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Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer Birthday: Tara Nurin

August 7, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Today is the 52nd birthday of beer writer Tara Nurin. She’s originally from Annapolis, but now calls Camden, New Jersey her home, where she writes for Forbes, USA Today, Food & Wine, Wine Enthusiast, VinePair, and many others. Her most recent book is about the history of women in beer, entitled “A Woman’s Place Is in the Brewhouse: A Forgotten History of Alewives, Brewsters, Witches, and CEOs.” She also founded Beer for Babes (f.k.a. Barley’s Angels New Jersey). I don’t remember when I first met Tara, possibly at a North American Guild of Beer Writer events, but she’s been a great addition to the beer writer’s cadre, and a couple of years I worked with Tara on her media panel for the Craft Brewers Conference. Join me in wishing Tara a very happy birthday.

Tara with a taster of beers.
With Herlinda Heras at the Hopland Tap during a recent trip to California.
With Samuel Adams brewer Megan Parisi.

NOTE: All photos purloined from Facebook.

Out Now!: A Woman’s Place Is in the Brewhouse.

Filed Under: Birthdays, Just For Fun Tagged With: Beer Writers Guild, Maryland, New Jersey, United States, Writing

Beer In Ads #5036: Old Bohemian Bock Beer

July 27, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. 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.

Sunday’s ad is for Old Bohemian Bock Beer, which was published on July 27, 1962. To be fair, it’s primarily advertising their Light Beer, but also mention they have Cream Ale and Bock beer, too. It’s also an interesting advertising strategy, the anti-local but cheaper gambit. This one was for the Eastern Brewing Corp. of Hammonton, New Jersey, which was originally founded out of Prohibition in 1933. This ad ran in the Daily News, of New York, New York.

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun Tagged With: Advertising, Bock, History, New Jersey, New York

Beer In Ads #5009: You Like Valley Forge Bock Beer

June 25, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. 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.

Wedneday’s ad is for Valley Forge Bock Beer, sort of. I guess it was at the end of Bock season so they used the success of their bock beer to suggest switching to Valley Ford Light Beer for the summer. The ad was published on June 25, 1954. This one was for the Adam Scheidt Brewing Co., which was located in Norristown, Pennsylvania and was originally founded in 1866. This ad ran in The Jersey Journal, of Hudson County, New Jersey.

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun Tagged With: Advertising, Bock, History, New Jersey

Beer In Ads #4972: Schlitz Hotel Bock Beer

May 17, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. 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.

Saturday’s ad is for Schlitz Bock Beer, which they refer to as Schlitz’ Famous Bock Beer. The ad was published on May 17, 1935. This one was for the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which was originally founded in 1849. This ad ran in the Press of Atlantic City, of, of course, Atlantic City, New Jersey. Apparently there was a Schlitz Hotel on the boardwalk at Atlantic City. There you could get a glas of Schlitz Bock Beer for a Nickel, and a Seidel for 15-cents.

Here’s a look at the Atlantic City Schlitz Hotel from between 1910 and 1920.

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun Tagged With: Advertising, Bock, History, Milwaukee, New Jersey, Schlitz, Wisconsin

Beer In Ads #4943: You Have Exhausted Our Goat

April 17, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. 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.

Thursday’s ad is for Camden Bock Beer and was published April 17, 1937. The brewery was the Camden County Beverage Co. of Camden, New Jersey, which was originally founded in 1904. This ad ran in The News if Cumberland County, of New Jersey. The headline is priceless: “You have Exhausted our Goat. Yes Sir, Camden Bock Is Entirely Out.”

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun Tagged With: Advertising, Bock, History, New Jersey

Beer In Ads #4934: Ballantine’s Bock Beer Now Ready

April 8, 2025 By Jay Brooks

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.

Tuesday’s ad is for Ballantine Bock Beer and was published April 8, 1916. The brewery was the P. Ballantine & Sons Brewing Co. of Newark, New Jersey, which was originally founded in 1857. This ad ran in the Montclair Times, of Montclair, New Jersey, with the tagline: “Now Ready BALLANTINE’S BOCK BEER On Draught and in Bottles.” But I love some of the other selling points: “Made a Little Stronger — Aged a Little Longer, Brewed With Constant Care for Purity, Flavor and Maturity” and this oddball one: “It Savors of Flavor.”

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun Tagged With: Advertising, Bock, History, New Jersey

Beer In Ads #4928: Camden Bock Beer

April 2, 2025 By Jay Brooks

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.

Wednesday’s ad is for Camden Bock Beer and was published April 2, 1937. The brewery was the Camden County Beverage Co. of Camden, New Jersey, which was originally founded in 1904. This ad ran in the Press of Atlantic City of Atlantic City, New Jersey, with the tagline” “Camden Bock Beer Has Eclipsed All Others.”

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun Tagged With: Advertising, Bock, History, New Jersey

Beer In Ads #4887: Feigenspan’s Bock Beer

February 20, 2025 By Jay Brooks

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.

Thursday’s ad for “Feigenspan’s Bock Beer,” was created around 1890 (sources vary between 1895 and 1917) for the Feigenspan Brewing Co. of Newark, New Jersey, owned by Christian William Feigenspan. The chromolithographer was Robert A. Welcke, who “was a photolithographer active in New York in the latter part of the 19th century and early 20th century.” Welcke was born in Wronke, Poland, which was then part of Prussia, but emigrated to New York City in 1869. He then went into the lithography business with his brother, Edward Welcke, who’d arrived a decade earlier. “After a split between the brothers during the economic depression of the late 1870s, Robert Welcke continued in business on his own. Welcke’s firm, Robert A. Welcke Offset Company, was based at 176 William Street.” His corpus ranges from real estate maps of New York and Connecticut to illustrations on Flemish Renaissance interiors to government maps and brochures to decorative sheet music covers. Following Welcke’s death, the firm was taken over by his daughter, Olga Welcke, who, alongside William Jugens, managed it until the outbreak of World War II (1939 – 1945).”

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun Tagged With: Advertising, Bock, History, New Jersey

Beer In Ads #4827: G. Krueger Bock Beer

December 20, 2024 By Jay Brooks

This 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 is for G. Krueger Bock Beer, for the Gottfried Krueger Brewing Co. of Newark, New Jersey. The lithograph was created in 1887 by Herman Bartsch. Krueger is probably best known for being the first American brewery to put their beer in a can 36 years after this print was made, in 1933.

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun Tagged With: Advertising, Bock, History, New Jersey

Beer In Ads #4816: C. Feigenspan’s Bock

December 8, 2024 By Jay Brooks

This 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.

Sunday’s ad is for a C. Feigenspan’s Bock, created in 1887 for the Feigenspan Brewing Co. of Newark, New Jersey, owned by Christian William Feigenspan. The chromolithographer was Herman Bartsch of 54 Beekman St. in New York City.

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun Tagged With: Advertising, Bock, History, New Jersey

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