Two years ago I decided to concentrate on Bock ads for awhile. 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.

Friday’s poster is for Bautzener Doppel-Bock, which was created between 1900-1920. This poster was made for the Bautzener Brauerei und Mälzerei, which was founded in 1847 as a cooperative “Commun-Brauerei” founded by 77 innkeepers on Neusalzaer Straße in Bautzen, Germany. The poster was created by the lithography and advertising company Werbe-Metz Leipzig.

This account of his brewery is from “100 Years of Brewing,” published over 40 years after he died:

According to John & Dave’s Buffalo Brewing History, John Moffat, along with his son James, acquired what was Buffalo’s second brewery and named it the Moffat Brewery.

Kane, Peacock and Relay brewery was short lived however and a 1909 article in the Buffalo Evening Times indicates John Moffat and his son James purchased the brewing operation around 1833. Also, the 1836 Buffalo City Directory lists Moffat as a brewer at that location. The 1839 Directory lists James Moffat & Co. as a “Brewery, Soap and Candle Factory”. The Moffat Brewery continued in operation until son James died and it was sold to Arthur Fox and became the Fox and Williams Brewery. In 1876 it was sold back to the Moffat family and continued in operation at the same location until the advent of Prohibition forced their closure in 1920. After Prohibition the Phoenix Brewery continued brewing “Moffats Pale Ale” through an agreement with the Moffat family.

And “History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, Volume 2,” published in 1884, has this to say about Buffalo’s earliest brewers, including Moffat:

Two years ago I decided to concentrate on Bock ads for awhile. 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 poster is for Heineken’s Bockbier, which was created between 1910-1920. This poster was made for the Heineken Brewery, which was founded in 1864 by Gerard Adriaan Heineken. The poster was created by prominent Dutch commercial artist and graphic designer André Vlaanderen. The text at the bottom reads: “Is niet voor de ganzen gebrouwen” (“It is not brewed for the geese”), apparently “plays on a traditional Dutch proverb meaning that high-quality beer should be properly appreciated and not put to waste.”

Today is the 39th birthday of Aaron Gore, who has been working in some capacity in the craft beer world since he reached adulthood. He’s a freelance writer as The Ale Chaser from his home in South Carolina, and works full time for the 5th Ingredient, a brewing software company. He’s also a co-founder of the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame and the Evergreen Brewing Initiative. I’d been interacting with Aaron online for some time now, but started working with him more closely on the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame, and finally had a chance to meet in Philadelphia earlier this year during the Craft Brewers Conference. He’s a great advocate for craft beer and a worthy addition to the new generation of beer personalities championing better beer. Join me in wishing Aaron a very happy birthday.

[NOTE: Last two photos purloined from Facebook.]

Today is the birthday of Francis “Frank” Xavier Hebrank (September 24, 1821-December 14, 1900). He was born in was born in Owingin, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, where he married Felicitas Harz. In 1848, he emigrated to the U.S., initially settling in Morgan County, Tennessee. His wife and daughter Mary Louise followed a year later, but apparently they didn’t love Tennessee so ten years later, in 1858, they moved to Wabaunsee County, in the Kansas Territory.

In 1864, Hebrank founded the Francis Xavier Hebrank Brewery along the Santa Fe Trail (at what today is 110 East Main, Council Grove, Kansas). He ran the brewery until 1871, when he retired. Hebrank died on December 14, 1900, at the age of 79.

Francis “Frank” Xavier Hebrank . In 1848 Francis emigrated to America. His wife and child followed a year later. In 1850 they found a home in Morgan County, Tennessee. Apparently that did not meet his family’s satisfaction so in 1858 they removed to Wabaunsee County, Kansas Territory. In 1964 he established a brewery on the Santa Fe Trail near Council Grove. The brewery closed about 1871. Frances Xavier

This is Hebrank’s obituary from December 1900:

Two years ago I decided to concentrate on Bock ads for awhile. 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.

Wednesday’s poster is another one for Bavaria St. Pauli Bock, which was also created around 1935. This poster was made for the Bavaria-St. Pauli-Brauerei, of Hamburg, Germany, which was founded in 1922 from the merger of Bavaria Brauerei AG (founded in 1897) and St. Pauli Actien-Brauerei (founded in 1862). The poster was part of a series created by German artist Ottomar Anton.

Today is the birthday of Conrad Walter (September 23, 1819-July 29, 1873). He was born in Horstein, Alzenau in Unterfranken, in Bavaria, Germany. He came to the United States in August of 1846, arriving in Baltimore, Maryland aboard the Isaac Newton, which set sail from Bremen. He eventually settled in Louisville, Kentucky, where he married Eva Bessenbacher on May 23, 1848. Ten years later, in 1858, he founded what would become the Clay Street Brewery in Louisville, Kentucky, which was originally known simply as the Conrad Walter Brewery.

After founding the Clay Street Brewery (on Clay between Walnut and Madison), he operated it from 1858 until his death in 1873. His widow continued to operate the brewery until 1890 when sons John E. Walter and Frank Walter became the owners.