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Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer In Ads #2223: Why Responsible Brewers Are Adopting This Symbol

March 22, 2017 By Jay Brooks


Wednesday’s ad is a trade ad, by the United States Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1938. After prohibition ended, the industry started doing PSA-type ads in an attempt to create goodwill for beer and brewers. They would later go on to do a fairly sophisticated series of ads between 1946 and 1956, known unofficially as Beer Belongs. Officially, they were “The Home Life in America” series, consisting of 120 ads, with a new ad running in major periodicals each month. Last year, for my Beer in Ads series, I featured every one of them. But in the years before that, the U.S. Brewing Industry Foundation (a precursor to the original Brewer’s Association) dabbled with a variety of similar ads promoting the industry as a whole. These were especially popular during World War 2, and in fact they even won an award from the government for some of these ads. Most of the ads were black and white, although a few were in color, though usually in a minimal way, with a few colors accented rather than being in full color.

In this ad, just six years after the repeal of prohibition, the brewers had formed a trade organization, the United Brewers Industrial Foundation in an effort to promote themselves as not just good brewers, but also as good citizens. You do start to see the logo pop up in member’s advertising after this point, so at least some made the effort. I don’t think it was overly effective, however, and they seemed to try several different advertising strategies over the next few years. It also doesn’t seem like the best of names, either. I wonder who thought “Industrial Foundation” sounded like a name consumer would respond positively to?

1938-Beer-ale-United-Brewers-Industrial

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, Brewers Association, History

Beer In Ads #2222: Firelight And Mellow Beer Weave Memories To Cherish

March 21, 2017 By Jay Brooks


Tuesday’s ad is a trade ad, by the United States Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1942. After prohibition ended, the industry started doing PSA-type ads in an attempt to create goodwill for beer and brewers. They would later go on to do a fairly sophisticated series of ads between 1946 and 1956, known unofficially as Beer Belongs. Officially, they were “The Home Life in America” series, consisting of 120 ads, with a new ad running in major periodicals each month. Last year, for my Beer in Ads series, I featured every one of them. But in the years before that, the U.S. Brewing Industry Foundation (a precursor to the original Brewer’s Association) dabbled with a variety of similar ads promoting the industry as a whole. These were especially popular during World War 2, and in fact they even won an award from the government for some of these ads. Most of the ads were black and white, although a few were in color, though usually in a minimal way, with a few colors accented rather than being in full color.

In this ad, an older couple sits on a sofa, beer in his hand, the pair of them are staring intently at something in front of them. If not for the word “firelight” in the headline, I would have thought the glow they were looking at was their television. But no, they’re staring at the fire in their fireplace. Of course, in 1942 not only weren’t there many channels, what there was wasn’t too good anyway.

Firelight-and-Mellow-Beer-Paper-Ads-United-Brewers-Industrial-Foundation-1942

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, Brewers Association, History

Beer In Ads #2221: 15 Billion Pounds Of Farm Products!

March 20, 2017 By Jay Brooks


Monday’s ad is a trade ad, by the United States Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1939. After prohibition ended, the industry started doing PSA-type ads in an attempt to create goodwill for beer and brewers. They would later go on to do a fairly sophisticated series of ads between 1946 and 1956, known unofficially as Beer Belongs. Officially, they were “The Home Life in America” series, consisting of 120 ads, with a new ad running in major periodicals each month. Last year, for my Beer in Ads series, I featured every one of them. But in the years before that, the U.S. Brewing Industry Foundation (a precursor to the original Brewer’s Association) dabbled with a variety of similar ads promoting the industry as a whole. These were especially popular during World War 2, and in fact they even won an award from the government for some of these ads. Most of the ads were black and white, although a few were in color, though usually in a minimal way, with a few colors accented rather than being in full color.

In this ad, that “15 Billion Pounds Of Farm Products” the headline refers to barley, corn, rice and hops “from 3 million acres of farm lands” that have been purchased by American breweries since the repeal of prohibition six years before. I believe their point was that it was good for the economy, but it’s so subtle I’m not quite sure. And I love that inset explaining that 3 million acres is roughly “All the potato fields in this great country put together.” It’s also “all the crop lands harvested in five New England states!” So that’s a lot of land.

