Wednesday’s ad is for Goebel Beer, from 1947. According to the ad, Goebel Beer fans are so enamored of their beer that even when they dream about tropical destinations, like Bali, they still find the Detroit brand sitting on the beach, waiting for them. “He goes native … at the drop of a moonbeam.” I think I’d rather have the trip to Bali.
Here’s an interesting little snapshot of the various containers beer comes in over the last thirty years from the Container Recycling Institute. In Container Types Used For Beer in the U.S., 1981-2010 , they detail how beer in bottles have increased steadily 15% over that time and now make up almost 40% of how beer is sold. At the same time, draft beer has receded. Cans are still on top, but dipped significantly beginning in the 1990s, but in recent years have started to rebound.
Tuesday’s ad is for Budweiser, from 1948, another in their “Great Contributions to Good Taste” series. The image of this as I have is fairly small so it’s hard to make out the story. It appears to have something to do with a man named Fred Harvey and how he made food on the train a better experience for people. I’m not sure what the frontier has to do with that, because it seems to me if the train went there it was no longer the frontier exactly. My understanding of “frontier” is that it’s meant to describe the edge or just beyond a settled area. Once there was a train station and regular rail service that seems to me that it would now be a settled area.
Monday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1951, showing a simple cartoon of the cow who apparently started the Chicago Fire in 1871. Today we know that’s probably not what happened, but the story of the ad is that with water in short supply after the fire, Schlitz sent a shipload of beer from Milwaukee. This was supposedly the first time their beer was sold outside their local market. Is it true? Who knows, why let the truth get in the way of a good story.
Today in 1990, Moldova gained their Independence from the USSR.
Moldova
Moldova Breweries
Moldova Brewery Guides
Other Guides
Guild: None Known
National Regulatory Agency: None
Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Not Known
Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.03%
Alcohol Consumption By Type:
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):
WHO Alcohol Data:
Patterns of Drinking Score: 4
Prohibition: None
Here’s another fun video, this one from Canada’s Molson Beer. The Canadian National Canthem features the Canadian national anthem — O Canada — performed on various contraptions made with beer cans, bottles and crowns. Enjoy.
Today in 1825, Uruguay gained their Independence from Brazil.
Uruguay
Uruguay Breweries
Uruguay Brewery Guides
Other Guides
Guild: None Known
National Regulatory Agency: None
Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Not Known
Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.03%
Alcohol Consumption By Type:
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):
WHO Alcohol Data:
Patterns of Drinking Score: 3
Prohibition: None
Regardless of your political leanings, I think the beer aspects of this are pretty funny. Thanks to Ed Chainey for sending me the link. I suspect Republicans won’t be as amused as Democrats, but it’s true that alcohol is not allowed under Mormonism, along with coffee, tobacco and other items. I don’t know about above-ground swimming pools or truck nuts, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Still, from a strictly beer-centric point of view, the choice is clear.
It’s the end of an era. Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the surface of the moon passed away today at 82. I was 10 that July when the historic moon walk took place. Like most kids my age, I was deeply obsessed with the NASA space program, had many models and books, and even drank Tang. Neil Armstrong was a real hero to me as a kid and I have no less admiration for him as an adult. I’ll raise a toast tonight to Neil Armstrong, and the entire group of Apollo astronauts, along with the thousands of engineers, scientists and technicians that achieved what so many thought was impossible, that — in John F. Kennedy’s words — “of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.”
The only question is what is the appropriate beer to toast Armstrong, and the Moon? I still have two bottles of Apollo beer from the 1990s but I’m certainly not going to open any of those. I also have a cool blue 3L bottle of Apollo Lager, which was empty since it was given to me, so that obviously won’t work.
To bad we can’t drink a Moonshot tonight. Maybe a beer brewed with Apollo hops? Sixpoint’s summer seasonal is called Apollo, and Laurelwood has a Space Stout, but I can’t either of those. There’s Blue Moon, of course though I think I’d prefer the more local Moonlight or even Half Moon Bay. What beer will you choose?
Today in 1991, Belarus gained their Independence from the USSR.
Belarus
Belarus Breweries
Belarus Brewery Guides
Other Guides
Guild: None Known
National Regulatory Agency: None
Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Not Known
Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.03%
Alcohol Consumption By Type:
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):
WHO Alcohol Data:
Patterns of Drinking Score: 4
Prohibition: None
