Beer In Ads #1861: Facts Versus Fallacies #49

March 25, 2016 By Jay Brooks

Friday’s ad is another one for the Pennsylvania State Brewers Association, from 1915, No. 49 in series they did from 1915-17 called “Facts Versus Fallacies.” I have no idea how many were done but some of the them are numbered into low triple digits, suggesting there were a lot of them, all in an effort to stop Prohibition from happening and win over support for beer. This ad, marked “49,” and this is another weird one, equating workmen’s compensation cases, which at the time was new law, to drinking. One of the prohibitionist’s arguments was that drinking in the workplace was a dangerous problem, but statistics show that in federal workmen’s comp cases only one involved intoxication, and that one was thrown out. Statistics from other states show similar results, with very few cases involving alcohol, taking the wind out of the propaganda sails for prohibition.

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Beer In Ads #1860: Facts Versus Fallacies #48

March 24, 2016 By Jay Brooks

Thursday’s ad is another one for the Pennsylvania State Brewers Association, from 1915, No. 48 in series they did from 1915-17 called “Facts Versus Fallacies.” I have no idea how many were done but some of the them are numbered into low triple digits, suggesting there were a lot of them, all in an effort to stop Prohibition from happening and win over support for beer. This ad, marked “48,” and this is another weird one, equating personal wealth with whether or not a state is wet or dry. Statistics at the time suggested that in wet states, people’s personal per capita wealth was much greater than people in dry states. I’m not sure about the causation question, or other factors, but it’s certainly an interesting strategy.

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Beer In Ads #1859: Facts Versus Fallacies #47

March 23, 2016 By Jay Brooks

Wednesday’s ad is another one for the Pennsylvania State Brewers Association, from 1915, No. 47 in series they did from 1915-17 called “Facts Versus Fallacies.” I have no idea how many were done but some of the them are numbered into low triple digits, suggesting there were a lot of them, all in an effort to stop Prohibition from happening and win over support for beer. This ad, marked “47,” and details the failed efforts of a prohibition in neighboring Ohio. They quote several prominent citizens in Ohio, including a former U.S. president. Their conclusion. “The fallacy of Prohibition is best shown by the fact that whenever tried it has proven a failure, because it is neither just nor practical.”

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Beer In Ads #1858: Facts Versus Fallacies #42

March 22, 2016 By Jay Brooks

Tuesday’s ad is another one for the Pennsylvania State Brewers Association, from 1915, No. 42 in series they did from 1915-17 called “Facts Versus Fallacies.” I have no idea how many were done but some of the them are numbered into low triple digits, suggesting there were a lot of them, all in an effort to stop Prohibition from happening and win over support for beer. This ad, marked “42,” and is an interesting tactic. It’s simply a reprint of a letter from a federal judge, D.E. Bryant, explaining why in his opinion the local option is a terrible idea and will not work. But here’s my favorite paragraph.

My experience is that prohibitory laws do not prohibit; that they do no good, but to the contrary they are extremely hurtful. There is but one answer to this, and it is that you cannot legislate successfully upon what men regard as a matter of taste. When legislation trenches upon taste the citizen will violate the law with impunity, and in so doing he does not regard himself as a criminal.

Sounds to me like he knew what he was talking about, as that’s pretty much exactly what happened during prohibition.

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Deschutes Announces New Brewery In Virginia

March 22, 2016 By Jay Brooks

In the rumor mill for several months, today Deschutes Brewing of Bend, Oregon announced that they’ll be building a second brewery in Roanoke, Virginia. They’ve set up a separate page for information about the new facility in Roanoke. Here’s the press release:

