Monday’s ad is for Duvel, though I’m not sure if they ever actually ran it. But since this is ad number 666, I wanted to go with something devilish. So this is a recent creation, but it’s pretty clever.
Beer In Ads #665: Rheingold Takes The Wheel
Friday’s ad is another one for Rheingold Beer, this one from 1952, featuring Miss Rheingold for that year, Anne Hogan. In this ad, she’s piloting a sailboat, behind the wheel. She must be the captain of the shop; after all, she’s wearing the hat.
Beer In Ads #664: Man’s Best Friend
Thursday’s ad is for Schlitz from 1951. It’s a great illustration showing a man painting a chair yellow. A dog has come up to him holding a bottle of Schlitz in its mouth, while a woman — his woman? — looks on from afar. Man’s best friend indeed.
Beer In Ads #663: For Real Enjoyment …
Wednesday’s ad is for Schaefer from 1957. It’s a clever one, showing a bottle of Schaefer Beer with a beer glass perpendicular with the text “For real enjoyment … turn this ad slowly to the right.” So if you did, the beer would pour out of the bottle and into the glass. I love the other tagline. “Schaefer beer it’s Real beer!”
Beer In Ads #662: Rheingold Horsing Around
Tuesday’s ad is another one for Rheingold Beer, this one from 1957, featuring Miss Rheingold for that year, Margie McNally. In this ad, she’s riding a horse out west on what looks like a cattle drive perhaps. But at least she’s got her spare horse carrying a couple cases of beer. Sure, they’re going to be warm, but maybe she can find an ice machine or cool cave.
Beer In Ads #661: You Wouldn’t Think It Possible!
Monday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1945. It’s a surreal ad, with a little magic role reversal. Instead of the magician pulling a rabbit out of his hat, a giant bunny, wearing a tuxedo, has pulled the magician out of his top hat, though at least he has a bottle of Schlitz in his hand, too. I imagine the magician is thinking he’s probably had quite enough to drink if he’s seeing scary giant rabbits.
New Albion Beer Coming Back
Here’s some terrific news that I can finally talk about. I was there when discussions began during last year’s Great American Beer Festival. At the annual Samuel Adams media brunch — where the Longshot winners are announced — Jim Koch started talking with Jack McAuliffe, founder of the New Albion Brewery in 1977, America’s first modern microbrewery. A idea was hatched, and I was sworn to secrecy. But thanks to my friend John Holl, the cat is out of the bag. He’s got the full story at All About Beer, entitled The Return of New Albion: America’s First Craft Brewery Gets a Revival.
After talking and negotiating since last year, on July 3, Jack McAuliffe and Jim Koch mashed in the first New Albion beer Jack has made in many years. They’re making his pale ale, or at least as best Jack can recall it.
First, he had to hash out details with Koch and brewer Dean Gianocostas. The memories came mostly easy to McAuliffe who recalled temperatures, ingredients, and processes. While the brewers had sketched out a plan in advanced, but much was changed.
“We should do it Jack’s way,” said Koch with wide eyes as he listened to McAuliffe recall the recipe.What they settled on was New Albion Ale, a pale ale “as faithfully” as McAuliffe could recall. Malt variations that replaced strains used in the 1970s were substituted, for example.
Jack McAuliffe and Jim Koch at the Boston brewery in Jamaica Plain.
The beer itself will debut at this year’s GABF. “Then, additional batches of New Albion Ale will be brewed at” one of the Sam Adams breweries and “distributed nationwide in 12-ounce 6-packs starting in January 2013. This is designed to be a one-shot deal so when it’s gone, it’s gone.” That will definitely be one to pick up.
It appears the new label will be very similar to the original.
Beer In Ads #660: Every Sip Tells You What Words Can’t
Friday’s ad is for Budweiser, from 1946. It’s a beautiful illustration showing a colorful sunset as a young boy — looking every bit like Huck Finn — is returning from a day of fishing, with a large fish in one hand and a rudimentary handmade fishing pole in the other. Behind him, two adults sporting more sophisticated fishing equipment look on bewildered, presumably because their fishing hasn’t been as successful. The text begins. “You fish in vain for words to describe your first big catch.” Okay. It seems an odd way to sell beer, but okay. But I love the tagline at the bottom. “Every sip tells you what words can’t — why Budweiser is something more than beer … a tradition.” Essentially, they’re saying tradition is more than beer. That’s another tortured slogan that doesn’t really seem to make a lot of sense.
Beer In Ads #659: Rheingold Cheetahs & Dalmations
Thursday’s ad is another one for Rheingold Beer, this one from 1948, featuring Miss Rheingold for that year, Pat Quinlan. In this ad, she’s in a firehouse, posing by a fire truck with a dalmatian standing on it. She’s wearing a tan (or is that yellow?) outfit trimmed with a cheetah pattern, and also has a cheetah muffler and hat. Were they trying to tie the spots of the dog and the outfit together? Or is she a modern day Cruella DeVille?
Beer In Ads #658: Guinness Guide To Guinness
Wednesday’s ad is for Guinness, from 1951. In the “Guinness Guide,” it includes three mixed drink with Guinness (Black Velvet, Half & Half, Guinness and Rum), four different serving temperature suggestions (regular, mulled, chilled, and cooler) and one historical tidbit that makes no sense. It’s about a calvary officer who was wounded at Waterloo and drank Guinness while he was recovering. I’m not sure what that adds to the average person’s enjoyment?
