Grandpa Brews

I saw Philly and Minneapolis.

 

I just wish they'd bring back Southern Select

 

Yeah, C. Schmidt's & Sons actually operated two different breweries in Cleveland, first the old Standard brewery from 1964-1971 which was operated briefly by F & M Schaefer (1961-1964), and then the company bought the old Carling plant, and ran it between 1971-1984.

As noted above, Schmidt brewed the Duquesne (ex-Pittsburgh brewery) brands that they acquired in the early '70s (Duke, Silver Top, Bavarian and P.O.C. - which originally stood for "Pride of Cleveland" and "Pilsener on Call") there, and likely also used it for the Erie/Koehler brands they took over later in the1970s.

C. Schmidt's & Sons also operated the old Adam Scheidt Brewing Co. of Norristown, PA from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s - that's where they got the Valley Forge Beer, Ram's Head and 20th Century Ales, and the Prior Double Dark and Light Beer brands.

Actually, post-Repeal, there were at least 4. Besides the best known and longest-lived ones of C. Schmidt's of Phila and Jacob Schmidt of St. Paul, MN (later Associated and then Heileman*), there were Schmidt beers out of Indiana and Detroit, too.

* It was Heileman who merged the two Schmidts into one brand, in the early 90s.

 

I had forgotten about P.O.C. I drank a few of those too when I lived in the Cleveland area. Thanks for the reminder.

 

Pfeiffers, holy hell I forgot all about that one. We used their name as part of all our college intramural team names. Pfeiffer Pounders, Pfeiffer Pukers, Pfeiffers Heroes, Pfeiffer Trotters.
Damn does that bring back some memories.

 

How about another Detroit product.
Goebel. In high school/college I think we could get cases of that fine brew for around $5 a case.

 

What, no Pfeiffer GIQ's* or Pfeiffer Big Mouths?


* "Great Imperial Quarts" - only other brewery that I know of that used that "almost 40 oz." 38.43 ounce bottle was Narragansett for their Beer and Croft Ale.

That's nothing - when I was in high school you could get a case of 24-7oz. "Aged in the Wood 1 Year" - 7.8% abv Ballantine India Pale Ale for $3.68 (plus 75¢ deposit).

(Oops, don't think we went to high school at the same time!).

 

Wow, those pics are something. I do not think I ever saw the big mouth bottle. Not sure about when you went, I graduated in 1982

 

That name is vaguely familiar but I don't think I ever had any of it.

 

Wha?! They were the largest brewing company in Michigan, and #12 in the US (sure, it was way back in the early 1950s, but still ).

Stroh bought them out in the mid-1960s - IIRC, the breweries were practically across the street from one another - and Goebel's became a Stroh discount brand.

So, you don't even remember Brewster the Goebel Rooster from your childhood?

 

Brewster Rooster, huh?! Interesting history, but nope, I didn't move to the Mitten State until 1990. My 'grandpa beer' experience was mostly in my early drinking years in Central and SE Ohio and then in the Cleveland area up until 1983.

 

Didn't realize Special Export was considered Super Premium back then. Stroh Signature is another one in that category.

 

Yeah, in Stroh's short time as a national player (80s and 90s) they tried to enter the Super Premium segment with 3 different labels - Signature, again with a revived Erlanger (the brand they with the Schlitz purchase) and then by buying the Augsburger brand right before the ex-Pabst execs who owned it briefly sold the Huber Brewing Co. back to Fred Huber and Berghoff.

Yeah, Heileman (or Stroh?) kinda moved it into a sort of "malt liquor-ish" segment, I guess, with the whole "EX" thing?

 

That's almost as good as the talking clams in the old National Bohemian ads. I was a big Baltimore Colts fan and remember "The Land of Pleasant Living- and the talking clams!

 

Yeah, I know how it goes with memories of available beer that are 40 years old* - even more so for beers that may have been on the shelves but you didn't buy. But Stroh was still selling 450k bbl. of Goebel a year in 1980 and, according to the brewery, the marketing area for the beer then was MI, OH, IN, IL, NY, PA and WI.

F'r'instance, over in the Off-Topic "Pets" thread I posted a photo of me - sorta - drinking a Sterling Beer from Heileman in NYS, mid-80s. Without the pic, I'd have sworn I NEVER had a Sterling nor was it available in NY when I lived there.

 

Gansett is the best out of your list IMO. They are rebuilding the brand, brought it back to Rhode Island and they are doing some really nice specialty brews.

 

I remember a lot of Miller High Life and Budweiser being consumed. On the cheap end was Goebels and Kroger cost cutter. Our neighbors old generation drank Lowenbrau and Champale Malt Liquor. I never saw anyone else drink either of them.

 

I love Hamms, I love Miller Lite. There I said it and I wanted people to hear it. I also have been a huge Labatt (regular) and Labatt blue light fan for years! When i do turn into a grandpa, I will be drinking Hamms telling kids what I remember about beer and sports. At least Hamms does not taste like disappointment. Go Lions!

 

[QUOTE="JimboBrews54, post: 6479312, member: 1235228"...At least Hamms does not taste like disappointment. Go Lions![/QUOTE]
Speaking of a disappointment...

(as if the VIkings have any championship rings to brag about...)