Deschutes Brewery announced its much anticipated decision on an east coast location today at an event in downtown Roanoke, Virginia. The growing brewery, which was founded in Oregon in 1988 by Gary Fish, has explored hundreds of potential locations in the region over the last two years. The company selected Roanoke based on several criteria including a culture and community that fit well with Deschutes’ decades-deep roots.
“We started Deschutes Brewery when craft beer wasn’t burgeoning and led with a beer style that wasn’t popular at the time – Black Butte Porter,” said Gary Fish, CEO and founder of the brewery. “This pioneering approach was a key driver behind our decision to go with Roanoke, as that same spirit exists in this community and its fast-growing beer culture.”
The future Roanoke facility has been lovingly dubbed “Brew 4” as it takes its place in line after the original Bend, Oregon public house (Brew 1), the brewery’s production facility in Bend (Brew 2) and the Portland, Oregon public house (Brew 3). Brew 4 will be located at the eastern edge of Roanoke with construction on the site beginning in 2019. Eventually, a little over 100 new jobs will be created for the region, and the new brewery will produce approximately 150,000 barrels to start, with a design to increase capacity as needed. Deschutes expects to start shipping beer from the Roanoke location in about five years.
“Roanoke is honored to be chosen as Deschutes Brewery’s East Coast location after a very thorough review of several communities in the Southeast,” said Roanoke City Manager Chris Morrill. “It is a company with a strong culture of community engagement, recognized for its craftsmanship and will be a perfect fit for Roanoke’s vibrant outdoor lifestyle. We are thrilled to welcome Deschutes as we continue to build a diverse, resilient economy.”
Deschutes Brewery chose to add an east coast location after the company’s distribution footprint (which currently includes 28 states and the District of Columbia) reached the east coast. By having a production facility on the eastern seaboard, the brewery will be able to deliver beers – such as its flagship Black Butte Porter – to states east of the Mississippi quickly and more sustainably.
Michael LaLonde, president of Deschutes Brewery, who was an integral part of the east coast location selection team, said, “Although it was a tough decision – we loved so many of the communities that we visited over the past two years – we are very excited to be heading to Roanoke. We love the region and everyone we’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with during this process has been incredible. We have absolutely been blown away with how the community rallied around bringing us here and has given us such a warm welcome. #Deschutes2Rke we’re on our way and proud to be able to now call Roanoke our second home.”

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Craft Market Exceeds 12%

March 22, 2016 By Jay Brooks

The preliminary numbers for 2015 are out, and the news is again pretty damn good. The Brewers Association today revealed that craft beer’s share of market, which finally passed 10% last year, is now 12.2% of the total beer market, by volume.

From the press release:

In 2014, craft brewers produced 22.2 million barrels, and saw an 18 percent rise in volume and a 22 percent increase in retail dollar value. Retail dollar value was estimated at $19.6 billion representing 19.3 percent market share.
“With the total beer market up only 0.5 percent in 2014, craft brewers are key in keeping the overall industry innovative and growing. This steady growth shows that craft brewing is part of a profound shift in American beer culture—a shift that will help craft brewers achieve their ambitious goal of 20 percent market share by 2020,” said Bart Watson, chief economist, Brewers Association. “Small and independent brewers are deepening their connection to local beer lovers while continuing to create excitement and attract even more appreciators.”

But wait, there’s more.

Additionally, in 2015 the number of operating breweries in the U.S. grew 15 percent, totaling 4,269 breweries—the most at any time in American history. Small and independent breweries account for 99 percent of the breweries in operation, broken down as follows: 2,397 microbreweries, 1,650 brewpubs and 178 regional craft breweries. Throughout the year, there were 620 new brewery openings and only 68 closings. One of the fastest growing regions was the South, where four states—Virginia, North Carolina, Florida and Texas—each saw a net increase of more than 20 breweries, establishing a strong base for future growth in the region.
Combined with already existing and established breweries and brewpubs, craft brewers provided nearly 122,000 jobs, an increase of over 6,000 from the previous year.
“Small and independent brewers are a beacon for beer and our economy,” added Watson. “As breweries continue to open and volume increases, there is a strong need for workers to fill a whole host of positions at these small and growing businesses.”

If you’re curious how those numbers are calculated, BA economist Bart Watson posted an explanation of the 2015 Craft Brewing Growth by the Numbers.

