Tuesday’s ad is for Blatz, a Halloween ad from 1947. Showing a smirking jack-o-lantern eyeing a full pilsner glass and bottle of Blatz beer next to it. Notice the plate of food below the main ad, with the glass of beer next to it? What exactly do you think that food on the plate might be? It’s lovely presentation, but what the hell is it?
Monday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1961. Showing a beach scene, with a woman in a red bathing suit peeking from underneath an umbrella, full beer mug in hand, with a hot dog and chips(?) on a plate resting on a picnic basket behind her. That sure looks like the makings of a terrific day at the beach.
Thursday’s ad is for Budweiser. Showing a pair of old men sharing bottles of Budweiser, it’s such a simple ad, that it may have been from the early part of last century, if not even older. At least one other source claims it’s from the 1940s, but there’s no evidence for that, so I’m still not so sure. Still, it’s nice illustration and undoubtedly made a good poster for a bar.
Wednesday’s ad, as the first game of the World Series begins, is from 1955 for Knickerbocker Beer. Calling itself “Your World Series Favorite,” it must have tough for the New York City beer to choose sides, as the world series that year was between the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Dodgers won the series in seven games. Go Giants!
Tuesday’s ad is for Schmidt’s, but this time it is the one you probably know. The ad is from 1963, a very colorful, but still pre-hippie sixties. “Time for fun” … “Time for Schmidt’s” … “The Full-Taste Beer.” What is “full-taste beer,” you ask? Helpfully, the ad provides an answer. “Schmidt’s takes light beer, mellow beer, hearty beer — then blends them together.” So now you know.
Monday’s ad is for Schmidt’s, but not the one you’re probably familiar with. This is Schmidt’s City Club from Austin, and not the Austin you’re familiar with, Austin, Minnesota. Yeah, that one. This one’s “always uniform,” “from barley field … to malt house … to Schmidt’s brewery.”
Friday’s ad is a cool one for Asahi, from when I don’t know, but it shows an open bottle of the Japanese beer, with hundreds, possible thousands, of crowns laid out before it. Because each crown shows the Japanese rising sun symbol, it’s an impressive sight.
Thursday’s ad features Miss Rheingold for 1959, Robbin Bain, holding a Dalmatian puppy, with an old-time firetruck in the background. That slogan, “Talk About Pleasant Traditions,” equates the loyalty to one’s beer with the traditions of local firemen.
Wednesday’s ad is for Falstaff, from the 1950s, I’m guessing. Showing a well-dressed couple visiting another well-dressed couple with the tagline “When Company Comes … Bring On The Falstaff.” Notice how the glass of beer is already full, but the bottle pouring from above it is also still full. Not sure what’s going to happen as that pour continues to spill?
Tuesday’s ad is for Anheuser-Busch Lager, from 1887. It’s an interesting bottle, not for the Budweiser brand name, but for St. Louis Lager Beer, on which it also extolls their gold medal wins in “Philadelphia 1876” and “Paris 1875.”
