Our 76th Guinness ad features the iconic toucan reminding you not to forget the Guinness, with each bird being showing mouthing each word.
Beer In Ads #410: Kembang Bier
Friday’s ad is for an old Japanese beer, Kembang, from Soerabaja, Fukushima & Co. Though I can’t be sure, it has the look of western ads from the late 1800s, though the script is art nouveau, which is a little later in the early 20th century. Apparently Soerabaja (Surabaya) is the name of a small town in East Java, Indonesia
Beer In Ads #409: Acme Quality Wins Again
Thursday’s ad is from 1941, and is for Acme Beer, showing a decidedly western theme, showing a cowgirl and her horse. The slogan seems a bit confused, as I’m not sure what “Quality Wins Again!” has to do with the scene at hand. But I love the text under “Acme Beer.” It reads “* Dietetically NON-FATTENING” and the asterisk qualifies that statement with “* relatively so, compared with other foods.” The Main Institute would have a field day with that one, as their most recent campaign is against any perceived health claims made by alcohol companies, and the Acme Beer almost sounds like it might be good for you. Gasp!
IPA Day Holiday Set For August 4
There’s nothing I love more than a new holiday, especially one celebrating a personal favorite: IPAs. The brainchild of Ashley V. Routson and Ryan A. Ross, August 4th has been designated as the date for the new holiday.
From the announcement:
Announcing International #IPADay: A Social Celebration of Craft Beer
Attention all craft beer evangelists, brewers, bloggers, and suds-savvy citizens! On Thursday, August 4th 2011, you are cordially invited to participate in the largest international craft beer celebration and virtual conversation the world has ever seen.
International #IPADay is a grassroots movement to unite the voices of craft beer enthusiasts, bloggers, and brewers worldwide through social media. On Thursday August 4th, craft beer drinkers across the social sphere and across the globe will raise pints in a collective toast to one of craft beer’s most iconic styles: the India Pale Ale. This celebrated style represents the pinnacle of brewing innovation with its broad spectrum of diverse brands, subcategories, and regional flavor variations – making it the perfect style to galvanize craft beer’s social voice.
#IPADay is opportunity for breweries, bloggers, businesses and consumers to connect and share their love of craft beer. Getting involved is easy; the only requirements are an appreciation for great beer and the will to spread the word. Anyone can participate by enjoying IPA with friends, making some noise online with the #IPADay hashtag, and showing the world that craft beer is more than a trend!
Tips on How to Take Part:
- Organize an #IPADay event at your brewery, brewpub, restaurant, bar, home, or office (Ex: An IPA dinner/cheese pairing/comparative or educational tasting/cask night/tap takeover…). Share your events on the official #IPADay forum at http://www.ratebeer.com.
- On August 4th, share your photos, videos, blog posts, tasting notes, recipes, and thoughts with the world. Be sure to include the #IPADay hashtag in your posts Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WordPress, RateBeer, Foursquare, Yelp, Untappd or any other social media site.
- See what other people are saying by searching “#IPADay” on Google, search.twitter.com, et cetera…
- Track down your favorite IPA’s, ones you’ve been meaning to try, and ones you’ve never heard of; share them with friends and share your thoughts with the world.
- Have a good time and know that by sharing your experiences online, you’re strengthening the craft beer community at large.
Mark your calendars, stock up on hops and get ready for IPA Day, coming to a bar or refrigerator near you on August 4.
Area Code Beer
After Anheuser-Busch InBev‘s recent acquisition of Goose Island for just under $40 million, it seems they may be taking a page from the Chicago microbrewery’s success. One of Goose Island’s most popular beers is 312 Urban Wheat Ale, named for the Chicago telephone area code.
Officially known as the Telephone Numbering Plan, it was first implemented only in large metropolitan areas in the late 1940s, and was nationwide by 1966. Until the number of area codes exploded due to fax machines, beepers (remember beepers?) and then mobile phones, many cities became closely associated with their area codes, being recognizable at once to anyone in the know. Thanks to such positive associations — not to mention being a tasty brew — Goose Island’s 312 became their best-selling beer, especially in their local market.
It appears that ABI is hoping such positive associations with local area codes will work as well in other cities as it has in Chicago. Earlier this year, in May, they applied for a federal trademark for the area codes in fourteen metropolitan areas. So far they’re seeking a trademark for 202 (Washington, D.C.), 214 (Dallas), 216 (Cleveland), 303 (Denver), 305 (Miami), 314 (St. Louis), 412 (Pittsburgh), 415 (San Francisco), 602 (Phoenix), 615 (Nashville), 619 (San Diego), 702 (Las Vegas), 704 (Charlotte), and 713 (Houston). I’m a bit surprised that both New York (212) and Philadelphia (215) are both missing from the list. Both seem more well-known to me than several on the original list. So far, there’s no information about ABI’s plans for the trademarks, whether it’s to market the Urban Wheat branded for specific markets or to do different beers in each city. But it’s certainly possible we could see some version of the beer below at some point in the future. Stay tuned.
