Friday’s ad is for Ballantine, from 1939. In this ad, part of a series progressing from one, to two, to three rings, a talented seal is balancing rings on its nose, first one, then another and finally the three rings of the Ballantine logo. His wings even grew a thumb so he could order a beer “the Handy way.”
Here’s still another new word that should be added to the beer lexicon. Well, it’s not exactly a new word, but has been around 1876, and most likely earlier. It showed up as the word of the day yesterday on my “Forgotten English” page-a-day calendar.
The word is nazz’d and is described as “confused through beer or liquor; slightly drunk. Nazzy, stupified through drink.” It was apparently listed in “C. Clough Robinson’s Dialect of Mid-Yorkshire, 1876.”
Trying to find out more, I found “Nazzle,” defined as “to be in a dreamy, stupid, abstracted state,” also apparently originating in Yorkshire, and listed in “Joseph Wright’s English Dialect Dictionary, 1896-1905.” They certainly sound like related words, though I can’t be absolutely certain.
And I also found this definition:
Nazz’d, or Nazzy, adj. slightly drunk. Stupified. “Gying nazzling alang,” sauntering in a state of abstraction.
That one’s from “A Glossary of Words Used in Swaledale, Yorkshire,” by Captain John Harland, published in 1873.
So my interpretation of the word is that it’s meant to describe a very specific type of intoxication. Maybe buzzed is close to it, although I’ve come to hate that word due to the prohibitionist’s appropriation of it, but an intoxication that’s not complete, falling down, incoherent drunk, but closer to that sweet spot where you’re in a dreamlike state. That’s a good place to be.
Thursday’s ad is for Ballantine, from 1948. In this ad, part of a series progressing from one, to two, to three rings, a circus strongman bends steel or iron — some kind of metal — into rings. First one, then a second and finally into three rings mirroring the Ballantine logo.
Wednesday’s ad is for Ballantine, from 1940. In this ad, part of a series progressing from one, to two, to three rings, this one shows a tropical island volcano erupting and spewing a ring of ash into the sky. First one, them a second and finally there are three forming the Ballantine logo hovering high above the volcano.
Tuesday’s ad is for Ballantine, from 1948. In this ad, part of a series progressing from one, to two, to three rings, this one shows a man holding a hatchet chasing a turkey around in circles, presumably trying to kill him for Thanksgiving dinner. After running rings around the farmer at least three times, he’s kicked up three rings on the ground forming the Ballantine logo.
Monday’s ad is for Ballantine, from 1940. In this ad, part of a series progressing from one, to two, to three rings, this one shows another toy steam train chugging along. This one also has a face, but at least there’s a person driving it. But the result is the same, it’s also puffed out three rings in the shape of the Ballantine logo.
Sunday’s ad is for Ballantine, from 1948. In this ad, part of a series progressing from one, to two, to three rings, this one shows a toy steam train chugging along and around a beer bottle. It’s blowing smoke out its smokestack until, as you’ve undoubtedly guessed, it’s puffed out three rings in the shape of the Ballantine logo.
Saturday’s ad is for Ballantine, from 1940. In this ad, part of a series progressing from one, to two, to three rings, this one shows a man sitting in an easy chair smoking a pipe. I’ve seen smoke rings, but pipe rings? That’s what he’s making, first one, then another and finally three, making, what else, the Ballantine logo in the air.
Friday’s ad is for Ballantine, from 1948. In this ad, part of a series progressing from one, to two, to three rings, this one shows another trio of unicycling circus performers, adding themselves into the mix until there are three spinning wheels, imitating the Ballantine logo.
Just in time for Trump’s first visit to foreign countries as President of the U.S., a Ukrainian brewery, Pravda Beer Theatre, has just announced the release of a new beer, a 7.2% a.b.v. beer called “Trump.” On the website, it’s initially referred to as a “blonde” although on the label it’s listed as an “Imperial Mexican Lager.” Here’s the description from the brewery’s website:
And here’s the label, where Trump is said to be the President of the Divided States of America:
From what I can tell about their portfolio of beers, they like to have a bit of fun with both their beer and the labels for them. This may be their first political beer, but it doesn’t appear to be their last, as several more are listed as “Upcoming” or “Maybe in Future.” UPDATE: I’ve heard from brewmaster Cory McGuinness, who wrote to me to let me know that in fact all four of their political series beers are, in fact, available now. Apparently, with English being not their first language, the English-language portion of the website has not been updated recently.
So the first beer in their politicam series is Frau Ribbentrop, a 4.5% Belgian Wit featuring German chancellor Angela Merkel:
And then there’s Obama Hope, a 7.2% stout, featuring former U.S. president Barack Obama:
And finally, the brewery has released Putin Huilo, an 8% Dry-Hopped Golden Ale, featuring Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Does anyone want to bet that Trump will be most upset about this because Putin’s beer is stronger than his?