Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer In Ads #2604: Have You Ever Had A Beer By Candlelight?

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Sunday’s ad is for is by the U.S. Brewers Association, from 1961. Beginning during World War II, the USBIF began a series of positive ads under the name “Morale is a Lot of Little Things” followed by an unnumbered series of illustrated ads that were a precursor to the numbered “Home Life in America,” the crown jewel of ads which ran from 1945 to 1956, also known as the Beer Belongs series. But they didn’t end there, and for a short time afterward, beginning in 1956, several more similar ads were created but without the numbering or the “Home Life in America” association. Shortly thereafter, the ads continued to use thematic elements from the earlier ads, but they became more conventional, using photographs instead of art.

In this ad, another one entitled “have you ever had a beer by candlelight?,” the scene is a woman, presumably on a date, having a beer with her meal. The ad copy suggests it’s a good idea to get out of the house since “the change will do you good.” And the beer will “sparkle in the soft glow” of candlelight, as you discover “the special reward in good beer and ale with fine food.”

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Beer In Ads #2603: Who Says Beer Is A Man’s Beverage?

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Saturday’s ad is for is by the U.S. Brewers Association, from 1961. Beginning during World War II, the USBIF began a series of positive ads under the name “Morale is a Lot of Little Things” followed by an unnumbered series of illustrated ads that were a precursor to the numbered “Home Life in America,” the crown jewel of ads which ran from 1945 to 1956, also known as the Beer Belongs series. But they didn’t end there, and for a short time afterward, beginning in 1956, several more similar ads were created but without the numbering or the “Home Life in America” association. Shortly thereafter, the ads continued to use thematic elements from the earlier ads, but they became more conventional, using photographs instead of art.

In this ad, another one entitled “who says beer is a man’s beverage?,” the scene is two women have left their gold cart on the path, and are sitting on a bench with their feet propped up, sharing a beer. To answer the question, the ad copy says “a warm round of golf calls for a cold round of beer,” and that women are discovering that fact for themselves.

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Beer In Ads #2602: Who Says Beer Is A Man’s Beverage?

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Friday’s ad is for is by the U.S. Brewers Association, from 1961. Beginning during World War II, the USBIF began a series of positive ads under the name “Morale is a Lot of Little Things” followed by an unnumbered series of illustrated ads that were a precursor to the numbered “Home Life in America,” the crown jewel of ads which ran from 1945 to 1956, also known as the Beer Belongs series. But they didn’t end there, and for a short time afterward, beginning in 1956, several more similar ads were created but without the numbering or the “Home Life in America” association. Shortly thereafter, the ads continued to use thematic elements from the earlier ads, but they became more conventional, using photographs instead of art.

In this ad, entitled “who says beer is a man’s beverage?,” the scene is two women sitting in a kitchen, talking and sharing a beer together. To answer the question, the ad copy says that men say beer is for men, but try to counter that stereotype and insist beer is perfect for women, too — which it is, of course — and then reassuring men that there will be enough to go around and that you won’t run out if women drink beer, too.

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Beer In Ads #2601: Have A Good Time

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Thursday’s ad is for is by the Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1956. Beginning during World War II, the USBIF began a series of positive ads under the name “Morale is a Lot of Little Things” followed by an unnumbered series of illustrated ads that were a precursor to the numbered “Home Life in America,” the crown jewel of ads which ran from 1945 to 1956, also known as the Beer Belongs series. But they didn’t end there, and for a short time afterward, beginning in 1956, several more similar ads were created but without the numbering or the “Home Life in America” association.

In this ad, entitled the “Have A Good Time,” the scene is at the beach, at what looks like a beachside restaurant, with a waiter serving two women and a man beers in pilsner glasses. The inset box is interesting. In it, the reader is cautioned against letting too much sunlight hit the bottle, to preserve its flavors.

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Beer In Ads #2600: Let’s Just Sit Awhile

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Wednesday’s ad is for is by the Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1956. Beginning during World War II, the USBIF began a series of positive ads under the name “Morale is a Lot of Little Things” followed by an unnumbered series of illustrated ads that were a precursor to the numbered “Home Life in America,” the crown jewel of ads which ran from 1945 to 1956, also known as the Beer Belongs series. But they didn’t end there, and for a short time afterward, beginning in 1956, several more similar ads were created but without the numbering or the “Home Life in America” association.

