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Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer In Ads #3537: Van Vollenhoven Pilsener

November 22, 2020 By Jay Brooks

Sunday’s ad is for Van Vollenhoven Pilsener, from maybe the 1920s or 30s. From the late 1800s until the 1970s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. This poster was created for Bierbrouwerij Van Vollenhoven, which was located in Amsterdam, in The Netherlands. It was founded by Jan van den Bosch as De Gekroonde Valk in 1733, but was later bought by Jan Messchert van Vollenhoven in 1791 and it was his extra stout that made it famous, but in 1949, the family sold the business to Heineken, who closed the brewery in 1956. I’m not sure who the artist was who created this poster. The text at the top, “‘n Zomersch tafereel!,” Google translates it as “A Summer Scene.” And the text at the bottom, “Het beste bier brouwt” is translated as “The best beer brews.”

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, History, The Netherlands

Beer In Ads #3536: Kris Bier

November 21, 2020 By Jay Brooks

Saturday’s ad is for Kris, from maybe the 1940s or 50s. From the late 1800s until the 1970s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. This poster was created for Archipel Brouwerij Compagnie, a Dutch company that was founded in Batavia, which is more recognizable by its modern name, Jakarta, in Indonesia, and likewise for the name of the brewery, Archipelago Brewery Co. I’m not sure who the artist was who created this poster.

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, History, Indonesia, The Netherlands

Beer In Ads #3535: Castle Light Lager

November 20, 2020 By Jay Brooks

Friday’s ad is for Castle Light Lager, from the 1940s or 50s. From the late 1800s until the 1970s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. This poster was created for Phoenix Brouwerij, which was located in Amersfoort, which is part of the province of Utrecht, in the Netherlands. Castle Beer was one of their secondary brands. The brewery was founded in 1872 as the Amersfoortsche Beiersch-Bier-Brouwerij, but changed its name to the Phoenix Brouwerij in 1890. In 1961, Phoenix was merged into the United Dutch Breweries d’Oranjeboom, but a few years later, in 1967, that was taken over as the Dutch branch of the British Allied Breweries, who closed the Phoenix brewery and demolished it in 1970. I’m not sure who the artist was who created this poster. It appears to be signed in the upper left corner but it’s too small to read.

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, History, The Netherlands

Beer In Ads #3534: Castle Beer

November 19, 2020 By Jay Brooks

Thursday’s ad is for Castle Beer, from the 1930s. From the late 1800s until the 1970s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. This poster was created for Phoenix Brouwerij, which was located in Amersfoort, which is part of the province of Utrecht, in the Netherlands. Castle Beer was one of their secondary brands. The brewery was founded in 1872 as the Amersfoortsche Beiersch-Bier-Brouwerij, but changed its name to the Phoenix Brouwerij in 1890. In 1961, Phoenix was merged into the United Dutch Breweries d’Oranjeboom, but a few years later, in 1967, that was taken over as the Dutch branch of the British Allied Breweries, who closed the Phoenix brewery and demolished it in 1970. This poster was created by Dutch graphic designer Nicolaas Petrus de Koo, who signed his work N.P. de Koo. At some point in the 1920s or 30s he “became the in-house designer for the Phoenix Brouwerij Amersfoort for which he made price lists, brochures, calendars, posters, wall signs, beer coasters and labels.”

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, History, The Netherlands

Beer In Ads #3533: Castle Beer I

November 18, 2020 By Jay Brooks

Wednesday’s ad is for Castle Beer, from the 1930s. From the late 1800s until the 1970s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. This poster was created for Phoenix Brouwerij, which was located in Amersfoort, which is part of the province of Utrecht, in the Netherlands. Castle Beer was one of their secondary brands. The brewery was founded in 1872 as the Amersfoortsche Beiersch-Bier-Brouwerij, but changed its name to the Phoenix Brouwerij in 1890. In 1961, Phoenix was merged into the United Dutch Breweries d’Oranjeboom, but a few years later, in 1967, that was taken over as the Dutch branch of the British Allied Breweries, who closed the Phoenix brewery and demolished it in 1970. This poster was created by Dutch graphic designer Nicolaas Petrus de Koo, who signed his work N.P. de Koo. At some point in the 1920s or 30s he “became the in-house designer for the Phoenix Brouwerij Amersfoort for which he made price lists, brochures, calendars, posters, wall signs, beer coasters and labels.”