USBF-1939-barley

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, barley, Brewers Association, History

Beer In Ads #2220: Prescription For A Long And Happy Life

March 19, 2017 By Jay Brooks


Sunday’s ad is a trade ad, by the United States Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1941. After prohibition ended, the industry started doing PSA-type ads in an attempt to create goodwill for beer and brewers. They would later go on to do a fairly sophisticated series of ads between 1946 and 1956, known unofficially as Beer Belongs. Officially, they were “The Home Life in America” series, consisting of 120 ads, with a new ad running in major periodicals each month. Last year, for my Beer in Ads series, I featured every one of them. But in the years before that, the U.S. Brewing Industry Foundation (a precursor to the original Brewer’s Association) dabbled with a variety of similar ads promoting the industry as a whole. These were especially popular during World War 2, and in fact they even won an award from the government for some of these ads. Most of the ads were black and white, although a few were in color, though usually in a minimal way, with a few colors accented rather than being in full color.

In this ad, a man appears to be camping alone. Which appears to be part of the “Prescription for a long and happy life,” which includes “… a brook … a browning trout … and beer.” Check. Check. Check.

UBIF-1941-prescription

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, Brewers Association, History

Beer In Ads #2219: I Buy My Beer From A Foundation Member … Do You?

March 18, 2017 By Jay Brooks


Saturday’s ad is a trade ad, by the United States Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1939. After prohibition ended, the industry started doing PSA-type ads in an attempt to create goodwill for beer and brewers. They would later go on to do a fairly sophisticated series of ads between 1946 and 1956, known unofficially as Beer Belongs. Officially, they were “The Home Life in America” series, consisting of 120 ads, with a new ad running in major periodicals each month. Last year, for my Beer in Ads series, I featured every one of them. But in the years before that, the U.S. Brewing Industry Foundation (a precursor to the original Brewer’s Association) dabbled with a variety of similar ads promoting the industry as a whole. These were especially popular during World War 2, and in fact they even won an award from the government for some of these ads. Most of the ads were black and white, although a few were in color, though usually in a minimal way, with a few colors accented rather than being in full color.

In this ad, A waiter is holding a tray with two glasses of beer in it. The headline reads. “I buy my beer from a Foundation member … Do you?” On the wall behind him hangs a sign: “The Place Observes the Law.” I’m not sure it was law, since in theory you could be a licensed brewer but not belong to the U.S. Brewers Foundation, which was, after all, a trade organization. But at least it was for a good reason. “It is a battle to clean up conditions undesirable to us all, which sometimes surround the retail sale of beer to the consumer.”

USBF-1939-American

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, Brewers Association, History

Beer In Ads #2218: Defeat And Victory

March 17, 2017 By Jay Brooks


Friday’s ad is a trade ad, by the United States Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1941. After prohibition ended, the industry started doing PSA-type ads in an attempt to create goodwill for beer and brewers. They would later go on to do a fairly sophisticated series of ads between 1946 and 1956, known unofficially as Beer Belongs. Officially, they were “The Home Life in America” series, consisting of 120 ads, with a new ad running in major periodicals each month. Last year, for my Beer in Ads series, I featured every one of them. But in the years before that, the U.S. Brewing Industry Foundation (a precursor to the original Brewer’s Association) dabbled with a variety of similar ads promoting the industry as a whole. These were especially popular during World War 2, and in fact they even won an award from the government for some of these ads. Most of the ads were black and white, although a few were in color, though usually in a minimal way, with a few colors accented rather than being in full color.

In this ad, two elderly gentleman are wearing suits, complete with vests and pocket watches, holding glasses of beer. They’re watching a football game on television, and it appears one of their fortunes has just changed. One of them is sunk low in his char, while the other smiling with his fist raised in cheer. “Defeat and victory … both grow sweeter with a glass of kindly beer or ale.” Ah, a “kindly” glass of beer. What exactly makes a beer kindly?

