Sunday’s ad is for Pabst Blue Ribbon, from 1911. I love the outfit on the server, that must be some posh establishment he works for. I love that Pabst is working so hard to position PBR as the classy beer, and especially this sentiment: “Pabst Blue Ribbon is the ultimate choice of all who have a keen faculty of selection.” Priceless. People who who are good at picking things?
Saturday’s ad is also for Budweiser, another later one from 1984, although it feels more dates than its thirty years. Those are some very happy-looking people spinning records. Records … anybody remember those? I know I”m slipping into the groove just looking at them and remembering the 1980s.
Friday’s ad is for Budweiser, a later one from 1983. We just had 5-7 inches of rain dumped on us (not that it will help the drought) but this ad of a waterfall of Budweiser flowing from Bud Can Mountain seemed appropriate. They do say shampooing with beer is good for your hair, but taking a shower under a waterfall would be even cooler.
Thursday’s ad is for Budweiser, from 1965. It’s gatefold two-pager, with an empty bottle of Bud on its side. Only some residual foam remains in the bottle, slowly dripping out, with the tagline “… Every drop tells you why Budweiser is the largest-selling beer in the world.” But does it? Does it really? I remain unconvinced.
Here’s a fun article I stumbled upon that appeared in Popular Science. “Where America Gets Its Booze” was a feature story in their May 1930 issue.
“Where America Gets Its Booze” is an interview with America’s “Prohibition Commissioner,” Dr. James M. Doran, who was a chemist. And boy, doesn’t he look like a fun guy in that photo. According to a Time magazine article from the year before, even his wife was trying to help, as “she marshaled a platoon of reinforcements in the form of recipes for nonalcoholic cocktails. She had prepared a Book of Juices to meet the onslaught of the ‘winter social season just ahead.’ She announced a few of her recipes in advance. Explained Mrs. Doran: ‘Prohibition took something away from the American people, but we can give them something just as good—a cocktail that satisfies but does not inebriate.'” Well, that should do it.
Wednesday’s ad is for the Windisch-Muhlhauser Brewing Co., from some time in the late 1800s. The brewery was founded in 1866, in Cincinnati, by Conrad Windisch and Gottleib and Heinrich Muhlhauser, but was later known as the Lion Brewery and later the Burger Brewing Co., before closing in either 1934 or 1973, depending on whose account you believe.
Tuesday’s ad is for Bock Beer by H. Clausen & Son, from 1879. According to BeerHistory.com’s page Brewing in America in 1879, there were 365 breweries in New York at that time, and H. Clausen & Son was the 9th largest, with barrels sold just under 90,000. it was located at 47th St. & 2nd Ave. The Library of Congress describes the ad as “showing a woman sitting back with her legs up, balancing on one foot a barrel with a goat standing on it; she is holding up a large glass of beer.” I think it looks more like a child, though, not a woman. Either way, what an odd position.
Today is also the birthday of Merideth Canham-Nelson, the better half of The Beer Geek duo that also includes Chris Nelson. I’d tell you what birthday she’s celebrating this year, but I don’t actually know. Merideth also recently published Teachings From the Tap, her account of the year she and husband Chris spent circling the globe visiting beer destinations. Join me in wishing Merideth a very happy birthday.
Merideth at last year’s BevMo Holiday Festival last year.
The first “official meeting” of the Bay Area Beer Bloggers. From left: Merideth, me, Chris Nelson, ditto, JJ, the Thirsty Hopster, and Gail Ann Williams and Steve Shapiro, both from beer by BART.
In front of the Rocky statue in downtown Philadelphia during our trip to the first Philly Beer Week.
At the OBF media tasting: Rick Sellers, from Pacific Brew News, Merideth and Chris Nelson, The Beer Geek, and Meagan Flynn (at right) with her assistant, Annalou, publisher of Beer NW during the 2007 Oregon Brewers Festival.
This looks interesting. Jeff Smith and Fran Ellsworth are directing and producing a new documentary film about California breweries entitled “Craft: The California Beer Documentary.” They recently released their first trailer, which you can watch below. All I know at this point is from a short description of their project. “A road trip throughout California, learning from the master brewers of the state. It’ll also feature interviews with beer enthusiasts and home-brewers.”
Monday’s ad is for Tooheys Flag Ale, from 1930. Tooheys was founded in 1869 in a suburb of Sydney in New South Wales, but today is part of Lion Nathan. The beautiful ad was done by famed Australian artist Walter Jardine.