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, History, The Netherlands

Beer In Ads #3532: Phoenix Dortmunder 2 Glasses Out Of 1 Bottle

November 17, 2020 By Jay Brooks

Tuesday’s ad is for Phoenix Dortmunder, from the 1930s. From the late 1800s until the 1970s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. This poster was created for Phoenix Brouwerij, which was located in Amersfoort, which is part of the province of Utrecht, in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1872 as the Amersfoortsche Beiersch-Bier-Brouwerij, but changed its name to the Phoenix Brouwerij in 1890. In 1961, Phoenix was merged into the United Dutch Breweries d’Oranjeboom, but a few years later, in 1967, that was taken over as the Dutch branch of the British Allied Breweries, who closed the Phoenix brewery and demolished it in 1970. This poster was created by Dutch graphic designer Nicolaas Petrus de Koo, who signed his work N.P. de Koo. At some point in the 1920s or 30s he “became the in-house designer for the Phoenix Brouwerij Amersfoort for which he made price lists, brochures, calendars, posters, wall signs, beer coasters and labels.” The text at the top, “2 groote uit 1 (bottle),” Google translates as “2 big out of 1 (bottle),” which I presume is something more along the lines of two big glasses out of one bottle.”

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, History, The Netherlands

Beer In Ads #3531: Phoenix Pils

November 16, 2020 By Jay Brooks

Monday’s ad is for Phoenix Pils, from the 1930s. From the late 1800s until the 1970s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. This poster was created for Phoenix Brouwerij, which was located in Amersfoort, which is part of the province of Utrecht, in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1872 as the Amersfoortsche Beiersch-Bier-Brouwerij, but changed its name to the Phoenix Brouwerij in 1890. In 1961, Phoenix was merged into the United Dutch Breweries d’Oranjeboom, but a few years later, in 1967, that was taken over as the Dutch branch of the British Allied Breweries, who closed the Phoenix brewery and demolished it in 1970. This poster was created by Dutch graphic designer Nicolaas Petrus de Koo, who signed his work N.P. de Koo. At some point in the 1920s or 30s he “became the in-house designer for the Phoenix Brouwerij Amersfoort for which he made price lists, brochures, calendars, posters, wall signs, beer coasters and labels.”

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, History, The Netherlands

The Battle of Gravensteen Castle

November 16, 2020 By Jay Brooks

One of the more majestic castles in Belgium is The Gravensteen (which in Dutch means the “Castle of the Counts”). It is a medieval castle built in 1180 and located in Ghent, East Flanders in Belgium. It was only occupied by anyone other than the owners one time, on November 16, 1949, when 138 students from the University of Ghent took over the castle to protest an increase in the price of beer.

Onlookers filled the streets outside the castle in downtown Ghent.

Here is a description of the day’s events from the University of Ghent website, as translated by Google:

On November 16, 1949, 138 students (including one girl) entrenched themselves in the Gravensteen in Ghent. The battlements are adorned with playful student slogans, while the police and fire brigade are treated to overripe fruit and smoke bombs. The student-like violence can only be contained with the greatest difficulty by the police. The student joke is front-page news in the international press. 

Firemen turned their hoses on the students.

In addition to protesting the new beer tax which caused the price to go up, the students also wanted to abolish the use of white helmets by the police. This helmet was replaced by a blue kepi so that the police officers would be less distinguishable from postmen, among others. I don’t know why that was important to the students, but apparently, it was.

Eventually, the police and fire brigade managed to charge the students, but despite this, the students still essentially won the day. Public opinion was on the side of the students and no students were prosecuted and they essentially got what they asked for. To this day, each year it’s commemorated with a parade and a cantus song; and is considered, by the city of Ghent at least, the greatest student prank in its history.

