Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer In Ads #688: You Know She’s Not A Natural Blonde

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Thursday’s ad is for Molson, a fairly recent ad, from 2004. The ad is extolling the virtues of Molson’s “Twin Label Technology,” which as far as I can tell means you can turn the bottle around and there’s a second label with a funny saying on it. With labels like “It’s Over,” “I’m Not Wearing Any Underwear” and “Nice Mullet,” it’s clever but isn’t reason enough to buy the beer inside. It seems like mainstream beer companies spend far more resources on their labels, advertising and marketing than the beer itself.

Molson-2004

Swaziland Beer

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swaziland
Today in 1968, Swaziland gained their Independence from the United Kingdom.

Swaziland
swaziland-color

Swaziland Breweries

Swaziland Brewery Guides

Other Guides

Guild: None Known

National Regulatory Agency: None

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Not Known

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.05%

swaziland

  • Full Name: Kingdom of Swaziland
  • Location: Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
  • Government Type: Monarchy
  • Language: English (official, used for government business), siSwati (official)
  • Religion(s): Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, other (includes Anglican, Baha’i, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish) 30%
  • Capital: Mbabane
  • Population: 1,386,914; 154th
  • Area: 17,364 sq km, 159th
  • Comparative Area: Slightly smaller than New Jersey
  • National Food: Cuisine of Swaziland
  • National Symbols: Lion; Elephant
  • Affiliations: UN, African Union, Commonwealth
  • Independence: From the UK, September 6, 1968

swaziland-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: None (to drink); 18 (to buy)
  • BAC: 0.05%
  • Number of Breweries: 5

swaziland-money

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

swaziland-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 33%
  • Wine: 4%
  • Spirits: 3%
  • Other: 60%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 5.70
  • Unrecorded: 0.00
  • Total: 5.70
  • Beer: 1.64

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 5.7 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Decrease
  • Excise Taxes: Yes
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Sales Restrictions: Time, location, specific events, intoxicated persons, petrol stations
  • Advertising Restrictions: No
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: Sales promotions

Patterns of Drinking Score: 3

Prohibition: None

swaziland-africa

Beer In Ads #687: Pilsner Is A Type Of Beer

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Wednesday’s ad is for Miller Lite, from 1999. The ad features model/actress Rebecca Romjin and the tagline “Pilsner is a type of beer. Kind of like Rebecca is a kind of woman.” Does that mean Rebecca’s NOT a woman? Because Miller Lite is hardly a pilsner. Calling Miller Lite a “true pilsner” is like saying a cardboard stand-up of Rebecca is the real flesh and blood model.

Miller-1999-Romjin

Beer In Ads #686: Schlitz Circus Elephant

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Tuesday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1951. The ad shows a circus elephant so enamored of a Schlitz billboard that he’s trying to drink the beer off of the ad. A policeman is running up to the elephant, but his trainer is just shrugging his shoulders. With beer this good, what can he do? At least that’s the idea. I’m not sure I’d take advice on what makes a good beer from an elephant.

Schlitz-1951-circus

White House Releases Homebrew Recipe

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white-house
I bet it must be nice for President Obama’s people to be inundated by something positive for a change. When the White House announced that the kitchen was going to be homebrewing, even using honey made by White House bees, people wanted to know what the recipe was for the two beers they were brewing. After a petition to release the recipes garnered over 12,000 signatures, the White House did release the recipes on the White House Blog and their We the People page, a Honey Ale and a Honey Porter. Here was the White House response:

Inspired by home brewers from across the country, last year President Obama bought a home brewing kit for the kitchen. After the few first drafts we landed on some great recipes that came from a local brew shop. We received some tips from a couple of home brewers who work in the White House who helped us amend it and make it our own. To be honest, we were surprised that the beer turned out so well since none of us had brewed beer before.

As far as we know the White House Honey Brown Ale is the first alcohol brewed or distilled on the White House grounds. George Washington brewed beer and distilled whiskey at Mount Vernon and Thomas Jefferson made wine but there’s no evidence that any beer has been brewed in the White House. (Although we do know there was some drinking during prohibition…)

Since our first batch of White House Honey Brown Ale we’ve added the Honey Porter and have gone even further to add a Honey Blonde this past summer. Like many home brewers who add secret ingredients to make their beer unique, all of our brews have honey that we tapped from the first ever bee-hive on the South Lawn. The honey gives the beer a rich aroma and a nice finish but it doesn’t sweeten it.

