Posted on 09/08/2006 3:33:40 PM PDT by toddlintown
Beer historian explores what happened to famous brews like Schlitz, Rainier, Schmidt and National.
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) September 8, 2006 -- Using Chicago as a backdrop, leading beer historian Bob Skilnik delves into the reasons why once favorite national and regional beer brands have faded in popularity, some banished to obscurity. BEER: A History of Brewing in Chicago ($24.95, Hardcover, 416 pages, Barricade Books, ISBN 1569803129), proves to be more than a regional history book as it also details the downfall of national breweries like Schlitz and Pabst, to once powerhouse regionals with their flagship brands such as Seattle’s Rainier, Detroit’s Stroh, Baltimore’s National Bohemian and G. Heileman’s Old Style, once anointed as "Chicago’s Beer."
"When it came to gaining favor with the Windy City’s thirsty beer drinkers after the local industry went flat in the 1970s," notes Skilnik, "a lot of out-of-town brands tried -- and a lot of brands died. Chicago’s stature as a financial center, as a hub of advertising agencies, and as a convention and hotel stronghold, however, made it the stage for a number of behind-the-scene maneuverings of brewery takeovers and consolidations which also affected the national beer market, and still does."
As the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times have reported on several recent occasions, when it comes to beer, retro is in, whether the beer served is Miller High Life, "The Champagne of Bottled Beers," Schlitz as "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous," or young Pabst Blue Ribbon drinkers telling bartenders to "PBR Me!"
(Excerpt) Read more at prweb.com ...
Yes, the micro brew revolution is a good thing. Although, in case you didn't know this, many "imported" beers are actually brewed right here in the good ole USA under license from those German, British and other beer making countries. So, next time you go to a bar ask for a Guiness and Harp with the confidence that it is quite fresh, I do. Especially if they have it on tap.
I like some Celis and various Mexican beers, except Corona. I've had some good Bass Ale. How about Pilsner Urquell or what's that Czech beer?
Funny that Stella Artois became a trendy beer here, when in Europe, it was considered cheap crap.
Marketing, that's the secret path to riches!
Oh, horrors!
Holy diarhea & hangover beer!
I used to get that crap for $4 a case in high school.
Shotgunning, we called it, when you tore a hole in the side of the can.
We timed it, and the best could do a 12 oz can in less than 2 seconds. I made some cash chugging for bucks, but mostly ended up with a seriously full gut.
Oh yeah, Brew 102 was right at the edge of the freeway (I forget which one) and you had to zig zag around it. I used to pass it on the way the races at Riverside Raceway.
Get, get Gettleman, Dad's beer in the early 60's. Mom drank Meister Brau or whatever else was cheaper, though I think she drew a line about drinking Old Milwaukee. A lot of my friends had fathers who worked at breweries, back when drinking on the job was allowed & common. They'd also buy cases of the short fills. I'm almost amazed they were ever sober, if they ever were.
Schlitz was sold on tap at most taverns in the Milwaukee area for many years.
The pulp mill upstream from the Olympia brewery, went out of business. No pulp mill-no tum water-no Oly.
Also Wisconsin Premium and Buckhorn with the special Chritmas cans...
Hauenstein. pfeiffer, or Wisconsin premium at the Muni in Moorhead Minnesota for 4.5#/cs. Had to get there by 10 Pm before close and back to Grand Forks. Old Style (when it was good) at 7.00$ a case and Special Export at an astronomical 8.00$/case.
Grain belt 1/2 kegs in the 30.00$ range..
I had one of those too!
All over America, divorce attorneys are only a phone call away.
I drank Stroh's in Ohio when I spent time in Yellow Springs, banging my share of Antioch girls. It was good then. So was the beer.
How is it that some of the best times are had with little or no money and not too much worry about it or the future.
I guess you have to be young and have good, silly, "bad" friends doing dumb ass things.
Fun is free or almost free sometimes.
Beer and good friends, God bless em.
"good night Shulz.....goodnight Dooley"....
I have those two mugs btw...
Life, explained!
Kegs sucked because you had to rent the tap and put a deposit on the keg. Half the time, the cops stole the keg, so we's be out a 20.
We could buy beer ball taps no problem. 3 cases worth of beer for around $15 wwas a fair deal. Oh well, lose a tap, lose $8. No biggie. beer balls were way easier to run off with, too.
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