Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer In Ads #1296: Thanks For The Job!

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Thursday’s ad is yet another one from the United Brewers Industrial Foundation, also from 1939. This was well before the “Beer Belongs” series, and just before World War II. This one ran in Life magazine, using a precursor to the “America’s Beverage of Moderation” tagline with “Beer … a Beverage of Moderation.” This one’s about job creation, with a list of over a dozen occupations brought back by prohibition’s repeal. Showing a child meeting his father walking home from work, I love this bit of ad copy: “Happy man, happy boy, happy home.” Works for me.

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Sonoma State To Offer Beer Course

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So this is great news, and feels even a little bit overdue, though to be fair I may be a little biased, as you’ll soon see. With craft beer persuading people that good beer is every bit as complex and worthy of respect as wine or whiskey, Sonoma State University, in partnership with Lagunitas Brewing, will be offering a certificate course on beer during their spring semester next year. I can say it should be amazing — with my tongue firmly in my cheek — because they’ve hired the best teachers. My little joke there, is the class will be great because Sonoma State has hired me to develop it and be the lead instructor for the course, although I’ll be bringing in a great roster of guest speakers from the beer industry and related fields to teach students everything they want to know about beer, and then some. At least that’s the plan. And right now, we could use your help in figuring out what potential students are most interested in learning about when it comes to beer and brewing.

We’re developing the curriculum now, and the program is being fueled by Lagunitas Brewing, which is where the majority of classes will be held. On Wednesday evenings, beginning next spring, students will spend three hours in the loft at Lagunitas learning about beer and how it’s made, the business of making and selling beer, along with a better appreciation for it.

Officially, the course will be taught through a partnership between the School of Science & Technology and SSU’s continuing education program, the School of Extended & International Education, along with Lagunitas Brewing, and students will receive a transcripted Certificate of Completion in one semester.

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So what do we need your help with? Simple, we’re trying to figure out what potential students are most interested in learning about when it comes to beer. Do you want to know more about how its made, how to taste it analytically and appreciate it better? Or are you interested in possibly joining the beer industry and so are interested in learning more about the business and what opportunities there might be where you could find your dream job? To figure that out, we’ve created a short survey — just rate 22 possible topics, answer two multiple choice questions, then add any other suggestions you might have, that’s all.

So if you’re not in the industry, simply a beer lover, what subjects would most interest you if you took a class about beer? If you are in the industry, what do you think are the most important things to cover?

Please fill out the survey by Sunday, September 7 to help us identify the key topics that you are most interested in. As a token of our gratitude, Lagunitas Brewing Company has graciously offered to give a special deck of playing cards to survey participants that can be picked up at the brewery in Petaluma. You will be notified by email when your cards are ready for pick-up at Lagunitas. Or you could just take the survey for the fun of it and to help out.

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY

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These are what the cards look like that you can pick up at Lagunitas brewery as a thank you for taking the survey.

Beer In Ads #1295: Bill For Taxes

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Wednesday’s ad is another one from the United Brewers Industrial Foundation, also from 1939. This was well before the “Beer Belongs” series, and just before World War II. Showing a simple bill template, with a lot of negative space for impact, makes the point just a few years after prohibition ended, that beer was providing quite a lot of money into the economy, over one million dollars each day. According to the CPI Inflation Calculator, $1 million in 1939 would be $17,140,287.77 in today’s money.

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Beer In Ads #1294: Why Responsible Brewers Are Adopting This Symbol

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Tuesday’s ad is from the United Brewers Industrial Foundation, from 1939. This was well before the “Beer Belongs” series, and just before World War II. It looks like it most likely was published in a trade magazine of some type rather than a consumer periodical. But I especially love the logo as if it were the sun, coming down from the heavens.

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The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge: Brookston & Porter

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So you’ve probably noticed that one of the latest internet memes is the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness and money for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The idea involves “dumping a bucket of ice water on someone’s head to promote awareness of the disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and encourage donations to research.” Also, the “challenge dares nominated participants to be filmed having a bucket of ice water poured on their heads and challenging others to do the same.” I was challenged by my friend and colleague, Tom Dalldorf, publisher of the Celebrator Beer News, who also tapped Stephen Beaumont and Tom McCormick, executive director of the California Craft Brewers Association. So here’s my video, with my son Porter, who decided he wanted to join me.

You can find out more about how to donate at the ALS Association or the MDA.

THE ALS ASSOCIATION

I also challenged three friends:

  1. Fal Allen, brewmaster, Anderson Valley Brewing
  2. Justin Crossley, founder, The Brewing Network
  3. John Holl, Editor, All About Beer magazine

Now it’s their turn. No thanks necessary.

Beer In Ads #1293: Have You Ever Had A Glass Of Beer By Candlelight?

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Monday’s ad is from the United States Brewers Association, from the late 1950s. This was well after the “Beer Belongs” series, and even after the unnumbered ones the followed the “Home Life in America” series. It’s also by the United States Brewers Association instead of the United States Brewers Foundation, as earlier ones had been. As a result, I believe it’s most likely after 1956. I love the look on the woman’s face. She’s having a good time with her glass of beer by candlelight. Those glasses look more like wine glasses, though, don’t they?

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Beer In Ads #1292: Litter Is A Slap In America’s Face

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Sunday’s ad is later one from the United States Brewers Association — and associated industries — from the 1970s. This was part of the “Pitch In!” anti-littering campaign undertaken by Anheuser-Busch and other major brewers during the heyday of Ecology. This one may have been around the bicentennial in 1976, given the Statue of Liberty and the flag-waving.

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Beer In Ads #1291: Who Says Beer Is A Man’s Beverage?

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Saturday’s ad is another one from the United States Brewers Foundation, from 1961. This was part of the “Beer Belongs” series, but after the numbered “Home Life in America” run. This one shows a pair of female golfers either after a round of golf, or taking a break during, stopping on the side of the course to enjoy a frosty beverage while they tally their scores. I assume they’re done with their round, but then why didn’t they first turn in their cart and head to the clubhouse for their beer and accounting?

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Roller Coaster Couch Trippin’ in San Diego

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I flew down to San Diego this afternoon, a quick trip to speak at the Beer Bloggers Conference tomorrow. Tonight, Lagunitas threw a party for the attendees after a dinner at Karl Strauss Brewing. One of the fun things they did for the brewhaha was a green screen couch ride for the Couch Trippin’ contest.


Here’s me, along with Emily Sauter, from Pints and Panels, and Fred Abercrombie, with Lagunitas (and he also blogs at Ünnecessary Ümlaut), riding a sofa roller coaster through the Lagunitas bottling line.
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