And here’s the recipe for the Honey Ale:

wh_beer_recipe_honey_ale

The White House also created a short video about the homebrew project.

And here’s the recipe for the Honey Porter:

wh_beer_recipe_honey_porter

Wondering how the recipe might work out? Garrett Oliver, brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewing expressed his opinion in the New York Times, in White House Beer: A Brewer Weighs In.

Beer In Ads #685: On September 3, 1842 …

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Monday’s ad is for Schaefer, though I don’t know when the ad originally ran. The ad plays on Schaefer’s history, with this tagline. “On September 3, 1842 our first customer bought 5 gallons of Schaefer beer. It was the start of the one beer to have when you’re having more than one.”

schaefer_ad

Qatar Beer

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qatar
Today in 1971, Qatar gained their Independence from the United Kingdom.

Qatar
qatar-color

Qatar Breweries

Qatar Brewery Guides

Other Guides

Guild: None Known

National Regulatory Agency: Alcohol and Liquor Licences in Qatar

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Buying Alcohol in Qatar

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.00%

qatar

  • Full Name: State of Qatar
  • Location: Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia
  • Government Type: Emirate
  • Language: Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language
  • Religion(s): Muslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, other 14%
  • Capital: Doha (Ad Dawhah)
  • Population: 1,951,591; 147th
  • Area: 11,586 sq km, 166th
  • Comparative Area: Slightly smaller than Connecticut
  • National Food: Cuisine in Qatar
  • National Symbol: Oryx
  • Affiliations: UN, Arab League
  • Independence: From the UK, September 3, 1971 / National Day, anniversary of Al Thani family accession to the throne, December 18, 1878

qatar-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes, with heavy restrictions. Alcohol consumption is legal in Qatar, with many restrictions. Luxury hotels are allowed to sell alcohol to their adult non-Muslim customers. Foreign nationals may obtain a permit to purchase alcohol for personal consumption. The Qatar Distribution Company (a subsidiary of Qatar Airways) is permitted to import alcohol and operates the only liquor stores in the country.
  • Minimum Drinking Age: Subnational
  • BAC: Zero Tolerance
  • Number of Breweries: 0

qatar-money

  • How to Say “Beer”: beereh (biræ) / جعة / شراب من الشعير / جعة / المزر شراب نوع من الجعة / بيرة
  • How to Order a Beer: Waheed beera, meen fadleek
  • How to Say “Cheers”: في صحتك
  • Toasting Etiquette: N/A

qatar-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 5%
  • Wine: 12%
  • Spirits: 82%
  • Other: 1%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 0.85
  • Unrecorded: 0.40
  • Total: 1.25
  • Beer: 0.04

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 0.85 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
  • Excise Taxes: No
  • Minimum Age: Subnational
  • Sales Restrictions: N/A
  • Advertising Restrictions: Yes
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: N/A

Patterns of Drinking Score: N/A

Prohibition: Until recently, restaurants on the Pearl-Qatar (a man-made island near Doha) were allowed to serve alcoholic drinks. In December 2011, however, restaurants on the Pearl were told to stop selling alcohol. No explanation was given for the ban. Speculation about the reason includes the government’s desire to project a more pious image in advance of the country’s first election of a royal advisory body and rumors of a financial dispute between the government and the resort’s developers.

qatar-asia

San Marino Beer

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san_marino
Today in 301 C.E., the republic of San Marino was founded.

San Marino
san-marino-color

San Marino Breweries

San Marino 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 0.051%

san-marino

  • Full Name: Republic of San Marino
  • Location: Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy
  • Government Type: Republic
  • Language: Italian
  • Religion(s): Roman Catholic
  • Capital: San Marino
  • Population: 32,140; 213th
  • Area: 61 sq km, 228th
  • Comparative Area: About one third times the size of Washington, DC
  • National Food: Torta Tre Monti
  • National Symbols: Three Towers of San Marino; Three feathers, in three towers, on three mountains
  • Affiliations: UN
  • Independence: The republic founded, September 3, 301 C.E.

san-marino-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: 17
  • BAC: 0.051%
  • Number of Breweries: 1

san-marino-money

  • How to Say “Beer”: birra
  • How to Order a Beer: Una birra, per favore
  • How to Say “Cheers”: A la salute / Cin cin / Salute
  • Toasting Etiquette: N/A

san-marino-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: N/A
  • Wine: N/A
  • Spirits: N/A

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: N/A
  • Unrecorded: N/A
  • Total: N/A
  • Beer: N/A

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: N/A
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: N/A
  • Excise Taxes: N/A
  • Minimum Age: 17
  • Sales Restrictions: N/A
  • Advertising Restrictions: N/A
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: N/A

Patterns of Drinking Score: N/A

Prohibition: None

san-marino-eu

Transnistria Beer

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Transnistria
Today in 1990, Transnistria gained their Independence from Moldova, though it remains unrecognized.

