Thursday’s ad is for Cottage Brewing’s Norman’s Conquest Extra Strong Ale. It’s not really an ad, but how many times will I have #1066 to play around with? Exactly. I had this beer at the first CAMRA festival I attended, at Peterborough, in the mid-1990s.
The artwork resembles the tapestries so popular when William the Conquerer, a Norman, invaded England and conquered the Britons at the Battle of Hastings, one of the decisive battles in the Norman Conquest.
Wednesday’s ad is for Pilsner Urquell, from what looks to be the 1950s based on the style of illustration on this postcard. Showing a geeky-looking mathematician in front of a blackboard filled with a calculation. I wonder if it’s just gibberish or if it really does express something mathematically — gravity perhaps? But the idea is that if it weren’t for math we wouldn’t be here on planet beer to enjoy our Pilsner Urquell.
Tuesday’s ad is for Heilman’s Old Style, though it looks old it could easily be newer but designed to look that way. I love the ginormous beer can towering over the hills in the foreground, with even taller mountains in the distance. A beautiful picture, it’s too bad the beer wasn’t better.
Monday’s ad is for Hull’s Export Beer, from “Connecticut’s only brewery,” according to the ad. Hull Brewing was founded in 1852 by Ph. Fresenius, and was bought by the Hull family when Prohibition ended, but it later closed in 1977. At one point there were at least 22 breweries in New Haven, Connecticut, so this ad must be later, after all the rest had closed.
Sunday’s ad is for Feigenspan P.O.N. Ale, from sometime before 1943, which was when the Christian Feigenspan Brewing Co. was bought by Ballantine. P.O.N. stands for “Pride of Newark,” which is the in New Jersey city where the brewery was founded in 1875. I especially like the ad copy toward the bottom. “Don’t say a word … say P.O.N.”
Saturday’s ad is for San Miguel, from 1958. A smiling woman reaches out for a glass of Pale Pilsen, the most popular beer in the Philippines.
Friday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1952. In this case the interruption that’s so pleasant is the little woman bringing her man, who’s busy working on the taxes, a beer. He certainly looks pleased. In my household it’s my wife doing the taxes, while I cheer her on from the sidelines, while both of us drink beer.
Thursday’s ad is for Budweiser, from either the 1950s or early sixties. Showing two couples sailing, well one of them is, while everybody’s drinking bottles of Budweiser. I always thought bottles weren’t allowed on boats; shouldn’t they be drinking from cans? But I love this copy. “An off-shore breeze, cool spray on your face, the swirl of water slushing in her wake. On sailing days like this, you’ll find Budweiser an ever welcome addition to your crew. Lift its foaming, bubbling goodness to your lips and each sip will tell you ….”
Wednesday’s New Year’s ad is for Guinness, from 1935. A glass of Guinness every day, that’s all they ask. I suppose there’s worse ways to spend a year.
Tuesday’s ad is for Mathäser-Bräu, from 1928, a Berlin brewery and the operator of the city’s largest beer hall in their heyday. They were bought by Löwenbräu in 1907. It looks like it must have one decadent New Year’s Eve party.
