When we last left off we were entering the 1970s and we were two weeks from flattening the curve. (Reading comments on Part 3 while prepping this were depressing. The good news is we were all right.)
I will start by repeating a chart from the previous article:
Top 10 U.S. Brewers. Year: 1970
| RANK | BREWER | BARRELAGE |
| 1 | Anheuser-Busch, Inc. | 22,201,811 |
| 2 | Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co. | 15,129,000 |
| 3 | Pabst Brewing Co. | 10,517,000 |
| 4 | Adolph Coors Co. | 7,277,076 |
| 5 | F & M Schaefer Brewing Co. | 5,749,000 |
| 6 | Falstaff Brewing Corp. | 5,386,133 |
| 7 | Miller Brewing Co. | 5,150,000 |
| 8 | Carling Brewing Co. | 4,819,000 |
| 9 | Theo. Hamm Brewing Co. | 4,470,000 |
| 10 | Associated Brewing Co. | 3,750,000 |
Total Barrelage Of All U.S. Brewers in 1970: 121,861,000 barrels.
Top 10 Brewers’ Percentage of Total U.S. Barrelage: 69 percent.
The Beer Wars this series was created to discussed lasted from roughly 1975 through 1995. Both end points are vague at best. In some ways it was just a continuation of the consolidation that was covered in part 3. But, more so that in the past, this was fought on the airwaves. Commercial advertising would make or break the winners. And it wasn’t at all clear who those would be.
Schaeffer was one of the breweries that grew by buying up regional breweries. In 1972, they opened a new plant in Allentown, PA. It originally had a capacity of 1.1MM barrels. They expanded it to 2.5MM in 1974 and to 5MM in 1975. With this, they closed most of their smaller breweries. They were out of the top 10 by 1980 and in 1981, they would sell out to Stroh (see 1980 chart below). Their Allentown brewery would be bought by Diageo (Smirnoff Ice was produced there) and then later sold to Sam Adams in 2008.
Carling would also fall out of the top 10 by 1980 due to Canadian reasons. They eventually merge with Molson in 1989.
Hamm was acquiring by Heublein in 1965. In 1973, it was sold to a group of Hamm’s distributors, which seems to violate lots of stuff from part 2. In 1975, Olympia (see below again) would buy them. Of course, Pabst would have to get involved, because, Pabst eventually owns or is owned by everyone in the beer industry. In 1983, Pabst buys Olympia and trades Hamm’s St Paul brewery to Stroh. It closed in 1997 after a 137 year run. Hamm’s is still produced today by Molson Coors, but that is a few episodes down the line.
Associated Brewing was exactly what it sounded like, a merger of many smaller regional breweries that were struggling. By 1972, they were done. Heileman (see below) bought their assets from bankruptcy.
Top 10 U.S. Brewers. Year: 1980
| RANK | BREWER | BARRELAGE |
| 1 | Anheuser-Busch, Inc. | 50,200,000 |
| 2 | Miller Brewing Co. | 37,300,000 |
| 3 | Pabst Brewing Co. | 15,091,000 |
| 4 | Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co. | 14,900,000 |
| 5 | Adolph Coors Co. | 13,800,000 |
| 6 | G. Heileman Brewing Co. | 13,270,000 |
| 7 | Stroh Brewery Co. | 6,161,255 |
| 8 | Olympia Brewing Co. | 6,091,000 |
| 9 | Falstaff Brewing Co. | 3,901,000 |
| 10 | C. Schmidt & Sons | 3,625,000 |
Total Barrelage Of All U.S. Brewers in 1980: 176,311,699 barrels.
Top 10 Brewers’ Percentage of Total U.S. Barrelage: 93 percent.
And we reach 1980. You can see the consolidation that has happened. The top 10 has gone from 69% of the market to 93%. A-B has more than doubled in ten years. Miller has gone up 7 fold. You have to be big and have a big advertising budget to compete.
What else was going on in the 70s? Lite beer. We mentioned Gablinger trying it in the late 60s, but Miller made it work. Meister Brau in Chicago created Meister Brau Lite from the Gablinger recipe, then sold out to Miller in bankruptcy in 1972. “Less Filling. Tastes Great” was the result.
