Tuesday’s ad is for Blatz, a Halloween ad from 1947. Showing a smirking jack-o-lantern eyeing a full pilsner glass and bottle of Blatz beer next to it. Notice the plate of food below the main ad, with the glass of beer next to it? What exactly do you think that food on the plate might be? It’s lovely presentation, but what the hell is it?
Monday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1961. Showing a beach scene, with a woman in a red bathing suit peeking from underneath an umbrella, full beer mug in hand, with a hot dog and chips(?) on a plate resting on a picnic basket behind her. That sure looks like the makings of a terrific day at the beach.
Today in 1923, Turkey gained their Independence from the Ottoman Empire.
Turkey
Turkey Breweries
Turkey Brewery Guides
Other Guides
Guild: Beer and Malt Producers´ Association of Turkey
National Regulatory Agency: General Directorate of Protection and Control (Koruma ve Kontrol Genel Müdürlüğü)
Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Labels must include the following information: Name and brand of product; Name and address of producing company; Name and address of importing company; Production batch number and date; Country of origin; Net weight or volume; Ministry of Agriculture production or import license number and date; Special instructions for use, preparation, or storage; Special warnings, if applicable; and Alcohol content as a percentage (if the product contains more than 1.2 percent alcohol).
Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.05%
Alcohol Consumption By Type:
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):
WHO Alcohol Data:
Patterns of Drinking Score: 3
Prohibition: None
Nielsen, the company that tracks all things trackable, is speculating on their NelsonWire that beer is bouncing back and that this may signal the “beginning of a beer boom.” According to their data, “Beer sales are seeing a surge in growth, up 5 million cases (1.4 percent) in the last 12 weeks through September 1, 2012, in Nielsen-measured retail outlets. The same period last year saw a decline of 1.7 million cases.”
The main reason they cite for this is choice.
With more options on shelves and innovative product offerings, new consumers were attracted to the beer category. Nearly half of the households who were new to malt, or cider-based beverages (beer, flavored malt beverages and cider) in the past six months had bridged over from solely buying wine or spirits last year.
But as they’re focused to a greater extent on the bigger players in the category, they mean choice in a different way than you and I normally understand it. When Nielsen refers to choice, they mean “flavors, formats and packaging,” though in my experience it’s always “packaging options” that seem to get the most attention. But even with the term as common as flavor, it’s used here as more jargon instead of what you’d ordinarily think it means. By “new flavors,” they don’t mean more different styles or kinds of beer on the average beer set shelf. No, they mean line extensions like the two they give as examples: “Bacon Maple and Blue Raspberry Lemonade,” as a part of other already-established brands.
So while this is good news, and we should all welcome a coming “beer boom,” I can’t help but wonder if this “boom” of which they speak — which quite frankly the craft beer side has been seeing for a decade — is not going to favor them as much as the regional breweries and even the smaller craft breweries. That’s what it’s been doing for several years now, and I can’t see any reason to suspect that will change in the coming months or years, no matter how “bright the last quarter of 2012 may be for beer.” Still, a coming “beer boom” sure has a nice ring to it.
Today in 1918, the Czech Republic, then Czechoslovakia, gained their Independence from Austria-Hungary.
Czech Republic
Czech Republic Breweries
Czech Republic Brewery Guides
Other Guides
Guild: Research Institute Of Brewing; Czech Beer & Malt Association
National Regulatory Agency: Ministry of Agriculture,
Food Production Department
Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: EU Regulations
Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.00%
Alcohol Consumption By Type:
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):
WHO Alcohol Data:
Patterns of Drinking Score: 3
Prohibition: On September 14, 2012, the government of the Czech Republic banned all sales of liquor with more than 20% alcohol. From this date on it is illegal to sell (and/or offer for sale) such alcoholic beverages in shops, supermarkets, bars, restaurants, gas stations, e-shops etc. This measure was taken in response to the wave of methanol poisoning cases resulting in the deaths of 18 people in the Czech Republic. Since the beginning of the “methanol affair” the total number of deaths has increased to 25. The ban remains until further notice, though restrictions were eased towards the end of September.
Today in 1991, Turkmenistan gained their Independence from the USSR.
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan Breweries
Turkmenistan Brewery Guides
Other Guides
Guild: None Known
National Regulatory Agency: None
Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Not Known
Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.033%
Alcohol Consumption By Type:
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):
WHO Alcohol Data:
Patterns of Drinking Score: 3
Prohibition: None
Today in 1979, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines gained their Independence from the United Kingdom.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Breweries
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Brewery Guides
Other Guides
Guild: Caribbean Breweries Association (CBA)
National Regulatory Agency: None
Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Not Known
Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.05%
Alcohol Consumption By Type:
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):
WHO Alcohol Data:
Patterns of Drinking Score: N/A
Prohibition: None
Friday’s ad is for Hamm’s, from 1970. What great conceit. “Among the hardships of the 1856 frontier was the taste of the beer. Then came Hamm’s.” But my favorite bits is at the end, where they claim that Hamm’s flavor, such as it is, “runs as deep as ever. And nothing’s come along that can beat it.” It’s a good thing that ad was in 1970, because that statement surely would not stand up to scrutiny today.
Today in 1955, Austria had their sovereignty restored.
Austria
Austria Breweries
Austria Brewery Guides
Other Guides
Guild: Verband der Brauereien Österreichs (Brewers Association of Austria)
National Regulatory Agency: Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management (BMLFUW)
Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: See European Union Regulations
Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.05% [Note: 0.01% for drivers who have held a licence for less than 2 years and drivers of vehicles over 7.5 tonnes]
Alcohol Consumption By Type:
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):
WHO Alcohol Data:
Patterns of Drinking Score: 1
Prohibition: None
Thursday’s ad is for Budweiser. Showing a pair of old men sharing bottles of Budweiser, it’s such a simple ad, that it may have been from the early part of last century, if not even older. At least one other source claims it’s from the 1940s, but there’s no evidence for that, so I’m still not so sure. Still, it’s nice illustration and undoubtedly made a good poster for a bar.