A caricature of the day’s events from shortly after it took place.

The song they sing every year is entitled, of course, “The Battle of the Gravensteen,” and is based on a poem by Flemish teacher and folk poet Eugeen De Ridder. Belgian composer and organist Armand Preud’homme wrote the music for it. Below are the lyrics:

1. In Ghent, the old city,
there was the Gravensteen
For centuries as forgotten,
Abandoned and alone.
Until suddenly student times,
Lust for fun and laughter,
With trickery to renovate the castle,
Without a blow or a blow.

Sprayers of Flanders!
Ghent roars with pleasure:
“‘t Gravenkasteel occupied by students!”
They’re in it! who gets z’er out.
They fear neither club nor water nor spray!
Besiegers if you want to attack.
Watch out, watch out, watch out, watch out!
Ulenspiegel, Ulenspiegel leads them!

2. ‘t Pandoerheir, sealike, Rolls
ladders by the wall,
And takes with water lances,
The ruin under fire.
But apples like grenades,
Explode on the ground,
And the slimey scraps sow, crushing,
Confusion all around.

3. The Student’s Guild, doggedly
Covered with dust and ashes,
Faded its last apple,
His last sod of grass.
Then their battle was over …
But, through the centuries,
Vlaadren’s laughter will commemorate,
The Battle of ‘t Gravensteen!

The Gravensteen Castle today.

Filed Under: Beers, Events, Just For Fun Tagged With: Belgium, History, Politics

Beer In Ads #3530: Phoenix Pilsner

November 15, 2020 By Jay Brooks

Sunday’s ad is for Phoenix Pilsner, from the 1930s. From the late 1800s until the 1970s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. This poster was created for Phoenix Brouwerij, which was located in Amersfoort, which is part of the province of Utrecht, in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1872 as the Amersfoortsche Beiersch-Bier-Brouwerij, but changed its name to the Phoenix Brouwerij in 1890. In 1961, Phoenix was merged into the United Dutch Breweries d’Oranjeboom, but a few years later, in 1967, that was taken over as the Dutch branch of the British Allied Breweries, who closed the Phoenix brewery and demolished it in 1970. This poster was created by Dutch graphic designer Nicolaas Petrus de Koo, who signed his work N.P. de Koo. At some point in the 1920s or 30s he “became the in-house designer for the Phoenix Brouwerij Amersfoort for which he made price lists, brochures, calendars, posters, wall signs, beer coasters and labels.” The text at the bottom, “Twee Volle Glazen Uit Een Flesch,” Google translates as “Two Full Glasses From A Bottle.”

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, History, The Netherlands

Beer In Ads #3529: Phoenix Dortmunder Two Full Glasses From A Bottle

November 14, 2020 By Jay Brooks

Saturday’s ad is for Phoenix Dortmunder, from the 1930s. From the late 1800s until the 1970s, poster art really came into its own, and in Europe a lot of really cool posters, many of them for breweries, were produced. This poster was created for Phoenix Brouwerij, which was located in Amersfoort, which is part of the province of Utrecht, in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1872 as the Amersfoortsche Beiersch-Bier-Brouwerij, but changed its name to the Phoenix Brouwerij in 1890. In 1961, Phoenix was merged into the United Dutch Breweries d’Oranjeboom, but a few years later, in 1967, that was taken over as the Dutch branch of the British Allied Breweries, who closed the Phoenix brewery and demolished it in 1970. This poster was created by Dutch graphic designer Nicolaas Petrus de Koo, who signed his work N.P. de Koo. At some point in the 1920s or 30s he “became the in-house designer for the Phoenix Brouwerij Amersfoort for which he made price lists, brochures, calendars, posters, wall signs, beer coasters and labels.” The text at the bottom, “Twee Volle Glazen Uit Een Flesch,” Google translates as “Two Full Glasses From A Bottle.”

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, History, The Netherlands

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