Transnistria
Transnistria-color

Transnistria Breweries

Transnistria Brewery Guides

Other Guides

Guild: None Known

National Regulatory Agency: None

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Not Known

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.03%

Transnistria

  • Full Name: Transnistria or Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (a.k.a. Trans-Dniestr or Transdniestria)
  • Location: Eastern Europe, located mostly on a strip of land between the Dniester river and the eastern Moldovan border with Ukraine
  • Government Type: Presidential republic
  • Language: Russian, Moldovan (Cyrillic), Ukrainian
  • Religion(s): Indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
  • Capital: Tiraspol
  • Population: 518,700
  • Area: 4,163 sq km
  • National Symbol: Hammer and sickle
  • Affiliations: None
  • Independence: From Moldova, September 2, 1990, but still unrecognized

Transnistria-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: 18
  • BAC: 0.03%
  • Label Requirements: N/A
  • Number of Breweries: 4

Transnistria-money

  • How to Say “Beer”: pivo / Пиво
  • How to Order a Beer: одно пиво, пожалуйста
  • How to Say “Cheers”: Budem zdorovy (“let’s stay healthy”) / Chtob vse byli zdorovy (“let everybody be healthy”) / Na zdorovia *may not actually be used* / Na zdorovje (“to your health”) / Za sbychu mecht / будем здоровы / за ваше здоровье / пей до дна
  • Toasting Etiquette: N/A

map_of_transnistria

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 44%
  • Wine: 1%
  • Spirits: <1%
  • Other: 55%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 8.22
  • Unrecorded: 10.00
  • Total: 18.22
  • Beer: 4.57

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 5 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
  • Excise Taxes: Yes
  • Minimum Age: 21
  • Sales Restrictions: Time, location
  • Advertising Restrictions: Yes
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: No

Patterns of Drinking Score: 3

Prohibition: None.

Transnistria-eu

Vietnam Beer

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viet_nam
Today in 1945, Vietnam gained their Independence from France and Japan.

Vietnam
vietnam-color

Vietnam Breweries

Vietnam 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 No Limit

vietnam

  • Full Name: Socialist Republic of Vietnam
  • Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, as well as China, Laos, and Cambodia
  • Government Type: Communist state
  • Language: Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a second language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer, mountain area languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)
  • Religion(s): Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%, Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8%
  • Capital: Hanoi
  • Population: 91,519,289; 13th
  • Area: 331,210 sq km, 66th
  • Comparative Area: Slightly larger than New Mexico
  • National Food: Phở
  • National Symbol: Water Buffalo, Dragon; Lotus; Bamboo, Rice; Vietnamese waterbird (Lac bird), Dong Son drums; Vietnamese waterbird (chim lạc), Vietnamese golden turtle (kim quy)
  • Affiliations: UN, ASEAN
  • Independence: From France, September 2, 1945

vietnam-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: None (to drink); 18 (to buy)
  • BAC: No Limit
  • Number of Breweries: 17

vietnam-money

  • How to Say “Beer”: bia / rượu
  • How to Order a Beer: một bia,
  • How to Say “Cheers”: Can chén [North V.] / Can ly [South V.] / Chia / Cung ly (gumm lee)
  • Toasting Etiquette: A typical toast would be “To your health!” It is always best to allow the Vietnamese host to make the toast. It is most appropriate to suggest that the highest-ranking Vietnamese at the table make the toast, even if the foreign visitor is the host of the evening.

vietnam-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 97%
  • Wine: <1%
  • Spirits: 2%
  • Other: 1%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 1.07
  • Unrecorded: 2.70
  • Total: 3.77
  • Beer: 1.13

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 1.1 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Increase
  • Excise Taxes: N/A
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Sales Restrictions: Places
  • Advertising Restrictions: Yes
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: Sales promotions

Patterns of Drinking Score: 3

Prohibition: None

vietnam-asia