The Story of Hamm's Waldech Beer

Hamm’s beer collectibles are some of the most popular pieces of breweriana, but there’s one aspect of Hamm’s that doesn’t get much attention, a largely forgotten brand called Waldech. The brand always kind of interested me, with the black and gold labels on green bottles and the gothic images of castles in the advertising, not to mention it sounded like it would have been a good beer.

Waldech was a super-premium, all-malt and naturally-carbonated beer, much different from the flagship Hamm’s brand, although the name “Hamm’s” was prominent on the label. Introduced in 1963, it came out at a time when bland, yellow, fizzy beers dominated US beer sales. The name was said to be taken from the ancestral home of then-Hamm's president William C. Figge in North Germany. Early advertising claimed it was “The new third taste in beer,” not like a domestic and not like an import, but with its own unique character. It was slow brewed in fairly small batches, so the availability was limited compared to something more mass-produced such as Hamm’s.

It was especially popular among a certain crowd in California, where Hamm’s operated two breweries at the time. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Charlie McCabe said of Waldech, “The best American beer I have tasted since before World War II.”  Bob Balzer of the Los Angeles Times said it had “long-lasting flavor. Our choice among many for its real beer taste, fine head and substantial body.” The Auburn (CA) Journal commented, “”A few glasses of Waldech will make you forget about taking tranquilizers.”

This full-bodied beer had lots of critical acclaim but was never a big seller, and was discontinued in 1975 (along with Hamm's Preferred Stock and a few other brands from the former Heublein ownership) when Olympia Brewing Company took over Hamm's. Perhaps it was ahead of its time.

Hamm’s Waldech was promoted in national magazines in the 1960s with full-color, full-page advertisements. Examples here are from 1964 and 1969. As the brand competed with Anheuser-Busch’s Michelob, they switched to a bottle that was more similar to Michelob, complete with a wrap-around gold label.

Hamm's Waldech napkins.

"Waldech on draught" neon sign.

Waldech was never sold in cans, however several prototype Waldech cans were made for the Theo. Hamm Brewing Company and were pictured in color on the cover of North Star Chapter Breweriana Club’s 1982 book, “Beer Cans of Minnesota.”

 

Zum-Zum-Zum, a Stein Song

In honor of National Tavern Month, we present the lyrics to "Zum-Zum-Zum, a Stein Song." Written by Oscar F. G. Day to accompany original music by Elmer Olson, this song was published in 1914 as sheet music by Minneapolis Brewing Company, to promote Zumalweiss beer. There was also a recorded version on a 78 r.p.m. record. 

Kind of a precursor to the radio and TV commercial jingle, it was a song that could be sung in the tavern while beering away the hours by the old piano. A pre-Prohibition classic. Minneapolis Brewing Company was best known as the brewers of Grain Belt beer until it went out of business in 1975. 




ZUM-ZUM-ZUM--A STEIN SONG

With your day's work completed,

With friends you are seated, 

In rathskeller, home or cafe,

What pleasure so pleasing,

From care your brain easing, 

As sipping the hours away

With joke and clear laughter, 

Who cares what comes after,

Dull care we have banished away

Each jolly good fellow,

Joins in with a mellow

“Here's ho” for it's time to be gay.

(Chorus:)

Zum Zum Zumalweiss

That is the music we all love to hear,

Room, room, room for good fellows

And welcome each one with a cheer

Let us join in a smile

For the beer that's worthwhile,

So here's to good old 

Zumalweiss and here's a health to all of us

With a laugh in each sip,

As it passes the lip,

That's the Zum Zum Zum Zumalweiss beer.

You may boast of your tipples,

Of champagne that ripples,

Or fizzes that fuddle your brain

Or urge of the bouquet,

Of sauterne or tokay,

Or sparkle of burgundy strain

Give me the pure shine and

The health from the stein-land,

That came when they taught how to brew

And I will be wiser

Than king, prince or kaiser,

Get wise to that Zumalweiss too.

(Repeat chorus)

What Goes Best With a Hot Dog?

"What goes best with a HOT DOG? Right...Beer or ale the way you like it...in those easy-to-open CAP-SEALED CANS!"

In the summer of 1940, a war was going on somewhere in Europe, and there was talk of some mad man taking over countries and slaughtering millions. But far away in the heartland of America, the main concern was rolling out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. Those days of soda and pretzels and especially beer. And Continental Can Company wanted to convince people that their Cap-Sealed (cone top) beer can fit best with summertime activity.

The year before, six and a half million of the 30 million cases of canned beer sold had been consumed in July and August alone. With a recovering economy, all indications were that 1940 would be the biggest season yet, and the brewing and beer can industries were gearing up to meet the expected demand. For Continental and the 83 breweries using cone tops, it was a matter of convincing consumers that theirs was the superior package.

