the district of Horgen in the canton of Zürich. It was founded around 1833, after buying the farm property seven years earlier, in 1826, and converting the distillery there to a brewery. The brewery had numerous business troubles and changed hands numerous times between then and 1990, when it closed. Two years later, a new brewery, Wädi-Brau-Huus AG, was formed to continue brewing the beer. The ad was advertising their Waedenswiler Excelsior-Bräu, a Doppel-Bock. The poster was created by Swiss artist Paul Krawutschke.

Beer In Ads #3112: Carnegie Porter For Christmas

September 10, 2019 By Jay Brooks

Tuesday’s ad is for Carnegie Porter For Christmas, from maybe the 1940s. From the late 1800s until the 1970s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. This poster is a little bit of a departure because I wanted to feature a Porter since my son Porter’s birthday is today. It was made for D. Carnegie & Co. located in Sweden. The ad was advertising the beer for Christmas and a popular local mixed drink called Mumma, which Martyn Cornell detailed in a post entitled Mumma, Mixed a Beer Today…. I’m not sure who the artist was that created the ad, but there is a symbol I don’t recognize in the bottom right hand corner, which probably gives a clue.

Beer Birthday: Porter

September 10, 2019 By Jay Brooks

Alright, you caught me again. It’s not the birthday of the beer style, Porter. Strictly speaking, this isn’t really a beer post but it’s my son’s 18th birthday today, but since his name is Porter I figured people wouldn’t feel too duped by the title. It is accurate, after all. In previous years, I’d written that “one day soon, we’ll brew a porter together.” Well that day finally came, and six years ago on his birthday weekend it was Porter’s Porter Day, when he made his first batch of homebrew, with a little help from our friends. Anyway, please join me in wishing Porter a very happy birthday!

porter-kegger
At Porter’s birthday party when he turned one, trying to get at a keg of Russian River. That’s my boy! NOTE: To those of you reaching for the phone to call child protective services, put down the receiver. He did NOT drink any beer. His mother got to him before he figured out how the tap worked.

younger-porter
A beautiful memory at the Rogue Alehouse in San Francisco when Porter couldn’t have been more than two, if that. Much to my surprise, Porter utterly charmed Don Younger with his ability to swiftly climb a bar stool. Don was very impressed, and so was I.

porter-upchal
Twelve years ago, showing off a 5th-birthday present from Grandpa, a Union Pacific Challenger steam engine.

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Porter several years ago, when he came with me to visit Southern Pacific Brewing in San Francisco. He was trying to emulate his then-hero Tim Lincecum, at least hair-wise, pitching-wise he was more of a closer. Timmy may be gone, but the hair remains.

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Me, Porter and Vinnie Cilurzo, after Porter’s Porter Day six years ago.

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Also six years ago, Porter’s second batch, a version of Hair of the Dog’s Doggie Claws, made with the Homebrew Chef Sean Paxton, but mostly Alan Sprints, whose own birthday was just a few days ago.

porter-dives
Wowing the ladies with his diving prowess during a vacation in Solvang a few summers ago.

porter-train
Porter riding Amtrak, also during a summer vacation a few years back.

okayest
Porter with his sister sporting their World’s Okayest siblings shirts.

Brookston Fantasy Basketball 2019

September 10, 2019 By Jay Brooks

We’ve done March Madness fantasy games in the past, which I’ve called Märzen Madness, but I’ve never done an NBA fantasy basketball game of any kind. Since my son has been playing high school basketball for the past few years, my interest has grown, not to mention our local Golden State Warriors have been a lot of fun to follow lately. So this year, I thought, why not give it a try? Our league is called Hoops & Hops and will last all season long.

Similar to both Baseball fantasy and Football fantasy, in Basketball fantasy you draft a team, play your starters and then earn points for what they do in each game. I tried to keep it fairly simple since I’m both an idiot when it comes to the finer points of basketball (and especially NBA) knowledge and also since this is all so new. Each team has a roster of 16 players, from which you’ll start 10 players each day. Scoring is also fairly straightforward, with 1 point for a free throw, 2 points for a field goal, and 3 points for a three-pointer. Then there’s also points for total rebounds, assists, steals, blocked shots and negative points for a turnover. And there are big points for the elusive double-doubles and triple-doubles, but that’s it. There were a lot of other statistics you can give points to, but I wanted to keep it relatively simple. If you see something you think should be added, say something now, since I can edit the stats before the season starts, but not after.

The season starts on October 22, so you have about 6 weeks to sign up, which is good since I don’t know what I’m doing and that gives us more time to fix anything. We need a minimum number of 4 teams, but we can have as many as 16, although we have to have an even number. I’m not sure why that is, because you get points just for how your players do rather than going head-to-head against other players, but c’est la vie. So while there’s no hurry per se, the sooner you sign up, the sooner you’re locked in to fielding a team this season. We’ll use the Autopick draft feature, again to make things easier, and once it’s set to “Go” then the draft will run, usually overnight. In order to sign up for a team, you’ll need a Yahoo ID (which is free if you don’t already have one), and then simply follow this link and follow the instructions to join Brookston’s Hoops & Hops. When you sign up, you’ll also get a chance to look over the league settings for rosters and scoring, and please do let me know if you have any suggestions for improving things, keeping in mind my goal of keeping it fairly simple. Enjoy.

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