Thursday’s ad is for Goebel Beer, from 1948. Billing themselves as the “World’s largest selling beer in small bottles,” which they refer to as a “bantam” size bottle, of “Goebel Bantam.” Bantam is a small variety of chicken, and in fact the name comes from a town in Indonesia where they originated. But it still seems like a strange name for a beer bottle size.
Wednesday’s ad is for Ballantine Ale, from 1942. Showing a man studying, presumably in the evening, to better himself and perhaps get a degree or start a new career. Among the “better things” he’s working for is a better beer, in this case Ballantine Ale. It seems a bit of a stretch to link the two ideas, but what the hell, it was war time.
Tuesday’s ad is for Narragansett Lager Beer, from 1959. Showing eight different glasses, all but one filled with beer, they’re promoting “Gansett by saying you should use a glass, any glass. The “moral” of the story? “Glasses are for putting “Gansett in. ‘Gansett is for putting thirsts out. Works every time.” I especially the schmeer of a reflection made by the beer in the glasses.
Today’s beer video is by Jeremy Williams and was made in the Bay Area. Craft Beer — A Hopumentary is just under 15 minutes and was shot in early 2013.
Monday’s ad is for Lion Brewing, a.k.a. “Wilkes-Barre’s Best.” It was established in 1905, and I don’t know if the ad is from that time period, but it certainly looks like it.
Sunday’s ad is our third postcard for Pilsner Urquell, from what looks to be the 1950s based on the style of illustration on this postcard. This one shows a dapper man riding a red rocket into the air, holding a glass of pilsner in his hand. The air is filled with flying machines, which is what we were promised back then. I’m still waiting for my flying car that folds into a briefcase.
Today’s beer video is part five, the final one in a series of extras from the film The American Brew that was produced by Anheuser-Busch’s Here’s To Beer campaign in 2008. The DVD is still actually available from Amazon. Enjoy.
Saturday’s ad is another postcard for Pilsner Urquell, from what looks to be the 1950s based on the style of illustration on this postcard. SInce it shows a satellite taking Pilsner Urquell to a Moon family or aliens out for a joyride, it’s probably after Sputnik, which was 1957. I love this style of illustration and the idea that they’d been observing earth for some time, but only once we sent up a satellite they would “finally going to drink.” I mean, couldn’t they get take out? Did they have to wait until delivery service began?
Today’s beer video is part four of a series of extras from the film The American Brew that was produced by Anheuser-Busch’s Here’s To Beer campaign in 2008. The DVD is still actually available from Amazon. Enjoy.
Friday’s ad is for Val. Blatz Brewing and it’s from an old postcard apparently showing a reproduction of a painting that was apparently in a place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, operated by the Blatz Brewery. Here’s what it said on the back of the card. “This card was mailed from Old Heidelberg Inn, which is maintained for the benefit of visitors to Milwaukee by the Val. Blatz Brewing Co. — brewers of the famous Old Heidelberg, Ester-aged.” I wonder what “Ester-aged” is?
