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Beer In Art #116: Albert Anker’s Still Life With Beer & Radish

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art-beer
This week’s work of art is by a relatively unknown Swiss artist, Albert Anker, though in his native Switzerland he’s often called his country’s “national painter” because the subject of his paintings so often depicted “19th-century Swiss village life.” Our painting today is a still life entitled “Bier und Rettich” or “Beer and Radish.” The oil painting was completed in 1898 and today hangs in the Kunstmuseum in Bern, Switzerland.

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There’s a biography of Anker at Wikipedia and also at the official Albert Anker website, although it’s only in French and German. You can also find links to more of Anker’s art at the ArtCyclopedia and at Art Prints on Demand.

Phil Farrel Wins 2011 Beerdrinker Of The Year

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bdoty
When I saw Phil Farrel during SF Beer Week I congratulated him for being nominated once again for Beer Drinker of the Year and told him I thought “it was his year.” It turns out I was right, as earlier today he emerged as the 2011 Beer Drinker of the Year.

From the press release:

In his fourth trip to the Beerdrinker of the Year finals, Cumming, GA commercial pilot Phil Farrell landed the 2011 Beerdrinker of the Year title.

More John Elway than Jim Kelly, Farrell finally won his dream title today in a 2-hour finals event held before a standing-room-only crowd at Denver, Colorado’s Wynkoop Brewing Company.

Congratulations Phil.

Phil Farrell, 2011 Beerdrinker of the Year

Muppets Drink Kronenbourg 1664

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kronenbourg-1664
Another one of my many obsessions is my unabashed love of the Muppets. I came across a new video today of the Muppets covering the LCD Soundsystem song Dance Yrself Clean. In the Video, apparently shot in Brighton, both Cookie Monster and Animal are seen drinking Kronenburg 1664 — hey, they’re both over 21 — and in fact at the end (spoiler alert) both pass out on Brighton beach surrounded by beer cans. Enjoy.

Guinness Ad #57: The Ideal Summer Resort

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guinness-toucan
Our 57th Guinness poster by John Gilroy shows four of the zoo animals — the seal, kangaroo, toucan and pelican — frolicking on a sunny beach. The seal has a pint of Guinness balancing on top of the beach ball he’s balancing on his nose and the ad’s slogan is “Guinness — the ideal summer resort.”

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The Rocketbeer Rocketeer

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I’m a huge fan of Dave Stevens and especially his story of The Rocketeer, which was a fabulous comic book before it was a 1991 film with Bill Campbell, Jennifer Connelly and Alan Arkin.

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What’s not to love about an adventure story with a jet pack at the heart of it? I was captivated by jet packs after I first saw one in the James Bond movie Thunderball. So what does another of my singular obsessions have to do with beer? Glad you asked. I stumbled upon this 1976 ad for Pabst Blue Ribbon earlier today and it features — yeah, you guessed it — a jet pack. Although they call it a “rocketbelt” in the ad, it’s a jet pack all the same. The original video was uploaded to YouTube by the very cool sounding Rocket Belt Society.

Beer Amongst The Belgians

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British beer writer Tim Webb is working on what looks to be an interesting documentary series on beer in Belgium, to be called Beer Amongst The Belgians. The series is directed by Taylor Brush for Spotted Tail Productions. The video is listed as the “the final of the promotional episode.” The “promotional episode is a proof-of-concept to find funding to finance the six hour-long episodes.” It’s about 26 minutes, and is a great start, I’d say. Enjoy.

Former MADD Chapter President Caught Driving Drunk

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drunk-driving
I don’t want to make light of this, or even make too much out of it, because everyone makes mistakes. Hell, even the head of the OLCC resigned after getting a DUI in April 2006. But I still feel it has to be pointed out (and thanks to Rob for the tip).

The Gainesville Sun is reporting that Debra Oberlin was arrested last week and charged with a DUI. Oberlin is the former President of the Gainesville, Florida chapter of the neo-prohibitionist Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). She was the President of the local chapter for three years in the 1990s before it was disbanded for “lack of financial support” in 1996.

But she didn’t just go a little bit over the line, she sprinted past it. Like most states, Florida’s BAC level is 0.08. Oberlin blew a .234 and a .239, while claiming to have had just four beers. The police report indicates she was observed “driving erratically on Northwest 19th Street, swerving and crossing lanes.” That’s the type of drunk driver even the most ardent supporter of alcohol doesn’t want on the road.

Beer In Ads #318: Miss Rheingold Bowls

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ad-billboard
Thursday’s ad is from 1956 and is for Rheingold Beer. Miss Rheingold for that year was Millie Merritt and in this June ad she’s gone bowling, an activity far more popular in 1956 than today. I spent many happy hours bowling in my youth, though all of it without the benefit if beer, sad to say.

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