Monday’s ad is for Miller High Life, from 1958. In this ad, one of a series featuring a nearly black and white ad, with only the beer in color, and the same man engaged in various activities. This time, he’s leaning on a saddle, in a stable. Although he looks more like someone who was just betting on the horses rather than the jockey riding them, but who knows. He’s certainly looking intently at something.
Today in 1916, US Patent 1197922 A was issued, an invention of Julian O. Ellinger, for his beer “Barrel.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:
This invention relates to improvements in barrels or kegs and one of the principal objects of the invention is to provide means for securing a head in a barrel or keg in such manner that said head may be securely held in place when the barrel is subjected to rough usage in handling, and so that the head may be readily removed.
Sunday’s ad is for Miller High Life, from 1958. In this ad, one of a series featuring a nearly black and white ad, with only the beer in color, and the same man engaged in various activities. This time, he’s leaning on his golf bag in the clubhouse, apparently fresh off a round of eighteen, with a beer in one hand. He’s looking rather pensive, too. Maybe he didn’t shoot a very good round.
Today in 1894, US Patent 525913 A was issued, an invention of Raphael J. Mackison and John P. Mackison, for their “Hop Cleaning Machine.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:
Our invention relates to improvements in machines for cleaning hops; and the object of our invention is to produce a very simple and efficient machine which may be easily operated, which is provided with an inclined bed and a carrying apron to carry away the dirt, dust, leaves. and other trash deposited by the hops, which has “means for adjusting the bed, which is adapted to clean the apron on its under side, and which is constructed so that perfectly clean hops may be rapidly delivered from one end of the machine.
A further object of our invention is to produce a machine of this kind which is adapted to clean the hops perfectly and without in the least degree injuring or bruising them.
Saturday’s ad is for Miller High Life, from 1959. In this ad, one of a series featuring a nearly black and white ad, with only the beer in color, and the same man engaged in various activities. This time, he’s leaning against the stone fireplace in a ski lodge, apparently fresh off the slopes, and in need of both warmth and a cold beer.
Today in 1889, US Patent 3834296 A was issued, an invention of Uwe Jess and Wolfgang Kehs, for their “Continuous Production of Beer Wort From Dried Malt.” Here’s the Abstract:
An apparatus for continuously making beer wort from dried malt has a malt soaking unit and a malt crusher which is adapted to receive the soaked malt from the unit and has at least two smooth-surface cooperating rolls and drive means for driving them at differential velocities. A conduit system has a plurality of upright heatable conduit sections and serves for heating a mash which is produced after the malt has been treated in the crusher, and a clarifying unit is provided for clarifying the mash having been heated previously.
Today in 1889, US Patent 410994 A was issued, an invention of Charles Sommer, for his “Stave Dressing Machine.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:
My invention relates to improvements in that class of machines by which staves used in the manufacture of cooperage, such as beer kegs, barrels, etc. are dressed. Its object is to dress the staves on both sides at once, giving them at the same time the desired curve corresponding with the curve of the keg or barrel and providing at the two ends additional thickness, allowing depth for the croze.
Friday’s ad is for Miller High Life, from 1969. In this ad, a half-empty bottle sits next to a full glass of beer. I like the minimalism of the ad, lots of negative space, although the text doesn’t make a lot of sense. I know Miller knows they don’t brew beer in a bottle, or a bottle at a time, but apparently their ad agency isn’t so sure.
Between 1951 and 1953, P. Ballantine and Sons Brewing Company, or simply Ballentine Beer, created a series of ads with at least thirteen different writers. They asked each one “How would you put a glass of Ballantine Ale into words?” Each author wrote a page that included reference to their beer, and in most cases not subtly. One of them was James Hilton, who’s best known for a few novels turned into films. His ad ran in 1952.
Today is the birthday of James Hilton (September 9, 1900–December 20, 1954), who “was an English novelist best remembered for several best-sellers, including Lost Horizon and Goodbye, Mr. Chips. He also wrote Hollywood screenplays.”
His piece for Ballantine was done in the form of his reminiscences about his first Ballantine Ale, and why he continues to recommend it or serve it to friends:
I first tasted Ballantine Ale on a mountain. We left a few bottles hidden in the first snow on the way up, and when we came down they were a treasure trove — deliciously iced and full of the flavor of fellowship and happy hours.
Since then I have enjoyed Ballantine Ale and offered it to friends on many far different occasions — lower in altitude but just as high in satisfaction. For Ballantine Ale is a good drink at all levels — and by a good drink, I mean that I’ve always found it thirst-quenching, smooth and comfortable, kind to the senses and nourishing to the memory.
Today in 1902, US Patent 708942 A was issued, an invention of Harry Torchiani, for his “Apparatus For Racking Off Beer.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:
My invention relates to apparatus for filling barrels, kegs, or the like with fermented liquids, such as beer; and one of the objects of the invention is to collect the foam that arises in a barrel or keg being charged and prevent it from passing into another barrel or keg that is being charged; and another object of the invention is to provide improved means for firmly connecting the racking-off faucet with a barrel or keg and for readily disconnecting it therefrom; and to these ends my invention comprises the novel details of improvement that Will be more fully hereinafter set forth, and then pointed out in the claims.