1941-PRINT-AD-UNITED-BREWERS-INDUSTRIAL-FOUNDATION

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, Brewers Association, History

Beer In Ads #2217: The Moderation Hour

March 16, 2017 By Jay Brooks


Thursday’s ad is a trade ad, by the United States Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1940. After prohibition ended, the industry started doing PSA-type ads in an attempt to create goodwill for beer and brewers. They would later go on to do a fairly sophisticated series of ads between 1946 and 1956, known unofficially as Beer Belongs. Officially, they were “The Home Life in America” series, consisting of 120 ads, with a new ad running in major periodicals each month. Last year, for my Beer in Ads series, I featured every one of them. But in the years before that, the U.S. Brewing Industry Foundation (a precursor to the original Brewer’s Association) dabbled with a variety of similar ads promoting the industry as a whole. These were especially popular during World War 2, and in fact they even won an award from the government for some of these ads. Most of the ads were black and white, although a few were in color, though usually in a minimal way, with a few colors accented rather than being in full color.

In this ad, two men sit at a table, having a beer. The headline is great. “Good beer and ale in wholesome , modern taverns, offer Americans pleasant, inexpensive relaxation.” Also worth noting, they described the range of available beers as “sweet or dry, dark or light … take your choice.”

USBF-1940-moderation

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, Brewers Association, History

Mitch Steele’s New Atlanta Brewery Has A Name: New Realm Brewing

March 16, 2017 By Jay Brooks

new-realm
As you probably knew, former Stone Brewing’s head brewer, and one-time AB brewer, Mitch Steele, is opening a new brewery, which will be located in Atlanta. The official business name from the beginning has been the purposely generic American Beerworks LLC, a placeholder while they worked on the actual name the business will operate under. Today they made it official. The new brewery will be called “New Realm Brewing.”

new-realm

Here’s more information from the press release that was issued this morning:

Combining a collective passion for craft beer, partners Mitch Steele, Carey Falcone and Bob Powers will bring a “New Realm” to Atlanta’s brewing community later this year. The trio announced their new venture in the Atlanta Beltline area in the fall of last year and has spent many hours coming up with the appropriate name to suit it.

“We could not be more thrilled to announce our name, New Realm,” said Carey Falcone Co-Founder and CEO. “It has taken us quite a bit of time (over many beers, of course) to create our vision and land on the right name for our future brewery and restaurant. New Realm speaks to our desire to create a new realm in brewing and dining experiences, and to support an outstanding and dynamic local craft beer community.”

At the core of New Realm Brewing is Co-Founder, Brewmaster and COO, Mitch Steele formerly Brewmaster for 10 years at Stone Brewing. Steele, referred by many as an authority on brewing IPA’s, has decades of experience developing and brewing innovative and delicious beers. Steele authored a book in 2012 titled, “IPA: Brewing Techniques, Recipes and the Evolution of India Pale Ale.” Currently Steele is busy developing recipes and has shared that craft fans can “count on IPAs being poured at New Realm as well as barrel-aged beers and traditional lagers”.

New Realm Brewing will break ground soon in preparation to open the 20,000 square foot space located at 820 Ralph McGill Avenue in the growing Beltline area. “Plans are underway to bring Atlanta and its visitors a distinctive venue to enjoy craft beer and great artisanal foods in an inviting, unique and fun atmosphere,” said Bob Powers Co-Founder and CCO. “In addition to our production brewery, we will have a restaurant, as well as both a rooftop bar and an outdoor beer garden at New Realm and we look forward to unveiling design plans in the near future.”

Mitch, Carey, Bob skyline
New Realm Owners Mitch Steele, Carey Falcone and Bob Powers in front of the Atlanta skyline.

Filed Under: Breweries, News Tagged With: Announcements, Atlanta, Georgia

Beer In Ads #2216: There’s Serenity In Beer & Ale

March 15, 2017 By Jay Brooks


Wednesday’s ad is a trade ad, by the United States Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1941. After prohibition ended, the industry started doing PSA-type ads in an attempt to create goodwill for beer and brewers. They would later go on to do a fairly sophisticated series of ads between 1946 and 1956, known unofficially as Beer Belongs. Officially, they were “The Home Life in America” series, consisting of 120 ads, with a new ad running in major periodicals each month. Last year, for my Beer in Ads series, I featured every one of them. But in the years before that, the U.S. Brewing Industry Foundation (a precursor to the original Brewer’s Association) dabbled with a variety of similar ads promoting the industry as a whole. These were especially popular during World War 2, and in fact they even won an award from the government for some of these ads. Most of the ads were black and white, although a few were in color, though usually in a minimal way, with a few colors accented rather than being in full color.