Everything was fizzy and yellow by now. The beer world was almost all the same. But there was one bright spot. Fritz Maytag (yes, from that family) bought Anchor Brewery in the 1960s. He reformulated Anchor Steam and in 1975 Anchor Liberty Ale was released. It was a hoppy pale ale. Maybe, just maybe, there was hope.
And as in other parts, I have to cover what was happening to Falls City in this time frame. The answer is “a lot”. In 1975, they would be the first brewery to use Sta-Tab openers instead of pop tops. In 1977, they would create Billy Beer for Billy Carter. It was licensed to three other regional breweries so that it could be sold nationally. It was a quick fad, and production stopped in 1978. Also in 1978, Falls City would post its first ever financial losses. It would cease production and sold out to Heileman. It would eventually be owned by Pittsburg Brewing. For a while, Iron City and Falls City were identical beers, put in separate cans. After Pittsburg’s bankruptcy, the name returned home and is a small craft brewery in Louisville.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5APOrMribc
And some music, that wouldn’t seem to be on topic, but kind of is.
Today, I saw something that triggered me to such an extent that even now I can barely contain my hurt and anger. I saw a car with a bumper sticker that said Third Is First. I was nearly brought to tears from my anguish. My people have suffered so much. Suffered tremendously for all that is The First. My entire body shook with rage and indignation. The only thing I could think to do is to respond with violence. Such extreme violence that no one will ever make the mistake of saying these hateful words aloud again. That windshield is no more, cracked into a million pieces. I stood over the destruction and my emotions fully burst. The tears flowed. I knew that I had done the right thing and acted with righteous justice, but the reality that I lived in a world of seconders set in. I would be persecuted for my actions no matter how justified. Euphoric release turned back to anger. The only thing I could do is run. I was in no position to be locked in a cage, pregnant as I am still with The First That Shall Change Everything.
This is what being a Firster in modern America is. None of you knows my lived experiences. These are the Firsting Wars.
I saw a bumper sticker that said “Ku Band”. Radio satellite operator or musician?
This entire post is gibberish to me.
Nice article. Drink what you like, who cares what others think and be happy.
“It was a hoppy pale ale”, which ushered in a age of domestic cheap-to-brew top fermenting over-hopped swill which was marketed to naifs as “beer”. The small brewery industry is just now showing hints of learning how to make drinkable stuff again.
I was gonna tell the firster to fuck off. But you deserve it more.
So fuck off.
Shots fired! Shots fired!
You mean you were going to tell the Firster how greatly you appreciate the honor of that First, right?
That won’t change my mind or un-refine my palate.
There’s definitely a place for pale ales and the like. I even order them myself.
It’s true we did the classic American thing and started competing on who could get the highest bitterness score, with some overhopped swill resulting. But let’s not overgeneralize.
+1
/pale ale fan
Unfortunately, the retards brewing beer have switched to thin wall aluminum cans from glass bottles.
/raises a DIPA
Liberty is an utterly drinkable IPA, the first modern American version. It is in no way over hopped, it really compares more to a slightly hoppy pale ale that the super duper IPAs that are all the rage these days.
IPAs are terrible. There, I said it.
Agreed, lager, Pilsner, and stout are the way to go. IPAs taste like diesel fuel.
But points for using one of my favorite words, “naïf.” You forgot the umlaut, tho.
Oof – time warp. I was jobless, post one cat dying and just pre the other one, and a few weeks before a trip to the ER.
Oh, plus all the vid shit. Fun times.
I had put in for two days off work on the 19th and 20th, well before all the lockdown shit.
Finally started WFH this past Monday, and as I mentioned in another post Dad and I turned over the keys to the old place yesterday.
w00t 👍
Congratulations on the new place.
I lived through this time. The time of three beer taps. All piss water. Looking back it was so strange.
Same here. I brewed my own for years, mostly because it was the only way to get good beer. As soon as the microbreweries started showing up, I quit. I was in Madison WI at the time, which picked up a some good micros pretty early.
I had no real possessions to speak of, or a home so I never got into brewing back then. But I did find Shiner Bock, which was a huge game changer. It tasted so different!
Until you learn where it comes from
At the time, Texas.
