The former Brussels stock exchange building is being renovated this summer, the upper two floors will be converted into a beer museum due to open in 2023.
Via The Drinks Business
History
Beer History! The “Drink Schlitz or I’ll Kill You” campaign that killed the brand
Milwaukee-based Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company was America’s top brewer through the first half of the 20th century. Their flagship beer, Schlitz, “the beer that made Milwaukee famous,” an iconic American-style lager.
Then, through a series of bad business decisions, including a disastrous ad campaign, dubbed the “Drink Schlitz or I’ll kill you” campaign, led to the downfall of America’s biggest beer brand. It’s known as the “Schlitz mistake.”
Via Vinepair
The History of Presidents and Beer
The Secret History of Presidents and Beer
Americans love leaders who look like someone they’d get a beer with — no matter how ambiguous that description is.
When Anthony Bourdain sat down with President Barack Obama for dinner and a beer in 2016, the President shared he rarely slips out of the White House for a beer he had something better…White House homebrew.
Via Vinepair
A History of the Ancient Peruvian Corn Beer Chicha, (Not) Made With Human Saliva
An Alternative History of Chicha, the Ancient Peruvian Corn Beer (Not) Made With Human Saliva
Chicha de jora, or “chicha”, is a corn-based brew originating in southern Peru. Ancient in origin, found on street corners and in municipal markets in the Andean regions of Peru and Bolivia. There vendors pour it in repurposed plastic soda bottles to go, or ladle it into pint glasses for passersby to guzzle on the sidewalk.
Via VINEPAIR
San Diego’s checkered beer history
A long, unsteady pour: San Diego’s checkered beer history
In San Diego beer, some of yesterday’s booming successes are today’s forgotten footnotes. The Union-Tribune’s research manager, Merrie Monteagudo recently forwarded two 1874 photos of downtown San Diego. Our beer history has been a long, unsteady pour.
Via San Diego Union Tribune
Bear Republic plans to close original Healdsburg brewpub next month
After 25 years, Bear Republic Brewing Company plans to close its original brewpub location in Healdsburg, CA on November 22.
The other two locations, a main brewhouse in Cloverdale and a brewpub in Rohnert Park, will remain open.
Via SFGate
Recovered Champagne, buried since 1900, opened
The first of the many 120 year-old bottles of Pol Roger Champagne, recovered after a cellar collapse in 1900, were opened in Epernay yesterday…
Via Drinks Business
The original “Frankenbrew” system that launched Sierra Nevada on display at GABF
Is it the Apollo 11 Capsule? No! It’s the original “Frankenbrew” system that launched Sierra Nevada!
The original OG brewhouse has been reacquired by Sierra Nevada and is starting its nationwide tour here at GABF.
Come touch a piece of brewing history at GABF.
The History of Beer Is the History of the World
Homer Simpson sez “beer is the cause of, and the solution to, all of life’s problems”. Some scientists claim beer may be the origin of civilization as we know it. The first civilizations emerged along the great river valleys of the then known world: the Tigris and Euphrates, the Ganges and Indus, the Yangtze and Yellow.
Via Outside Magazine
19th-Century Chilean Immigrants Used Icebergs to Chill Their Beer
For Chileans, icebergs are Patagonian icons. Historically, those beautiful chunks of ice, were employed for a very specific purpose: beer refrigeration. Chilean brewers in the mid 1800’s were keen on capturing the icebergs’ chill for the purpose of refrigerating beer.
Via – VinePair
UK – 1,100-Year-Old Viking ‘Beer Hall’ Discovered.
1,100-Year-Old Viking ‘Beer Hall’ Discovered. But It Was Only for the Elites.
Discovered on the island of Rousay, Orkney, in northern Scotland, archaeologists recently unearthed Viking drinking hall. The hall appeared to have been open from the 10th to the 12th centuries, likely served upper class Vikings, according to archaeologists.
Now, all that remains are stones, a handful of artifacts, and very old trash heaps.
Via Live Science
Beers of Joy trailer release – documentary set for March 1 release
Beer documentary from Gravitas Ventures has a March 1 release date — both in theaters and on digital. Check out the trailer below:
The Unbelievable Story of Stephen Foster, Craft Beer Con Man
Since at least 2007, craft breweries in both the U.S.A. and Europe/Africa have apparently been scammed by a man named Stephen Foster, who just so happens to possess the same name as the famous songwriter, although there’s evidence he has at various points worked with the first name “Scott” and the last name “Sala.” He has been connected to a dozen or more breweries, working in various places for a few months at a time (up to several years) before disappearing when things turn sour. He seems to target brewmaster positions especially, but primarily at young breweries with less-than-robust hiring practices where he can win jobs through force of personality alone, covering up a seemingly obvious disqualifier: He’s not very good at making beer.
Via Paste
Yuengling Marks 190th Anniversary With Year-Long Celebration
D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc., America’s Oldest Brewery®, is celebrating 190 years and six generations of family brewing. In 2019, Yuengling will commemorate its 190th anniversary by offering fans exciting packaging, promotions, special beers, and celebratory events throughout the year.
Since it was founded in 1829, America’s Oldest Brewery has remained fiercely independent, family-owned and continuously operated by the Yuengling family for six generations. Yuengling can now be enjoyed in 22 states with core beer brands: Yuengling® Traditional Lager, Light Lager, Black & Tan, and Golden Pilsner – the first new core product in 17 years and introduced in 2018 by the 6th generation – Jen, Wendy, Debbie and Sheryl Yuengling.
Via: Yuengling
Boak & Bailey – Watney’s Red Barrel – how bad could it have been?
Watney’s (or Watney Mann, or Watney Combe Reid) was the Evil Corporation which sought to crush plucky small brewers and impose its own terrible beer on the drinking public. It acquired and closed beloved local breweries, and it closed pubs, or ruined them with clumsy makeovers.
Its Red Barrel was particularly vile – a symbol of all that was wrong with industrial brewing and national brands pushed through cynical marketing campaigns.
This, at least, was the accepted narrative for a long time, formed by the propaganda of the Campaign for Real Ale in its early years, and set hard through years of repetition.
But does it stand up to scrutiny? What if, contrary to everything we’ve heard, Red Barrel was actually kind of OK?
Via: Boak & Bailey