Steve Atkinson, who does great video work for the Celebrator and others, put together this fun video from last night’s SF Beer Week closing celebration at the Trumer Brauerei in Berkeley. I should give you fair warning; you will have to suffer through not one, but two interviews with yours truly. Enjoy.
Beer In Ads #546: Shiner Texas Special
Monday’s ad is the companion to yesterday’s Beer In Art post, Gil Elvgren’s Shiner Texas Special. After Elvgren finished the artwork, Shiner marketing applied the text and logo in upper righthand corner. The result, I think, is a pretty great looking ad.
Beer In Art #162: Gil Elvgren’s Shiner Texas Special
Today’s work of art is by the American pin-up artist Gil Elvgren known for his glamour illustrations and cheesecake paintings, though he also worked in advertising throughout his forty-year career. In 1953, he did this painting for the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, Texas. It was originally founded in 1909, today it’s owned by the Gambrinus Company in San Antonio.
The finished ad included the addition of the Shiner logo and was known as “Shiner Texas Special. You can see the final ad in tomorrow’s Beer in Ads series.
To learn more about Gil Elvgren, check out his biography on Wikipedia or on GilElvgren.com. The American Art Archives has more of his advertising illustrations and you can see more of his pin-up work at Elvgren Pinup, GilElvgren.com, the Great American Pin-Up and the Elvgren Concordance, which has over 500 of his pin-up works.
Guinness Ad #107: Waterloo Bridge Is Coming Down
Our 107th Guinness ad is from 1934, showing a man drinking a Guinness leaning against the bridge. But the strength he received from drinking his Guinness was apparently enough to knock over the bridge. Now that’s a pretty impressive claim.
Gambia Beer
Today in 1965, The Gambia gained their Independence from the United Kingdom.
The Gambia
Gambia Breweries
- Banjul Breweries
Gambia 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 0.00%
- Full Name: Republic of The Gambia
- Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal
- Government Type: Republic
- Language: English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars
- Religion(s): Muslim 90%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 2%
- Capital: Banjul
- Population: 1,840,454; 149th
- Area: 11,295 sq km, 167th
- Comparative Area: Slightly less than twice the size of Delaware
- National Food: None Known
- National Symbol: Gambia River
- Affiliations: UN, Commonwealth, African Union
- Independence: From the United Kingdom, February 18, 1965
- Alcohol Legal: Yes
- Minimum Drinking Age: 18 (Illegal for Muslims)
- BAC: Zero%
- Label Requirements: N/A
- Number of Breweries: 1
- How to Say “Beer”: beer
- How to Order a Beer: One beer, please
- How to Say “Cheers”: cheers
- Toasting Etiquette: N/A
Alcohol Consumption By Type:
- Beer: 8%
- Wine: 2%
- Spirits: 2%
- Other: 88%
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):
- Recorded: 2.40
- Unrecorded: 0.99
- Total: 3.39
- Beer: 0.19
WHO Alcohol Data:
- Per Capita Consumption: 2.4 litres
- Alcohol Consumption Trend: Increase
- Excise Taxes: Yes
- Minimum Age: 18
- Sales Restrictions: Hours, Specific Events
- Advertising Restrictions: Yes
- Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: Yes
Patterns of Drinking Score: N/A
Prohibition: None
Beer In Ads #545: Federal Brewing Company
Friday’s ad is another turn of the last century ad, this one from the Federal Brewing Company of Brooklyn, New York. The ad is from 1905, though the brewery closed its doors two years later. It appears, though, that Federal Brewing may be resurrected soon as a new craft brewery.
Kosovo Beer
Today in 2008, Kosovo gained their Independence from Serbia.
