Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer In Ads #759: John Adams For Budweiser

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Friday’s ad is another in the Budweiser historical series from 1908. The black and white ad is text-heavy and includes a history lesson on John Adams, our second president and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The ad makes the curious appeal that any dealer who carries Budweiser will realize less profits than selling other beers. Why? “Because it costs more money at the brewery than any other beer made. A royal brew of malt and hops whose absolute sovereignty has never been challenged.” Interesting strategy. One other anachronistic feature of advertising a century ago. The advert ran in a publication called Pearson’s Advertiser. At the very bottom of the page it includes this gem. “You will confer a favor by mentioning PEARSON’S when you write to advertisers.”

Bud-1908-john-adams

The Brewer’s 10 Commandments

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10-commandments
Here’s an interesting list of the The Brewer’s 10 Commandments, or Die 10 Gebote des Bierbrauers, that I found on the website for the Museum of Beer & Brewing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It’s origin is apparently from “the Brewers 1887 Convention.”

The Brewer’s 10 Commandments

  1. Thou shalt love the god Gambrinus above all and not cloud his honor with bad beer.
  2. Thou shalt not honor any other beer gods and not stretch your beers with chemical additions.
  3. Thou shalt brew good beer during the week so the people can become healthy again on Sundays.
  4. Thou shalt obey mother Hops and father Barley, honor them as providers of your wealth.
  5. Thou shalt not kill, with beers of poor quality.
  6. Thou shalt watch your taverner more, than the pretty waitresses and women.
  7. Thou shalt not steal money from the people’s pockets, nor fill kegs and bottles with water.
  8. Thou shalt not mix unlawful materials into the beer, nor sell bad beer as good.
  9. Thou shalt not expect more from the people than thy beer hath worth because there is already enough poor quality on the market.
  10. Thou shalt not demand that your wife, children and workers drink your beer if it is spoiled, watered down or of poor taste.

Beer In Ads #758: William Penn For Budweiser

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Thursday’s ad is another in the Budweiser historical series from 1908. The black and white ad is text-heavy and includes a history lesson on William Penn, who founded the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. After discussing Penn, the ad copy switches to hops. “Lupulin has created a stir in the medical world because of its great Tonic properties for stomach disorders. It is found in the highest and most effective form in Saazer Hops, grown in the province of Saaz, Bohemia. The Anheuser Busch Brewing Ass’n, St. Louis, U.S.A. import more of these hops than all other breweries in the United States, and use them exclusively in their famous Budweiser.” Anybody know if ABI still uses an Saaz — er, Saazer — hops? I know they own hopfields in the Hallertau (I’ve been to those) and also in Idaho (ditto), but in the Czech Republic?

bud-1908-william-penn

Zumologists In The Zythepsary

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history
Here are some obsolete words that need to be brought back. We all know zymurgy is “the branch of applied chemistry dealing with fermentation, as in winemaking, brewing, the preparation of yeast, etc.” not to mention a magazine, and zymology “is the study of zymurgy, the area of applied science related to fermentation. It deals with the biochemical processes involved in fermentation, with yeast selection and physiology, and with the practical issues of brewing.” So far so good, but have you ever heard of these?

Zumologist
A brewer. Webster’s 1828 has this definition. “n. One who is skilled in the fermentation of liquors.” It’s also an alternate form of “zymologist.” And one dictionary claims this as its origins. “fr. Gk zume, to ferment + -ologist“
Zumology
Webster’s 1828 has this definition. “n. [Gr., ferment; to ferment; discourse.] A treatise on the fermentation of liquors, or the doctrine of fermentation.“
Zythepsary
A brewery, according to “Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, published 1913 by C. & G. Merriam Co.” Apparently it’s from “Ancient Greek ζῦθος (zuthos, ‘barley beer’) + ἕψω (hepsō, ‘boil’)”
One 1835 dictionary lists the word thusly:
ZYTHEPSARY, zidi-iVser-4, n. A place for brewing ; a brewery ; a brewhouse. A pronouncing and explanatory dictionary of the English language: Page 740 James Knowles — 1835.”
And case you’re curious here’s how to pronounce zythepsary.
Zythum
The same 1835 dictionary defines zythum as “n. A beverage ; a liquor composed of malt and corn. A pronouncing and explanatory dictionary of the English language: Page 740 James Knowles — 1835.”

Those are some pretty cool words. Come on people, let’s starting using those again. Who doesn’t want to go for a Zythum, made by a Zumologist at your local Zythepsary?

Here’s a passage by Charles Dickens in the weekly Journal “All the Year Round” using the word zythepsary. It’s from 1861, when the word was already uncommon, apparently.

“But the oddest things of all are to be found in the dictionaries. Why they are all kept there no one knows; but what man in his senses would use such words as zythepsary for a brewhouse, and zumologist for a brewer; would talk of a stormy day as procellous and himself as madefied; of his long-legged son as increasing in procerity but sadly inarcid, of having met wilh much procacity from such a one; of a bore as a macrologist; of an aged horse as macrobiolic; of important business as moliminous,and his daughter’s necklace as moniliform; of some one’s talk as meracious, and lament, his last night’s nimiety of wine at that dapatical feast, whence he was taken by ereption?”

And this Pabst ad from 1897 refers to the Pabst Zythepsary.

Pabst-bock-1897

And here’s science fiction writer Isaac Asimov using zymologist in 1962’s “The Caves of Steel.”