Bach comes from the bottom of the barrel if I remember right
Tastes better than Coors.
No complaints from me. Love me some shiners
People still believe that myth?
In the early ’70s I was drinking Texas Pride and Buckhorn, a buck a 6 pack. By the end of the ’70s I was dried out and on the wagon. Enough already.
Buckhorn – that was a mainstay in our house.
As a yute I met a Stroh in Colorado, who was very nice. He gave me a Steiff beaver, which our dog then chewed up.
Wife: Hey lights are flickering and when I walk in a certain part of the trailer they go off
Me: Weird
Me also: it’s fixed and never mind the shitty electrical work I did on first trailer
My first legal beer was an Anchor Steam. On tap as they claimed it was impossible to bottle. This was before they were bought out. The spaghetti Factory in SF’s North Beach
While I like the modern trends in US beer, I do miss the days of walking into a bar and only seeing three things on tap: Bud, Miller, Coors. Easy to make a choice and not worry about being swarmed by the beer snobs. They still stuck to the w(h)ine bar.
I dig this history. I also have fond memories of the Lite commercials.
I didn’t realize Heileman was as big as they were. This is what always come to mind.
LOL, that’s great.
Never heard of that company or the brand. Everything was more local then, I suppose.
I still have memories of the wonderful smells of Genny beer brewing in my hometown, wafting across the river as I was biking down Lake Avenue.
Yup. I can remember walking past the Blitz-Weinhard brewery on a trip to Powells.
Expanded, this would be a fantastic book or podcast series.
Really getting into all of the stories around the industry would be fascinating.
Warner Brothers hates its history, too.
Wut
A Star Is Born is like five years old.
These people are too stupid to realize that implications are that all that mass media they produced which was consumed by people of all demographics was somehow not inclusive. But this is 2023 and words really don’t mean anything anymore and inclusive doesn’t actually mean what inclusive means.
A Star is Born has been made 4 times (1937, 1954, 1976, and 2018)
And, I’m sorry, but The Adventures of Robin Hood is one of the greatest films ever made.
It can only be great when the title role is played by a polyamorous genderqueer of indeterminate racial ancestry. Duh.
There is a clear pecking order of races. Ambiguously mixed race has nothing on just straight up black. Black is the be all end of all of the oppression Olympics.
Black is in fact synonymous with diversity and inclusion. Because, again, the actual meaning of words doesn’t matter.
But Black Cisgays are the White Cisgays of LGBTQ BIPOCs.
OFFS!
On the bright side, I am fairly confident that the great majority of normies will scoff at all the elites sniffing each other’s farts to this crap.
You’re right. This will be far less popular than they think. See, for example, the Star Trek series after Enterprise.
Robin Hood with representative casting means only Saxon descended
BritsEnglish will play those roles while Norman descendants will fill those roles, right? Because we can’t have other actors or actresses playing whiteface now can we?Lizzo will be an excellent Robin Hood.
No way is she giving any food to the poor.
So they’re admitting Green Arrow is a Robin Hood ripoff?
In the land of
GooniesKindergarten Cop, finally made it to my hotel. Thank goodness for the convenience of mini bottles.He reformulated Anchor Steam
Anchor Steam is good.
I read the comments on Part 3. Depressing times.
I ‘member that. Actually not a terrible beer. Not great, but not terrible. YMMV.
St. Peter’s > Sam Smith’s
SEC is looking to increase punishments for fans storming the field.
We live in a country of pussies where everything and anything is viewed solely through the lens of whether it’s safe (and/or in many instances, there’s potential liability – fuck lawyers). Safety culture was the backbone of covid hysteria.
Ironically, real threats are often shrugged off. Fucking around with Russia, weakening your military readiness in the process and flashing a bright neon sign saying invade Taiwan to China? Nah, that’s all good.
+Harold Lloyd
If the SEC isn’t serious about defending our country, then who is?
Just lock everyone in their own padded room and feed them a vitamin enriched gruel. A life that’s too safe is boring.
A life that’s too exciting is dangerous!
So many of the brewery names are throwbacks to my childhood.
Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!
Lol.
Milk and Pepsi is gross.
We’re gonna do it!
