history

Wednesday’s ad is for Ruppert Knickerbocker Beer, from 1947. Ah, what innocence … a time when yelling “Boy!” was considered acceptable. He looks more like a milk delivery person, but I assume it’s meant to be at a baseball game, meaning it’s also odd that they’re showing glass bottles. I also love that slogan. “Slow Aged for Finer Flavor.” As opposed to fast aging?

Tuesday’s ad is for Budweiser, from the 1951. Showing a couple wearing near-matching outfits, and certainly the exact same apron, with the man having constructed a gadget to do as little work as possible while the meat on the grill cooks. Check out his socks, and the white bucks. They never quite explain what the “Something more than Beer” might be, but apparently it’s “The Companion of Contentment.”

Monday’s ad is for Schlitz, from the 1955. It’s one of their “Know the real joy of good living …” series of ads, shows a couple at the beach, though they don’t actually look anywhere near sand or a spot where they could get onto the water. All I see are high, rocky cliffs. Maybe that’s why, despite the towel around his neck, they’re both bone dry.

Friday’s ad is for Hampden Mild Ale, from the 1950s. Hamden Brewery was located in Massachusetts. I’m not sure that troubadour singing “Enjoy Yourself, Enjoy Yourself” from atop a beer barrel would make anyone want to drink their beer, but who knows. The tagline at the bottom is pretty interesting. “The First Truly Mild Ale in America.” I wonder who true that was?

Thursday’s ad is for Ballantine, from 1950. It’s a funny little poem about Aladdin — though the illustration might be controversial today — where the bartender is the genie in the lamp.

Aladdin …
— was a lad in old Bagdad
He had a lot of luck
with a lamp he had

He rubbed that lamp—
a man came flyin’
and served him up some Ballantine.

You can steal Aladdin’s tricks
Lamp or no lamp this one clicks

Wednesday’s ad is another one for Schafer, this one from 1973. It shows just one grand glass of beer in a mug on a bed of ice, , with a can of Schafer beer next to it. Just like yesterday’s ad the foam looks just a little unnatural to me. Too perfect. And maybe this says more about me than the ad, but it seems a little phalic, or at least some sort of foam comb-over.

Today’s infographic is a poster showing major milestones in the History of Beer, created by the Black Sheep Brewery in Great Britain.

Tuesday’s ad is for Schafer, from 1970. It shows two grand glasses of beer in mugs on a Schaefer tray, although the foam looks just a little unnatural to me. Too perfect. And while I understnd the tagline “Every glass of Schaefer tastes the same,” I’m not as sure about the follow-up “that’s what makes it different.” That was pretty much he goal of every brewery.