Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer In Ads #5163: It’s Here Genuine New Jersey Bock Beer

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Two years ago I decided to concentrate on Bock ads for awhile. Bock, of course, may have 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. With Spring approaching, there are so many great examples that I’m going to post two a day for a few months.

Saturday’s first ad is for various New Jersey Bock Beers, which was published on March 14, 1938. This ad was for not one brewery, but for eleven different brewery members of the New Jersey Brewers’ Association. This ad ran in The Press of Atlantic City, also of Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Beer In Ads #5160: No ‘Butts’ About It!.. Ballantine Brews Bock Beer Best!

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Two years ago I decided to concentrate on Bock ads for awhile. Bock, of course, may have 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. With Spring approaching, there are so many great examples that I’m going to post two a day for a few months.

Thursday’s second ad is for Blatz Bock Beer, which was published on March 12, 1956. This ad was for the P. Ballantine & Sons Brewing Co., of Newark, New Jersey, which was originally founded in 1840. This ad ran in The Daily News, of New York, New York.

Beer Birthday: Jeff Cioletti

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Today is the 54th birthday of Jeff Cioletti, president of Drinkable Media and Editor-at-Large for Beverage World magazine. He’s been covering the business of beer for quite a long while. I run into Jeff at numerous industry events, and we’ve taken a press trip to Belgium. Join me in wishing Jeff a very happy birthday.

Three J’s at CBC in San Diego: Jeff, John Holl and me. (Photo by Win Bassett.)
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Jeff (on the left just above Lew Bryson) at our table inside the barrel room at Samuel Adams in Boston during an anniversary dinner there last year, when we opened every vintage of Utopias, plus Triple Bock and Millennium Ale.
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Ace reporter: “we just want the facts, ma’am, just the facts.”
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Jeff, in the center with a camera around his neck, during a visit to Brouwerij Huyghe during a press trip to Belgium in 2013.
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A night on bald mountain, or at least a table.

Historic Beer Birthday: John Holme Ballantine

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Today is the birthday of John Holme Ballantine (February 28, 1834-April 27, 1895). He was the second of three sons of Peter Ballantine, who founded P. Ballantine & Sons. In 1857, he brought on his three sons as partners. John Holme served as president of the family brewery from 1883 until his death in 1895.

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This is John Holme’s obituary from the Genealogical and Memorial History of the State of New Jersey:

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And here’s a history of the Ballantine brewery from “A History of American Manufactures from 1608 to 1860,” by John Leander Bishop, Edwin Troxell Freedley, Edward Young, published in 1868:

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Beer In Ads #5171: By Far Philadelphia’s Largest-Selling Bock Beer

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Two years ago I decided to concentrate on Bock ads for awhile. Bock, of course, may have 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.

Wednesday’s ad is for Valley Forge Bock Beer, which was published on January 14, 1954. This ad was for the Valley Forge Brewing Co., which also the name of a brand sold by the C. Schmidt & Sons Brewing Co. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which was originally founded in 1859 by Robert Courtenay. This ad ran in The Courier Post, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Beer Birthday: John Holl

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Today is the 46th birthday of John Holl, a journalist who spent the early part of his career working the crime and politics beat at various newspapers, including the New York Times. Now, he’s writing almost exclusively about beer from his home in northern New Jersey. He was the editor of All About Beer Magazine and has worked for most of the trade publications in some capacity over the years. He’s also written several books including the American Craft Beer Cookbook and the Craft Brewery Cookbook. In recent years he’s done a number of podcasts including Drink Beer, Think Beer, Steal This Beer, and The BYO Nano Podcast. In 2019 he founded the site Beer Edge with Andy Crouch and more recently they bought All About Beer magazine. He also works as a contributing editor at Wine Enthusiast Magazine. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know John during some travel over the years, from Denver to Boston, Brussels, and even in Chile. He’s been a great addition to the fraternity of beer writers. Join me in wishing John a very happy birthday.