In this ad, two couples are having a picnic in the woods, with this great headline. “In a hurrying, scurrying world there’s serenity in beer and ale.” And I love how the pitch the need for “serenity” with this text. “YES! It’s a busy, dizzy world in which we live! And every man and woman in it needs now and then to get away from it all. Needs to sit down quietly and shut out the din and noise for a peaceful hour or so.” And naturally, they suggest drinking a beer during your time off. And I suppose every generation thinks their time is the busiest in human history, but I have to believe things were fairly slow in 1941 compared to now. And this ad was about four months before we entered World War 2. I have a hard time believing it was as hurrying and scurrying as they seemed to think.

USBF-Life-08-04-1941

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, Brewers Association, History

Top 50 Craft Breweries For 2016

March 15, 2017 By Jay Brooks

ba
The Brewers Association just announced the top 50 craft breweries in the U.S. based on sales, by volume, for 2016, which is listed below here. I should also mention that this represents “craft breweries” according to the BA’s membership definition, and not necessarily how most of us would define them, as there’s no universally agreed upon way to differentiate the two. For the ninth year, they’ve also released a list of the top 50 breweries, which includes all breweries. Here is this year’s craft brewery list:

Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies

RankBrewing CompanyCityState
1D. G. Yuengling & Son, IncPottsvillePA
2Boston Beer CoBostonMA
3Sierra Nevada BrewingChicoCA
4New Belgium BrewingFort CollinsCO
5GambrinusSan AntonioTX
6Duvel MoortgatPaso Robles/Kansas City/CooperstownCA/MO/NY
7Bell’s Brewery, IncComstockMI
8Deschutes BreweryBendOR
9Stone BrewingEscondidoCA
10Oskar Blues Brewing HoldingLongmontCO
11Brooklyn BreweryBrooklynNY
12Minhas Craft BreweryMonroeWI
13Artisanal Brewing VenturesDownington/LakewoodPA/NY
14Dogfish Head Craft BreweryMiltonDE
15SweetWater BrewingAtlantaGA
16New Glarus BrewingNew GlarusWI
17Matt BrewingUticaNY
18Harpoon BreweryBostonMA
19Alaskan BrewingJuneauAK
20Abita BrewingAbita SpringsLA
21Great Lakes BrewingClevelandOH
22Anchor BrewingSan FranciscoCA
23Stevens Point BreweryStevens PointWI
24August Schell BrewingNew UlmMN
24Long Trail BrewingBridgewater CornersVT
26Summit BrewingSaint PaulMN
27Odell BrewingFort CollinsCO
28Shipyard BrewingPortlandME
29Full Sail BrewingHood RiverOR
30Rogue AlesNewportOR
3121st Amendment BreweryBay AreaCA
32Flying Dog BreweryFrederickMD
33Ninkasi BrewingEugeneOR
34Gordon Biersch BrewingSan JoseCA
35Allagash BrewingPortlandME
36Narragansett BrewingProvidenceRI
37Green Flash Brewing CoSan DiegoCA
38Tröegs BrewingHersheyPA
39Uinta BrewingSalt Lake CityUT
40Bear Republic BrewingCloverdaleCA
41Karl Strauss BrewingSan DiegoCA
42Surly BrewingMinneapolisMN
43Sixpoint BreweryBrooklynNY
44Left Hand BrewingLongmontCO
45Lost Coast BreweryEurekaCA
46Revolution BrewingChicagoIL
47North Coast BrewingFort BraggCA
48Avery BrewingBoulderCO
49Real Ale BrewingBlancoTX
50BJ’s BreweryHuntington BeachCA

Here is this year’s press release. The last couple of years, the BA has helpfully annotated the list, saving me lots of time, since I’ve been annotating the list for the last nine years, but they’ve abandoned that practice for a second year. So for the ninth consecutive year, I’ll also posted an annotated list, showing the changes in each brewery’s rank from year to year, but it will take me some time to put together so I’ll have that again later tonight or tomorrow.

And similar to last year, the BA created a map showing the relative location of each of the breweries that made the list.

Top_50_Craft_Breweries_2016

Filed Under: Breweries, Just For Fun, News, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Brewers Association, Business, Statistics, United States

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