Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer In Ads #880: Viva El Gran Sabor

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Today’s ad is a holiday ad for Cinco de Mayo, for Miller Lite, though I don’t believe it’s very old. The model reminds me of Sofia Vergara from Modern Family, though my wife assures me it’s not. Viva El Gran Sabor translates as “experience the great taste.”

Given that the holiday commemorates the Battle of Puebla, where Mexican forces defeated Napoleon III’s French army in 1862, it’s odd how America has turned it into such a party holiday. Business Insider has an interesting take on How Beer Companies Turned A Minor Holiday Into America’s Favorite Mexican Drinking Day. And while it may be a relatively minor affair in Mexico, here in the States it’s actually an “official” holiday, at least since 2005, when in June of that year, the U.S. Congress sent a proclamation to the President for him to sign “calling upon the people of the United States to observe Cinco de Mayo ‘with appropriate ceremonies and activities.'” Certainly this ad shows the amount of reverence we tend to show for what should be a more solemn holiday. Maybe that’s what Congress meant by “appropriate ceremonies and activities.”

Miller-cinco-de-mayo

Beer In Ads #879: Let’s Just Sit Awhile

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Friday’s ad is another one for the U.S. Brewers Foundation, also from 1956. Part of the “Beer Belongs” series, but beginning in 1956 they stopped numbering the ads, and unfortunately the series ended within a short time. This ad features a couple that had been gardening, but then it apparently started to rain, ruining their plans for the day. But they looked on the sunny side, and decided “let’s just sit awhile” and enjoy a few beers. As the ad copy suggests. “Be glad for the excuse to relax a bit over a long cold glass of beer.” Amen to that. It sure beats gardening in my mind.

BB-1956-lets-sit-awhile

Beer In Ads #878: Come And Get It

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Thursday’s ad is for the U.S. Brewers Foundation, from 1956. Part of the “Beer Belongs” series, but beginning in 1956 they stopped numbering the ads, and unfortunately the series ended within a short time. This ad features a group of people camping by a lake with this great tagline. “Beer has its own friendly way of saying … ‘Come and get it.'” Indeed, “Beer Belongs — Enjoy it!”

BB-1956-come-and-get-it

Beer In Ads #877: The Goodness Of Malt Goes Far Beyond Delicious Flavor

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Wednesday’s ad is for the Barley and Malt Institute, from 1959. This is the third ad I have from the now defunct trade group for barley growers. In this one a man is being delivered actual beer while watching beer on television. How meta. I love the expression on his face. According to the ad, “The goodness of Malt goes far beyond delicious flavor.” Beyond “Fun Flavor,” “malt renews your energy” and also has “important B-complex vitamins.”

goodness-of-malt-1959-tv

Beer In Ads #875: Pabst Fish Fry

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Monday’s ad is for Pabst Blue Ribbon, from 1954. It’s from their “What’ll You Have” series,and this one shows three recently caught fish frying in a pan on the grill. Is is me or is that bucket of ice that the beer is cooling in a little close to the flame? That ice is going to melt pretty quickly.

Pabst-1954-fish-fry

Beer In Ads #873: Late Night Snack

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Thursday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1960. It features a perfectly quaffed man in his pajamas and a robe raiding the icebox at 11:45 p.m. He’s got what’s presumably a Schlitz in one hand and a sandwich in the other. Surprisingly enough, that’s exactly what I look like just before midnight most nights … except for the robe … and the pajamas … and the sandwich.

Schlitz-1960-PJs

Beer In Ads #872: Cheese Recipe For Pleasure

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Wednesday’s ad is for Miller High Life, from 1954, during their minimalist period. They seem to be well ahead of the curve showing a variety of different cheeses, including a giant vat of cheese sauce. We all know how well cheese and beer pair together. Unfortunately, I’m not sure Miller High Life has enough flavor to stand up to most of those cheeses, especially the blue.

Miller-1954-yellow

Beer In Ads #871: Ballantine Double LL

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Tuesday’s ad is for Ballantine, from 1961. While Ballantine may be one of the few American breweries in the 1960s making ales, this ad is for their Double LL, which was a “Light Lager.” You have to admit “Double LL” sounds better than light lager, even if it doesn’t quite make sense. Wouldn’t it just be “Double L” since “Double LL” would actually be “LLLL?” Either way, it’s “the ‘crisp’ refresher…”

Ballantine-1961-Double-LL