“‘I’m a zymologist, if you don’t mind.’

‘What’s the difference?’

Clousarr looked lofty. ‘A chemist is a soup-pusher, a stink-operator. A zymologist is a man who helps keep a few billion people alive. I’m a yeast-culture specialist.'”

I’ve heard Yeast-wrangler before, but not that one. That’s also pretty awesome. I’d love to start seeing that on brewers’ business cards: “Yeast-Culture Specialist.”

asimov-caves-of-steel

Beer In Ads #757: James Madison For Budweiser

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Wednesday’s ad is another in the Budweiser historical series from 1908. The black and white ad is text-heavy and includes a history lesson on James Madison, our fourth president and one of the architects of the Constitution, often referred to as the “father of the Constitution.” It ends with some terrifically jingoistic ad copy. “The drink that delights your palate and aids the digestion of your food. Drink the drink of your forefathers; the drink of the nobelst men that ever lived; the drink of the great triumphant nations; the pure, nourishing and refreshing juices of American barley fields; the home drink of all civilized nations.” Are you feeling thirty and patriotic yet?

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Kenya Beer

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kenya
Today in 1963, Kenya gained their Independence from the United Kingdom.

Kenya
kenya-color

Kenya Breweries

Kenya Brewery Guides

Other Guides

  • CIA World Factbook
  • Official Website
  • U.S. Embassy
  • Wikipedia

Guild: None Known

National Regulatory Agency: None

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Not Known

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.08%

kenya

  • Full Name: Republic of Kenya
  • Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania
  • Government Type: Republic
  • Language: English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages
  • Religion(s): Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, Muslim 10%, indigenous beliefs 10%, other 2%
  • Capital: Nairobi
  • Population: 43,013,341; 31st
  • Area: 580,367 sq km, 49th
  • Comparative Area: Slightly more than twice the size of Nevada
  • National Food: Nyama choma
  • National Symbol: Masai shield and spears
  • Affiliations: UN, African Union, Commonwealth
  • Independence: From the UK, December 12, 1963

kenya-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: 18
  • BAC: 0.08%
  • Number of Breweries: 6

kenya-money

  • How to Say “Beer”: beer
  • How to Order a Beer: one beer, please
  • How to Say “Cheers”: cheers
  • Toasting Etiquette: N/A

kenya-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 44%
  • Wine: 1%
  • Spirits: 27%
  • Other: 28%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 1.64
  • Unrecorded: 2.50
  • Total: 4.14
  • Beer: 0.84

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 1.6 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
  • Excise Taxes: Yes
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Sales Restrictions: Time, location, specific events, intoxicated persons, petrol stations
  • Advertising Restrictions: Yes
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: No

Patterns of Drinking Score: 3

Prohibition: None

kenya-africa

Beer In Ads #756: Otto Von Bismarck For Budweiser

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Tuesday’s ad is another old one for Budweiser, also from 1908. The black and white ad is text-heavy and includes a history lesson on Otto von Bismarck, though I doubt the ad would have run after World War I. This was just a few years before anti-German sentiment peaked because of the war, and so many of the successful breweries in America were started by German immigrants, and Anheuser-Busch was no exception. But they loved him. “Like all Germans he believed in good eating and drinking, hence the juices of malt and hops were never absent from his table.”

Bud-1908-Bismarck

Under the Anheuser Bush

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music
Another historical oddity, Under the Anheuser Bush, was a song written around 1903, with words by Andrew B. Sterling and music by Harry Von Tilzer. This version is sung by Billy Murray and is a 1903 Old Edison Recording.

anheuser-busch-song-1904

Here’s the lyrics:

Talk about the shade of the sheltering palms
Praise the bamboo tree and it’s wide spreading charms
There’s a little bush that grows right here in town
You know it’s name it has won such renown
Often with my sweetheart just after the play
To this little place then my footsteps will stray
If she hesitates when she looks at the sign
Softly I whisper, “Now Sue, don’t decline….”

Rave about the place where you swells go to dine
Picture you and me with our sandwich and stein
Underneath the bush where the good fellows meet
Life seems worth living, our joy is complete
If you’re sad at heart take a trip there tonight
You’ll forget your woe and your eyes will grow bright.
There you’ll surely find me with my sweetheart, Sue.
Come down this evening, I’ll introduce you.

Come, come, come and make eyes with me
Under the Anheuser Bush
Come come drink some Budwise with me
Under the Anheuser Bush
Hear the old German Band
Just let me hold your hand YAH!
Do, do come and have a stein or two
Under the Anheuser Bush!

Here’s Verse 1:

And Verse 2:

Under-the-Anheuser-Bush

Below is yet another version, a little more scratchy than the other one, but is also sung by Billy Murray. It was recorded in Philadelphia on January 15, 1904 and is Take 4. I found it at the National Jukebox at the Library of Congress.

This one was recorded on vinyl by Monarch Records.

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Beer In Ads #755: George Washington For Budweiser

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Monday’s ad is an old one for Budweiser, from the 1908. The black and white ad is text-heavy and includes a history lesson on Washington, along with this beautiful ad copy. “It shines like liquid gold — it sparkles like amber dew — it quickens with life — a right lusty beer — brewed conscientiously for over fifty years from barley and hops only.” But they’re not done yet. “It prolongs youth and preserves physical charm — giving strength to muscle, mind and bone — a right royal beverage for the home.”

Bud-1908-Washington