Continental embarked on an aggressive print advertising campaign, paid for through a cooperative arrangement with those brewers and beer distributors using their Cap-Sealed cans. Lively two-page spreads ran in popular magazines such as Life, Collier's and Liberty, featuring people having fun and discovering for themselves the advantages of the Cap-Sealed can.

There were nine spreads in all, pointing out the convenience of taking the can along for picnics, outings, cook-outs, parties and other occasions, stressing that no special opener was needed, unlike other types of beer cans that required a "church-key" opener ("opens just like a bottle"). You could drink from a "clean, cap-protected surface," and there were no empties to return. No environmental regulations, either.Once you consumed the contents, you could simply throw the can into the outhouse pit, sink it in the lake, toss it into the campfire or add it to a pile somewhere, where excited collectors could find it decades later. One of the ads depicted a young man, with his sweetheart, letting his empty float away in a stream.

Continental put a considerable amount of market research into the campaign. They sent their men out to beer distributors and beer drinkers across the country to get their views on the package and how to market it. When asked, 2,032 distributors said they preferred the Cap-Sealed can to the flat top can. Only 102 chose the flat top, and 232 had no opinion. With flat tops, distributors had to handle the special openers, thus making the cone top more desirable. In addition, in nearly every survey taken, two out of three beer drinkers said they preferred the cone top.

The distributors and brewers were enthusiastic about the summer ad campaign and the local sales promotion that was given to them in their own territories, and they told Continental that the combination helped build package sales and volume.

The campaign paid off handsomely. In the first eight months of 1940, the distributors were reporting sales overwhelmingly ahead of those in all of 1939. The year 1941 also saw banner sales (until the U. S. entrance in the war put canned beer on hold). After the war, the Cap-Sealed can was eventually phased out, ending up being regulated mostly to automotive additives, and even those eventually went to plastic bottles. You can't buy anything in cone tops anymore, unfortunately.

But imagine for just one moment that it's the summer of 1940 once again. A beautiful day, kind of humid, but there's a nice breeze. The women are setting out food and talking, the men are playing a friendly game of baseball, the children are running abound. You get yourself an ice-cold cone-top can of beer, grab the opener and pry off the cap. Shhhhlock. A little bit of foam rises. You bring the metal surface to your lips and swallow down the wonderful liquid refreshment. Ahhh!.

Meanwhile, a war rages on in the rest of the world.

The Rise and Fall of the 40 ft. Inflatable Hamm's Bear--a photo essay

On July 9, 2016 in Cloquet, MN, a town just outside of Duluth, the historic Northeastern Hotel and Saloon hosted a brewery collectibles show called the Nordlager Show, named after an old local brew. Hotel and Saloon owner Bert Whittington took out of storage a massive inflatable Hamm's Bear, manufactured around 1980 for the Olympia Brewing Company, the makers of Hamm's beer at the time. Connected to two electric-powered air compressors, the huge vinyl blob lying on the ground came to life, and the familiar cartoon character Hamm's Bear stood tall and proud, greeting passersby for a triumphant but brief moment...until he started to lose air.

1. He came to life from a big blob of vinyl on the ground. Owner Bert Whittington helps him up as he fills with air.

 

2. "Hello, Folks!" The Bear stands triumphantly, greeting passersby with an awkward left arm.

 

3. Pete and Bert celebrate with a cool, refreshing Hamm's beer.

Note how much smaller the real can (in Bert's hand) is.

 

4. People came from all over to look at the thing.

 

5. Standing tall and proud, 40 feet high.

 

6. Uh-oh! He's sprung a leak!

 

7. Looking like he's about to hurl after consuming the contents of the giant beer can.

 

8. Another view of the sick, deflating bear, the beer can looking dented and forlorn.

 

9. Oh well. Better luck next year.

 

 

 

 

BEER PARTY/USA

"BEER PARTY/USA is a unique entertainment idea that is traditional, patriotic Americana, yet new and fresh. In concept, it captures the spirit of America--the big parade down Main Street, U.S.A., the carnival highlights of national holidays, the band concert on the village green. In essence, it connotes good fellowship, fun, gaiety, and the supurb quality of American beers." So reads a 36-page booklet published around 1966 by the United States Brewers Association called "BEER PARTY/USA."

Click photo for greater detail.

The booklet continues. "Everything about your BEER PARTY/USA should be American. Appropriate music can set the stage, from the lilting melodies of Victor Herbert and the homespun tunes of the "Gay Nineties" to the orchestrations of Cole Porter and selections from the latest Broadway hits. The basic decor should be red, white and blue--the nation's colors, but you may add a shade or two of your own to fit the occasion."