After the first Beer Bloggers Conference, having lunch at Euclid Hall in Denver, before flying home.
At a BrewDog Pub in Brussels after Brussels Beer Challenge Judging several years ago, with me, Roger Protz, Pete Brown Tim Hampden and Adrian Tierney-Jones.
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A few years ago in Chile, judging at the Copa Cervezas de America 2011 (John’s on the right in the back row).
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Visiting Maltexco, also in Chile (this time, John’s on the left).
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At a lunch at Euclid Hall in Denver; John, me, Greg Koch and Jacob McKean, Stone Brewing’s former blogger, and now owner of Modern Times.
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With Stephen Beaumont and Stan Hieronymous, taking a pizza from Sandlot Brewing to Great Divide during GABF a few years ago.
In Boston last year at Harpoon Brewery after John missed his flight, after forgetting his keys, which ultimately made for a great afternoon.
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A portrait of the beer writer as a young man.
In Nashville a couple of years ago.

Historic Beer Birthday: Robert F. Ballantine

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Today is the birthday of Robert Francis Ballantine (January 3, 1836-December 9 or 10, 1905). He was born in New Jersey, and was the son of Peter Ballantine, who founded the Patterson & Ballantine Brewing Company in 1840 in Newark, New Jersey. Peter Ballantine had three sons, and they joined him in the business in 1857, which is when the name was changed to the P. Ballantine and Sons Brewing Company. In 1883, when his father died, Robert became president of the brewery, outliving both his brothers and continuing to run the family business until his own death in 1905.

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This short biography of Robert Ballantine is from “New Jersey History,” published in 1909:

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And this lengthier obituary is from the Brewers Journal:

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And here’s a history of the Ballantine brewery from “A History of American Manufactures from 1608 to 1860,” by John Leander Bishop, Edwin Troxell Freedley, Edward Young, published in 1868:

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Historic Beer Birthday: Peter Hood Ballantine

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Today is the birthday of Peter Hood Ballantine (December 18, 1831-September 16, 1882). He was the son of Peter Ballantine, who founded the Patterson & Ballantine Brewing Company in 1840 in Newark, New Jersey, which is better known by its later name, the P. Ballantine and Sons Brewing Company. Peter Hood helped run the business with his father and brothers until his death in 1882.

Given that he was the eldest son, there’s surprisingly little information about him, and I couldn’t find an image of him, while there are plenty of his brothers, Robert and John. So I don’t know what his role was within the family brewery, although the fact that he died the year before his father did suggests he had a lesser role and never had the opportunity to do more on his own.

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This is from “America’s Successful Men of Affairs: The United States at Large,” published in 1896, and although it’s primarily about Peter Hood’s father, he is mentioned in this account.

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Beer In Ads #5142: It’s Bock Beer Time!

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Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads for awhile. Bock, of course, may have 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.

Tuesday’s ad is for Genesee Bock Beer, which was published on December 16, 1977. This ad was for Genesee Brewing Co. of Rochester, New York, which was originally founded in 1878. This ad ran in The Asbury Park Press of Asbury Park, New Jersey.

Historic Beer Birthday: William Peter Jr.

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Today is the birthday of William Peter Jr. (December 11, 1860-January 7, 1937). His father, William Peter Sr., founded the William Peter Brewing Company of Union City, New Jersey. When the brewery was incorporated in 1890, Junior was thirty. He became a shareholder and was also vice-president at that time. Presumably, when his father died in 1918, William Peter Jr. became president and soldiered on until his own death in 1937. After that, the brewery remained in business until 1949, when it was sold to George Ehret and renamed the George Ehret Brewery, but only remained open for one more year, closing for good in 1950. Unfortunately, I can’t find very much information about William Peter Jr. directly, not even a portrait.

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William Peter Jr. with his father and one of his three wives, taken in 1910.
Here’s a biography of William Peter Jr. from “Schlegel’s American Families of German Ancestry,” by Carl Schlegel:

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The brewery workers with William Peter in the center of the first row, with (I think) his son to the right (his left).

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