Hey hey! Busy working and living,
Tall Cans!
My Dad drank something called “Prior,” brewed by Valley Forge Brewing (Adam Scheidt) in Norristown, PA.
When Pilsner Urquell imports from Czechoslovakia were cut off in 1940, Prior was invented as an American-brewed substitute. It took off after 1945 as a premium beer – sold at places like the Waldorf in NYC – and kept Valley Forge Brewing afloat for a couple decades.
Good mornin, all y’all.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h-kmLkfFrtU
🎶🎶🔥🔥
I ‘member them. Apparently their original band was revived in 2022: https://www.discogs.com/artist/35155-Dub-War
I think I saw them a couple of times warming up for other bands back in the long ago.
🙂
https://twitter.com/Hekas_/status/1650841572332957697
Heh
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/south-jersey-little-league-has-a-unique-rule-to-stop-umpire-hecklers/ar-AA1aldWR
Compelled labor is back in style.
So what happens when they verbally abuse the trained umpire?
Verbal abuse of the umpires is part of the game as long as it doesn’t get too crazy.
Is Earl Weaver the benchmark for “too crazy”? What side of the line was he on?
I was thinking the kinds of threats Richard Ramirez would make.
I like beer in the USA more than in the UK, whatever it is, because it costs half as much or less*.
*I’m guessing that if you really want to pay crazy money for beer you can go to fancy bars and taprooms in tony towns to have your wallet drained and bladder filled.
Morning it is. Glibs you are. Good morning you will have.
Mornin’ Sean, limey, and all
Good morning, Shirley, limey, Stinky, Roat, and Sean!
Short work day today, then taking the Big Sweet-But-Dumb Cat in for a check-up and shots.
Mornin’. Best wishes for 🐈
Thanks, limey!
Morning.
I hope the cat doesn’t stay mad.
Good morning, U!
Both cats are pretty good at the vet. They just don’t like the car ride to and from.
Give the cat a scratch behind the ears from me.
Will do. 😸
Mornin’, hope the kitty is OK. Short work day is good, I could use one of those, but I need to mind the store while (((they))) celebrate Independence Day. Two day holiday, we could learn something from them.
Good morning, ‘patzie! Kitty seems to be OK…except for his weight. 🙄🐱
Well then, kitty needs to take a load off.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xLFAQuWFcTo&pp=ygUTdGhlIHdlaWdodCB0aGUgYmFuZA%3D%3D
😄👍🏼
Mornin’ Shirl.
Hmmm, was watching Megyn Kelly on Rumble and according to her Carlson’s still technically under contract (a no compete clause maybe?). We’re not going to be hearing from him for a while, probably after the election at the earliest would be my guess-depends on how they manage the severance negotiations. That old shriveled up Australian fossil is such a worm.
Mattel unveils a Barbie with Down syndrome
I’m still waiting for scoliosis Ken.
I’d blue sky that as a small win against Big Abortion. It probably isn’t, but it acknowledges that DS people are human beings. The fact that regular Barbie doesn’t look anything like an actual human being (at least not one that hasn’t had a lot of cosmetic procedures) is probably worth mentioning. When is BBW Barbie coming?
Mornin’, Limey.
When is BBW Barbie coming?
Phrasing?
Apparently she came years ago. I’m not diving any deeper into that (also phrasing?).
Nah, the left over here is all for aborting them into nonexistance too. Mattel will get their pat on the back from the usual suspects before they quietly drop a low volume sales item in a year or two.
I see a collector’s item
Mornin’, reprobates!
Thanks to one and all for the kind words yesterday. I’ll be in St. Augustine from May 8 – 12, any glibs in that neck o’ the woods?
Quiet this morning, I think the birds hate the cold as much as I do.
Big Tom Turkey is down to one hen, he still thinks he’s gonna be the one (like Trey in Mojeaux’s series). He parades around as if he’s a teenager with a 3 pack of Trojans in his pocket. 21 degrees this morning, close to a record for this day.
Sounds like a little red rooster.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mvikf1gzrVQ&pp=ygUcbGl0dGxlIHJlZCByb29zdGVyIHNhbSBjb29rZQ%3D%3D
Teenaged Billy Preston on the B3.