Beer In Ads #408: Live Life … Every Golden Minute Of It
Wednesday’s ad is from 1940, and is for a New Zealand beer, Waitemata, that today no is owned by DB Breweries but is no longer made by the giant brewing conglomerate. Great artwork, though the Sparkling Pale Ale the man is pouring doesn’t look especially pale. But you have to love that tagline. “Live life …. every golden minute of it …. Enjoy WAITEMATA …. every golden drop of it.”
Beer In Ads #407: Pabst Everywhere
Tuesday’s ad is an old one — from 1893 — for Pabst, showing an odd scene “In Darkest Africa.” The artwork is apparently depicting Emin Pascha inviting Stanley to lunch. Pascha was a doctor, explorer and governor of one of the Egyptian provinces after 1876. Stanley is the famous British explorer Henry M. Stanley who went looking for Dr. Livingstone, I presume. But the ad is showing another of Stanley’s expedition, from 1886-1889, known as the Emin Pasha Relief Expedition in which he led a party to rescue Pascha. Presumably that’s what the ad for Pabst’s Export Beer is playing against, as it was big news in its day, though the Africans are depicted in a less-than-flattering light.
Flying Beer
Here’s an interesting little tidbit from David Bonneywell, a professional special effects artist from Great Britain, who’s worked on such shows and films as Dr. Who and Clash of the Titans. For a television show he was working on several years ago, he had to create a special effect of beer flying out of a glass in slow motion, with the results pictured below.
Here’s how Bonneywell describes the process he used:
For an episode of the TV series ‘Keen Eddie‘ they wanted a Matrix style ‘bullet time’ shot of a bar room brawl. However, these type of shots normally require dozens of cameras and lots of time and money, things sorely lacking in TV productions! The answer?? Suspend tables and chairs on wires, get your actors to stand VERY still in mid punch etc and get some FX guy to make plastic, freeze frame beer!!
Using photos of real beer in flight I cut a shape from clear sheet plastic and shaped it by heating and bending it. I stuck this into a real beer glass and then built up the ‘beer’ with epoxy glue coloured with brown inks. Considering it’s not the sort of thing I normally do (no boobies, monsters or blood!!…lol) I thought it turned out quite well.
For the same series I also made some over head rubber masks of Duran Duran (the group not the film character) used in an episode as disguises by some bank robbers!!
The series was an American show but for some reason was made in the UK…I’ve never actually seen it. If anyone here has I’d be interested to know how well this worked in the show!!
Kinda nailed it, I’d say.
Beer In Ads #406: Acme Beer, It’s Tops
Monday’s ad is for Acme Beer, and for Independence Day, too. I don’t know the age of the ad — 1930s perhaps? — but that is one seriously patriotic top hat. Happy 4th of July everybody.
Wikio Beer Blog Rankings For July 2011
The July 2011 standings will soon be released for Wikio’s Beer Blogs. Jeff, from Beervana, and I continued our do si do around the beer blogging dance floor, and I bow to my partner after our fourth consecutive month switching places. Perhaps we should merge our two blogs and create a formidable juggernaut, Brookston Beervana? Anyhow, here’s what happened to the Top 20 over last month:
Wikio July 2011 Beer Blog Rankings
| 1 | Brookston Beer Bulletin (+1) |
| 2 | Beervana (-1) |
| 3 | The New School (=) |
| 4 | Brewpublic (=) |
| 5 | A Good Beer Blog (=) |
| 6 | The Stone Blog (+1) |
| 7 | Appellation Beer: Beer From a Good Home (-1) |
| 8 | Washington Beer Blog (=) |
| 9 | The Daily Pull (=) |
| 10 | Drink With The Wench (+14) |
| 11 | It’s Pub Night (+6) |
| 12 | Seen Through a Glass (+9) |
| 13 | Oakshire Brewing (-3) |
| 14 | KC Beer Blog (-2) |
| 15 | The Session Beer Project™ (+4) |
| 16 | The Not So Professional Beer Blog (-1) |
| 17 | The Brew Lounge (-1) |
| 18 | San Diego Beer Blog (+27) |
| 19 | Craft Austin (-1) |
| 20 | Beeronomics (+10) |
| 21 | Brewer’s Log (Blog) (-10) |
| 22 | The Potable Curmudgeon (+4) |
| 23 | BetterBeerBlog (+4) |
| 24 | Beer at 6512 (+20) |
| 25 | Hoosier Beer Geek (+21) |
| 26 | Musings Over a Pint (+2) |
| 27 | Brewed For Thought (+2) |
| 28 | Seattle Beer News (-14) |
| 29 | Top Fermented (+12) |
| 30 | Beer in Baltimore (+1) |
Ranking made by Wikio
As usual, I included the relative movements of each blog from last month. This month, fully half of the top ten stayed put, while in addition to Beervana and myself changing places, another pair — Stone & Stan — did likewise. Only one new blog cracked the Top 10, as the Wench rocketed up 14 spots into 10th place.
I’ve listed the top 30 this time, and will start doing so each month. One additional observation is that of all 30, 13 moved up or down in the rankings one spot or less, whereas nine out of ten did likewise in the top 10. That suggests there’s less volatility in the rankings nearer the top, meaning blogs move up and down more freely nearer the double digits. And the champion mover was the San Diego Beer Blog, who shook up 27 places. As always, I continue to stress that this is just a bit of fun and that we shouldn’t take it too seriously. Until next month ….