Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer In Ads #4881: Minneapolis Brewing Bock

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Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. Bock, of course, originated in Germany, in the town of Einbeck. Because many 19th century American breweries were founded by German immigrants, they offered a bock at certain times of the year, be it Spring, Easter, Lent, Christmas, or what have you. In a sense they were some of the first seasonal beers. “The style was later adopted in Bavaria by Munich brewers in the 17th century. Due to their Bavarian accent, citizens of Munich pronounced ‘Einbeck’ as ‘ein Bock’ (a billy goat), and thus the beer became known as ‘Bock.’ A goat often appears on bottle labels.” And presumably because they were special releases, many breweries went all out promoting them with beautiful artwork on posters and other advertising.

Friday’s ad for “Bock” was created for the Minneapolis Brewing Co., which today is known as Grain Belt. I love the text on the flag. “Northwestern Beer brewed from Northwestern Grain for Northwestern People. The lithograph was created in the 1890s, though I don’t know who the lithographer was that produced it.

Beer In Ads #3956: Hamm’s Eagle

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Friday’s ad is for “Hamm’s,” from the late 1800s, I believe. This ad was made for Hamm’s Brewing, which was founded in 1865 by Theodore Hamm in St. Paul, Minnesota. At its peak, it was the 5th largest brewery in America, and operated facilities in five cities, including San Francisco, L.A., Baltimore and Houston, in addition to the original brewery in Minnesota. This one was most likely a promotional poster and features an eagle perching on a series of Hamm’s beer bottles.

Beer In Ads #3955: Brewed From America’s Finest Barley

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Thursday’s ad is for “Hamm’s,” from the 1950s. This ad was made for Hamm’s Brewing, which was founded in 1865 by Theodore Hamm in St. Paul, Minnesota. At its peak, it was the 5th largest brewery in America, and operated facilities in five cities, including San Francisco, L.A., Baltimore and Houston, in addition to the original brewery in Minnesota. This one features a barley farming scene with a giant bottle f beer in the foreground, with the tagline “Hamm’s Beer, Brewed From America’s Finest Barley.”

Beer In Ads #3954: Mount Rainier, It’s The Beer Refreshing

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Wednesday’s ad is for “Hamm’s,” from 1959. This ad was made for Hamm’s Brewing, which was founded in 1865 by Theodore Hamm in St. Paul, Minnesota. At its peak, it was the 5th largest brewery in America, and operated facilities in five cities, including San Francisco, L.A., Baltimore and Houston, in addition to the original brewery in Minnesota. This one features picture of Mount Rainier on one half and a paneled wood background on the other half with the Hamm’s logo and a can and full mug of beer, with the tagline “It’s the Beer Refreshing.”

Beer In Ads #3953: A Special Kind Of Refreshment

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Tuesday’s ad is for “Hamm’s,” from 1959. This ad was made for Hamm’s Brewing, which was founded in 1865 by Theodore Hamm in St. Paul, Minnesota. At its peak, it was the 5th largest brewery in America, and operated facilities in five cities, including San Francisco, L.A., Baltimore and Houston, in addition to the original brewery in Minnesota. This one features five bottles of beer that spell out Hamm’s, with the tagline “A sp3ecial kind of refreshment … from the land of sky blue waters!”

Beer In Ads #3952: Good Cheer From The Land Of Sky Blue Waters

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Monday’s ad is for “Hamm’s,” from 1967. This ad was made for Hamm’s Brewing, which was founded in 1865 by Theodore Hamm in St. Paul, Minnesota. At its peak, it was the 5th largest brewery in America, and operated facilities in five cities, including San Francisco, L.A., Baltimore and Houston, in addition to the original brewery in Minnesota. This one is a newspaper ad showing the Hamm’s Bear wearing a scarf and hat trudging through the snow carrying a case of Hamm’s Beer, with the tagline “Good Cheer from the land of sky blue waters.” The ad appears to be for Moslander Distributing Co. who were located in Grand Island, Nebraska.

Beer In Ads #3951: The Better The Water … The Better The Beer

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Sunday’s ad is for “Hamm’s,” from 1967. This ad was made for Hamm’s Brewing, which was founded in 1865 by Theodore Hamm in St. Paul, Minnesota. At its peak, it was the 5th largest brewery in America, and operated facilities in five cities, including San Francisco, L.A., Baltimore and Houston, in addition to the original brewery in Minnesota. This one shows two bottles of beer, one with a normal Hamm’s label and the other torn open to reveal a lake scene with a fish jumping out of it and an overflowing mug of beer, with the tagline “Hamm’s inside story: The better the water … the better the beer.”

Beer In Ads #3950: Good Cheer

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Saturday’s ad is for “Hamm’s,” from the 1950s. This ad was made for Hamm’s Brewing, which was founded in 1865 by Theodore Hamm in St. Paul, Minnesota. At its peak, it was the 5th largest brewery in America, and operated facilities in five cities, including San Francisco, L.A., Baltimore and Houston, in addition to the original brewery in Minnesota. This one shows a wintery scene with the Hamm’s Bear riding a toboggan down a mountain with three glasses on beer in tow, with the tagline “Good Cheer,” and at the bottom of the ad, Hamm’s From the land of sky blue waters!”

Beer In Ads #3949: Hamm’s Good Cheer

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Friday’s ad is for “Hamm’s,” from 1960. This ad was made for Hamm’s Brewing, which was founded in 1865 by Theodore Hamm in St. Paul, Minnesota. At its peak, it was the 5th largest brewery in America, and operated facilities in five cities, including San Francisco, L.A., Baltimore and Houston, in addition to the original brewery in Minnesota. This one shows a wintery scene with a pair of mugs clinking together in a toast, with the tagline “Good Cheer,” and at the bottom of the ad, Hamm’s From the land of sky blue waters.”

Beer In Ads #3948: Cool Off With Hamm’s Beer

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Thursday’s ad is for “Hamm’s,” from 1960. This ad was made for Hamm’s Brewing, which was founded in 1865 by Theodore Hamm in St. Paul, Minnesota. At its peak, it was the 5th largest brewery in America, and operated facilities in five cities, including San Francisco, L.A., Baltimore and Houston, in addition to the original brewery in Minnesota. This one shows a wintery scene with a can of beer and a full mug in the snow, with the tagline “COOL OFF with Hamm’s!”