Beer In Ads #1857: Facts Versus Fallacies #31

March 21, 2016 By Jay Brooks

Monday’s ad is another one for the Pennsylvania State Brewers Association, from 1915, No. 31 in series they did from 1915-17 called “Facts Versus Fallacies.” I have no idea how many were done but some of the them are numbered into low triple digits, suggesting there were a lot of them, all in an effort to stop Prohibition from happening and win over support for beer. This ad, marked “31,” and again discusses the Brooks High License Law (no relation) and the fallacy of the local option where counties can choose to ban alcohol, even if the rest of the state doesn’t. It’s what became known, after prohibition ended, as dry counties and wet ones, a system that was as bad then as it is today.

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Patent No. 493896A: Keg Rack

March 21, 2016 By Jay Brooks

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Today in 1893, US Patent 493896 A was issued, an invention of Ward E. Pierce, for his “Keg or Tool Rack.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to keg or tool racks and particularly to that class which is adapted to be stored and shipped in knock-down shape, to be readily set up in stores and vending places, and which afford easy and convenient means for holding nail kegs, agricultural implements.
My object is to produce such a rack which may be readily assembled at the place where it is desired to be used, and adapted to hold kegs in a very convenient position so that the goods may be readily displayed therefrom; and also easy and convenient means for holding hoes, forks, brooms, &c.,taking up a minimum amount of space.

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Patent No. 46973A: Improved Process For Obtaining A Condensed Extract Of Hops

March 21, 2016 By Jay Brooks

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Today in 1865, US Patent 46973 A was issued, an invention of Samuel R. Percy and Walter S. Wells, for his “Improved Process for Obtaining a Condensed Extract of Hops.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

Our invention consists in the preparation of a condensed extract of hops, which possesses all the valuable properties of the hops, which is computed to lose about thirty-three and one-third per cent of their strength the first year, and afterward to decline more rapidly. All these and other objections are entirely obviated by our invention.
A quantity of hops is placed in an air-tight vessel, and the air is then exhausted therefrom in any of the methods ordinarily used for that purpose. Warm or cold water is then introduced, which should be kept heated by the admission of steam, and the hops allowed to steep for two or three hours. The degree of heat is not essential. We prefer that it should approach nearly to the boiling-point of water in vacuo. A small quantity of alkali or alkaline salts should be added to the water, the amount, when so used, not to exceed one pound of alkali or its equivalent of alkaline salts to I every one hundred pounds of hops. When the hops, by these means, are sufficiently digested, a vacuum is formed in a chamber communicating with the vessel in which the hops have been steeped, so that when the cooks communicating between this vessel and this receiver are opened the water and condensed steam containing the virtues of the hops pass through into the receiver, a vacuum being maintained therein sufficient to draw all the liquid from the hops. Water and steam are again and again admitted into the steeping vessel, as before described, until the hops are entirely exhausted of their properties. The fluid thus holding said properties in suspension is strained through a suitable strainer adjusted within the connecting pipe while in transition from the steeping-vessel to the receiver. When a sufficient quantity of this fluid extract of the hops, effected as above stated, is accumulated in the receiver, a vacuum evaporating-pan is ready for its reception by covering or coating its inner surface with any oily or fatty substance cerine, paraffine, &c., to prevent the extract from adhering to the pan and burning. Avaouum is then formed in this pan and the fluid extract is drawn through a pipe or tube connecting with the receiver, as fast as needed, into this vacuum, evaporating, or condensing pan. At such time, during the process of evaporating and condensing such fluid, as the operator may deem proper, a quantity of molasses, saccharine matters, or the extracted liquor of grain, whether malted or not, is to be drawn into the vacuum condenser and mixed with the fluid therein contained, amounting in quantity to about three gallons of molasses orits equivalent proportion of saccharine matter or extracted liquor of grain to every one hundred pounds of hops employed,though these proportions are by no means arbitrary. The whole is then evaporated or condensed to the consistence of very thick molasses, after which it may be taken out and put into vessels for use or transportation.

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