Beer Cans & Brewery Collectibles Beer Ads of yesteryearby Ed Wierzbinski #12484 have an obsessive need to know basic things about items in my collection. Since returning to the hobby, I have started digging for that information. I had no idea when certain cans were made. My best resource at the time was the BMV Program (Beer Magazine IViewer), and it still is. By going through the old hobby magazines, I was able to put approximate dates on a lot of my cans. Interestingly, while looking through the Rusty Bunch’s Newspaper Archive, I found that some beer advertising came in “sets” or “groups,” with a central theme that ran anywhere from several weeks to several months—or even several years. Advertising was necessary to promote one’s product, given that the number of brewers seemed to be constantly multiplying. To view full size versions of the ads in this story and many more, please go to https://www.bcca.com/baoy/ or scan this QR code on your SmartPhone. The first themed ad that caught my attention was from the year 1902. The Gottlieb, Bauernschmidt & Strauss Brewing Company of Baltimore, MD ran a series of ads it entitled “Beer Talk.” I was able to find 36 of the 41 numbered ads. The ads were simple text that promoted something positive about the company and its products. They ran on a weekly basis from January through September of that year. The G.B.S. Brewing Co. eventually became the National Brewing Company of Maryland. Interesting that you could get 24 pint bottles for only $1. 18 Beer Cans & Brewery Collectibles • May / June 2019 Beer Cans Beer Cans & Brewery Collectibles & Brewery Collectibles While photos were used in some earlier ads, certain groups of ads were unlike any others of their time. The first such group is the series of ads by the Berghoff Brewing Corporation of Fort Wayne, IN, which ran in Florida, Michigan and Indiana. The brewery chose to use an actual aerial photograph of a city’s downtown or a well-known region of a specific state to promote its products. The ads began in November 1946 and continued for eleven months until September 1947, totaling 22 different locations in nine states. It’s fascinating to see how the skylines of some of these locations appeared back in the 1940s. One of the largest sets or groups of ads that I uncovered was from the Leinenkugel’s Brewing Company in Chippewa Falls, WI. The ads first appeared in October 1944 and ran through April 1947. They totaled 128, and the theme was like a diary or journal of events since 1867 in the region where the brewery was located. The ads had typical advertising text, as well as a boxed section that explained the history that was being recalled in the ad. Minor graphics supplemented the ads. Each one was numbered. These ads had interesting content and could be enjoyed by more than just the current residents of that area.While photos were used in some earlier ads, there are groups of ads that were unique and unlike any others of their time. Beer Cans & Brewery Collectibles • May / June 2019 19 Beer Cans & Brewery Collectibles In 1949, the Reno Brewing Company ran a group of ads promoting travel while taking along some Sierra brand beer. Fifteen ads ran in the Portola, CA newspaper from June through September of that year, featuring either an image of Reno’s steinie bottle or an open case of bottles. Each ad had a pencil drawing of the area being promoted for travel. They also promoted two programs on a local radio station in Reno, NV. One of my favorite ad groups was produced in 1955 by Michigan’s National Brewing Company. Nine ads ran in a Detroit newspaper for nine consecutive weeks. They featured wildlife native to Michigan, with some commentary by Mort Neff, an avid outdoorsman who hosted a weekly outdoor show across Michigan, sponsored by National Bohemian beer. I was a fan of his and remember watching him for many years. Being a “city” boy, I learned a lot about the outdoors this way. The artwork is a very realistic and genuine portrayal of the subjects. Visiting a brewery was allowed and promoted. The Pittsburgh Brewing Company noted in the first ad of this group that people might not be able to make the time available to visit, so the brewery would run a series of 19 “chapters” describing the In 1914, Anheuser-Busch ran a group of ten ads titled the brewing process in its entirety. Ironically, the “National Hero” series. They promoted Budweiser beer while 18th chapter was declared to be the final identifying known heroes of the countries of Germany, Italy, one. So the brewery produced 18 ads that Poland, England, Scotland, Scandinavia, Austria, Holland, Ireland covered the entire production of Tech Beer, and Hungary. The theme pronounced personal liberty as a natural with every detail accompanied by excellent right to be defended—and at any cost. The campaign ran from graphics to illustrate what was described. April through September in various cities across the country. The The ads ran in Pittsburgh from January artwork is very impressive for newspaper ads. through May of 1914. 20 Beer Cans & Brewery Collectibles • May / June 2019 Beer Cans Beer Cans & Brewery Collectibles & Brewery CollectiblesIn 1955, The Goebel Brewing Company put out a group of ads that promoted having a happy thought in the face of whatever crisis is about to befall you. Of course, the happy thought was intended to be a glass of Goebel beer. The artwork is decent and portrays the potential crisis in an understandable way. I found 17 ads that were distributed throughout seven different Michigan cities between May and June of that year. A very strange or unusual group of ads that I ran across was by the Bosch Brewing Company of Houghton, MI. They were cartoon-like drawings in which, regardless of what was depicted, the individual at the center of the ad preferred a Bosch Beer over anything that was suggested or offered. I found 53 ads that ran in Wakefield, MI from March 1940 until March 1941. What, you might ask, is strange about them? As you look through the ads, notice that the name “Bosch” is in a different font and size from the rest of the text in the balloon— almost as if it was added after the cartoon was done. From July 1947 through August Another group of ads that caught my eye was by 1949, Arizona Brewing Company ran Miller Brewing Company in 1913. They featured approximately 38 ads featuring its A-1 the famous Miller Moon Girl traveling around the beer. The majority were from Phoenix, world promoting Miller High Life beer. I found a set with a couple from Tucson, AZ and San of 12 for that year. The countries highlighted were Germany, Italy, Bernardino, CA. They portray people at Egypt, Mexico, Switzerland, Holland, America, India, England, Panama leisure or relaxing after working or playing. and Japan. The city of Constantinople was also included. Each ad The graphics are really great. Some ads made a point of declaring the clear (or light) bottle superior to the show cans, while the majority feature brown bottle. The graphics were quite exceptional for that era of bottles. They really come across as newspaper printing. portraying a perceived Southwestern U.S. I hope you’ve enjoyed this brief tour of some great beer advertising of lifestyle. They were conveying the thought yesteryear. With all of the Internet resources available to us today, it’s that no matter what’s going on, there’s amazing how much we can learn about almost anything related to our always a good reason to have an A-1 beer. hobby when we’re willing to do the research. Beer Cans & Brewery Collectibles • May / June 2019 21.