Kosovo
Kosovo Breweries
- Birra Hugos
- Birra Peja
- Pećka Pivara
Kosovo 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 0.03%
- Full Name: Republic of Kosovo
- Location: Southeast Europe, between Serbia and Macedonia
- Government Type: Republic
- Language: Albanian (official), Serbian (official), Bosnian, Turkish, Roma
- Religion(s): Muslim, Serbian Orthodox, Roman Catholic
- Capital: Pristina
- Population: 1,836,529; 150th
- Area: 10,887 sq km, 169th
- Comparative Area: Slightly larger than Delaware
- National Food: None Known
- National Symbol: Plain of Kosovo
- Affiliations: Non-UN Country
- Independence: From Serbia, February 17, 2008
- Alcohol Legal: Yes
- Minimum Drinking Age: 18
- BAC: 0.03%
- Label Requirements: N/A
- Number of Breweries: 2
- How to Say “Beer”: birrë / пиво / pivo
- How to Order a Beer: Yed-no pee-vo, mo-lim
- How to Say “Cheers”: Ziveli (zjee-ve-lee, “let’s live long”) / Zivio Ziveli
- Toasting Etiquette: N/A
Alcohol Consumption By Type:
- Beer: 44%
- Wine: 22%
- Spirits: 34%
- Other: <1%
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):
- Recorded: Unknown
- Unrecorded: Unknown
- Total: Unknown
- Beer: Unknown
WHO Alcohol Data:
- Per Capita Consumption: 10 litres
- Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
- Excise Taxes: Yes
- Minimum Age: 18
- Sales Restrictions: Petrol Stations, Density locations
- Advertising Restrictions: Yes
- Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: Yes
Patterns of Drinking Score: 3
Prohibition: None
Beer In Ads #544: Hudson County Consumers
Thursday’s ad is also an older one, most likely from the first decade of the 20th century, over 100 years ago. It’s for Hudson County Consumers Brewing, which I presume was located in New Jersey. Hudson County includes Jersey City, Hoboken, Bayonne, Weehawken and others. It looks a tad grandiose to me. And is that a woman or a man in the costume, holding up the mug of beer?
Lithuania Beer
Today in 1918, Lithuania declared their Independence from Russia and the German Empire.
Lithuania
Lithuania Breweries
- Alaus Darykla Gubernija
- Alaus Darykla Kalnapilis
- Alaus Purslai
- Alaus Restoranas-Darykla Avilys
- Biržų Alus
- Čygo-Kalkio Alaus Darykla Rinkuškiai
- HBH Juozo Alus
- Kauno Alus
- Piniavos Alutis
- Ponoras Alaus Darykla
- Švyturio Alaus Darykla
- Volfas Engelman
- UAB Kalnapilio: Tauro Grupė
- UAB Pasvalio Gėrimai
- Utenos Alus
- Vilniaus Alus
- Vilkmerges Alus
- Volfas Engelman
Lithuania 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 0.04%
0.02% for drivers with less than 2 years of experience and 0.04% for those with more than 2 years of experience
- Full Name: Republic of Lithuania
- Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia
- Government Type: Parliamentary Democracy
- Language: Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other and unspecified 4.4%
- Religion(s): Roman Catholic 79%, Russian Orthodox 4.1%, Protestant (including Lutheran and Evangelical Christian Baptist) 1.9%, other or unspecified 5.5%, none 9.5%
- Capital: Vilnius
- Population: 3,535,547; 131st
- Area: 65,300 sq km, 123rd
- Comparative Area: Slightly larger than West Virginia
- National Food: Cepelinai
- National Symbols: Rue; Vytis (Mounted knight), Patriarchal cross
- Affiliations: UN, EU, NATO
- Independence: From Russia and the German Empire, February 16, 1918 / Regained from the USSR, March 11, 1990
- Alcohol Legal: Yes
- Minimum Drinking Age: 18
In the Republic of Lithuania drinking in public is prohibited. Selling alcoholic beverages in stores is prohibited between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m and on 1st September of every year. Minors under the age of 18 are prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages or from having them.
- BAC: 0.04%
- Label Requirements: N/A
- Number of Breweries: 86
- How to Say “Beer”: alus
- How to Order a Beer: Pra-shau vie-na, al-lows
- How to Say “Cheers”: i sveikata
- Toasting Etiquette: N/A
Alcohol Consumption By Type:
- Beer: 45%
- Wine: 14%
- Spirits: 36%
- Other: 5%
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):
- Recorded: 12.03
- Unrecorded: 3.00
- Total: 15.03
- Beer: 5.60
WHO Alcohol Data:
- Per Capita Consumption: 12 litres
- Alcohol Consumption Trend: Increase
- Excise Taxes: Yes
- Minimum Age: 18
- Sales Restrictions: Time (hours), location
- Advertising Restrictions: Yes
- Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: Yes
Patterns of Drinking Score: 3
Prohibition: None.
Beer In Ads #543: Rieger & Gretz
Wednesday’s ad is from 1908, for a Philadelphia brewery by the name of Rieger & Gretz Brewers and Bottlers. I love the idyll setting with the well-to-do woman enjoying a beer on her estate. I can’t imagine most beer drinking was like that in 1908.