In this ad, entitled the “Let’s Just Sit Awhile,” the scene is, like yesterday, in a backyard garden. But the couple can’t get any work done because it’s pouring down raining, so they decide to “just sit awhile” and drink some beer. And that seems like a pretty good idea. The inset box is interesting. In it, the reader is told to “Give beer its head — pour with glass straight, not tilted — tastes even better that way!”

Beer-Belongs-1956-lets-just-sit

Beer In Ads #2599: Time For A Breather

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Tuesday’s ad is for is by the Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1956. Beginning during World War II, the USBIF began a series of positive ads under the name “Morale is a Lot of Little Things” followed by an unnumbered series of illustrated ads that were a precursor to the numbered “Home Life in America,” the crown jewel of ads which ran from 1945 to 1956, also known as the Beer Belongs series. But they didn’t end there, and for a short time afterward, beginning in 1956, several more similar ads were created but without the numbering or the “Home Life in America” association.

In this ad, entitled the “Time For A Breather,” the scene is a man having done a lot of work in the yard, and now he’s being rewarded with a beer. But his wife appears to have two glasses of beer on that tray, and I don’t know what she did to deserve the same reward? Plus, he either looks very proud of the work he’s done, or he’s a friend of Dorothy. The inset box is interesting. In it, the reader is told to “Give beer its head — pour with glass straight, not tilted — tastes even better that way!”

Beer-Belongs-1956-breather

Beer In Ads #2598: Come And Get It

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Monday’s ad is for is by the Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1956. Beginning during World War II, the USBIF began a series of positive ads under the name “Morale is a Lot of Little Things” followed by an unnumbered series of illustrated ads that were a precursor to the numbered “Home Life in America,” the crown jewel of ads which ran from 1945 to 1956, also known as the Beer Belongs series. But they didn’t end there, and for a short time afterward, beginning in 1956, several more similar ads were created but without the numbering or the “Home Life in America” association.

In this ad, entitled the “Come and Get It,” the scene is several couples on a camping trip, and they suggest that when you have a cook-out, it’s not actually a real cook-out unless there’s good American beer and ale.” The inset box is interesting. In it, the reader is told to make sure their glass is clean and rinsed.

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Beer In Ads #2597: Best Part Of The Day

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Sunday’s ad is for is by the Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1956. Beginning during World War II, the USBIF began a series of positive ads under the name “Morale is a Lot of Little Things” followed by an unnumbered series of illustrated ads that were a precursor to the numbered “Home Life in America,” the crown jewel of ads which ran from 1945 to 1956, also known as the Beer Belongs series. But they didn’t end there, and for a short time afterward, beginning in 1956, several more similar ads were created but without the numbering or the “Home Life in America” association.

In this ad, entitled the “Best Part of the Day,” the scene is two couples on a boat enjoying some beer and potato chips, which a setting sun in the background. The painting was done by Douglass Crockwell, who was an “American commercial artist and experimental filmmaker. He was most famous for his illustrations and advertisements for the Saturday Evening Post and for murals and posters for the Works Progress Administration.” The inset box is interesting. In it, the reader is cautioned against letting too much sunlight hit the bottle, to preserve its flavors.

Beer-Belongs-1956

Beer In Ads #2596: My Beer Is Rheingold Says Hal March

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Saturday’s ad is for Rheingold, from 1957. In the 1940s and 1950s, Rheingold recruited a number of prominent celebrities to do ads for them, all using the tagline: “My beer is Rheingold — the Dry beer!” This ad features American comedian and actor Hal March, along with Miss Rheingold for 1957, Margie McNally. “March was best known as the host of The $64,000 Question, which he helmed from 1955 to 1958.” In this ad, March claims that answering the $64,000 Question is hard, but it’s easy to choose your favorite beer, Rheingold Extra Dry.

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Beer In Ads #2595: My Beer Is Rheingold Says Ray Bolger

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Friday’s ad is for Rheingold, from 1957. In the 1940s and 1950s, Rheingold recruited a number of prominent celebrities to do ads for them, all using the tagline: “My beer is Rheingold — the Dry beer!” This ad features American actor, singer, and dancer Ray Bolger. “He is best known for his portrayal of the Scarecrow in MGM’s classic The Wizard of Oz (1939). He was also the host of his own television show, The Ray Bolger Show.” In this ad, Bolger is set fir an evening of fun with a record on the record player and the only beer he pours, Rheingold Extra Dry.

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