Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

Socialize

Beer In Ads #459: Ballantine Bowling

By


Thursday’s ad is for Ballantine Ale and is — I’m guessing here — from the late 1940s-50s given that that was the time when bowling was king. The ad shows a cutaway of a bowling alley, with the bar at the right, and seemingly every person there having either a ball or a beer in their hand. You have to love a sport where drinking is not only allowed, but encouraged. And how about that lovely poem?

A cheery chatter at the Alleys tonight;
     The pins are flying left and right.

The “Beer frame” next … everyone agrees,
     Ballantine, waiter, over here, please!

We’ve learned long since this beer will hold
     Its flavor even when when ice cold!

A-a-h! that deep-brewed flavor chill can’t kill—
     Another round? Of course we will!

ballatine

Beer In Ads #458: Knickerbocker, Less Filling … More Delicious

By


Wednesday’s ad is for New York City’s Knickerbocker Beer, from 1955. Showing a towering Knickerbocker above the skyscrapers, wearing colonial garb, and handing a pilsner glass of beer. I’d be afraid not to take it. And how about that slogan, “less filling … more delicious, too!” That sounds awfully similar to another slogan for a lighter beer, doesn’t it?

1955+BEER++AD knickerbocker beer 2

Beer In Ads#457: If You Like Beer You’ll Love Schlitz Again

By


Tuesday’s ad is a third Schlitz ad from 1954, and it’s very similar to the last two Schlitz ads. It also uses the slogan “If you like beer you’ll love Schlitz,” though this time a really, really happy-looking man with a huge smile — most likely a grocery clerk — is holding a six-pack of Schlitz cans as if to hand them off to a waiting customer. He looks a little bit like a very young, though slightly less skinny, Frank Sinatra.

images54schlitz

Guinness Ad #89: Chuckle, Chuckle, Through The Night

By

guinness-toucan
Our 89th Guinness shows the opposite of last week’s sun beating down on a smiling pint of Guinness. In this case, it’s a full moon. The tagline is the usual “Guinness is good for you,” but the real gem is the poem:

Chuckle, chuckle, through the night,
You are such a cheerful sight
Up above the world so high,
Like a Guinness in the sky.

Guinness-moon-2

Beer In Ads #455: If You Like Beer You’ll Love Schlitz

By


Friday’s ad is from 1954, and is for Schlitz. With a slogan of “If you like beer you’ll love Schlitz,” the woman in the ad is dressed to the nines in a green cocktail dress. Behind her there appears to be a party going on. Two odd comments, though. First, aren’t those flowers in the right foreground lilies? And aren’t lilies for funerals? Second, what the hell is on that food tray on the table. It looks like a giant cheeseball with olives and cocktail weenies sticking out of it.

54schlitzbeer3

Beer In Ads #454: The Light Ale Millions Prefer

By


Thursday’s ad is from 1954, and is for Ballantine Ale. Three men, dressed in colors that would seem more at home in the 1970s than the 50s, share a beer on a veranda with a coastal view. Apparently one of them says to the other. “Is this something special?” To which the reply is. “It certainly is … that’s Ballantine Ale … the light ale millions prefer.”

images54ballantine

Beer In Ads #451: Where There’s Life … There’s Bridge

By


Monday’s ad is from 1957, and is for Budweiser, from their “Where There’s Life … There’s Bud” series. The woman playing cards has at least a king of hearts but she’s more interested in watching the beer being poured over her Ray-Bans to worry about concealing her cards. It is a nice looking pour, but doesn’t it look like if he doesn’t stop right now — and it doesn’t look the bottle’s anywhere near empty — it going to start pouring over the edge of the glass.

57budweiser2