"BEER PARTY/USA" is an interesting bit of ephemera from what a lot of people these days would call the "Mad Men" era, reflecting the optimistic side of the Kennedy-Johnson years of the early 1960s, a time of leisure, suburbia, unbridled patriotism in the face of a percieved communist menace, lounge music, dreams of flying to the moon, and of course, plastics. It might have also been the era of martinis and tiki drinks, but this booklet was from the Brewers Association, so it was all about defining and promoting beer as the true all-American party beverage for all occasions.

Although the vast majority of American beers at the time were virtually alike--the variety of brands, labels, packaging and advertising were far more interesting than the mild flavored, basic yellow brew they all represented--the booklet stresses the importance in putting much thought in choosing and serving the right beer for your party.
 

Click photo for greater detail.

"One of the first decisions--how to serve your beer. Will it be in bottles--and if so, the easy non-returnable or returnable? Will it be in cans--easy-open or regular? Or is this THE party for a keg of draught beer? Much depends on the particular occasion and how many people will attend...

"For those assisting at the party, whether family or friends or paid help, be sure to let them know in advance your plans and needs. Who will bring the ice to cool the beer?"

It even suggests having someone play the role of Mr. Beer Opener. "To get the party started and to keep it moving, the host or a friend might be MR. BEER OPENER for the evening--perhaps with appropriate dress and big tag identification. Not only does he open and serve the cans or bottles, or tap the keg of beer; he helps open the party, open the conversation, provide the informality, the spark, the conviviality which sets the pace for a happy occasion."




Click photo for greater detail.

The booklet goes on with ideas for entertainment and party decor. "Gather all your old (or new) magazines and newspapers. Cut out pictures and advertisements, paste them on shirt cardboards, and with a felt marker print underneath and alongside funny quotations or sayings pertaining to the BEER PARTY/USA occasion. Hang or tape the pictures around the house or apartment; put lots in the area where the beer is being served...


"Everyone agrees that music sets any BEER PARTY/USA in full swing. It can be any type of presentation. The phonograph generally proves most practical. Before guests arrive, select a variety of records. You can then relax and enjoy the evening. If you are lucky enough to have 'home' musicians on the guest list, ask them to 'bring-a-long' their insturments and you've got ready-made festivity for the affair! Have song sheets available. Choose some old and some new 'favorite' tunes. Type the words on paper for each guest. It's great to have a piano, but if you don't, there's usually one good voice to start the singing. Then just watch and listen--they'll never stop!"

 

For party decorations, the booklet suggests using old beer bottles for flowers and as candle holders, and for the dinnertable centerpiece, "Include beer bottles, beer drawings or some allusion to beer in the display." It also suggests spray painting artichokes and lemons in a red, white and blue color scheme, and suggestions for a "patio candlerama."

 

"Beer bottles are more attractive than ever before. You can achieve many unique designs by decorating beer bottles with paint, ribbons, jewels and other decorative ornaments. They can be used for flower vases, candle holders or favors for your guests...Small artificial flowers around the base of the bottle can be most attractive."

 

There's a section on tips for serving beer, tips on properly displaying the flag and bunting, seasonal "BEER PARTIES/USA," birthday and anniversary "BEER PARTIES/USA," and beer recipies including "Brewmaster's Steak," "Beer-Glazed Ham," "Beer-Becued Spareribs," "Beer Cheese Wafers," and even "Birthday Beer Cake."

 

There's also a section on Social Hints. "Nowadays there are less rigid party rules than in the past," the booklet acknowleges. "The hour for your party and the placing of your table and your silverware may be to your choosing--provided it is done tastefully and thoughtfully."

 

But even in the 1960s, there were still some rigid (and some might say sexist) rules regarding introductions. "It's difficult for many of us to remember proper form on introductions. Here's a good tip: with two important exceptions, gentlemen are always introduced TO ladies. The proper form goes like this: 'Mr. Jones, this is Mrs. Smith.' Or, 'Mrs. Smith, may I present Mr. Jones.' The two exceptions are clergymen and important public officials. In these instances, reverse it, as follows: 'Mrs. Smith, this is Reverend Jones.' Or, 'Mayor Jones, may I present Mrs. Smith.'"

 

Throughout the booklet, the word "gay" is used a lot--presumably the archaic old meaning of the word. "Use color, a gay tablecloth, bright napkins," it suggests in setting up a buffet table. Another suggestion: "if you're not good at names, or it's a large party, use name tags--the simple stick-on kind, which come in gay colors." It all adds up to a very gay BEER PARTY/USA.



 



Who Was the Man on the Gablinger's Can? Or: The Real 'Father' of Light Beer

Perplexing as it is to those of us who actually enjoy beer, the most popular brews in the United States, hands-down, are so-called light beers made by massive, big corporations. Consumed primarily by young doofuses who have a complete inability to think beyond the scope of commercials they see on ESPN. Decades ago, "light" beer was simply a distinction from "dark" or "heavy" beer. The first "light" beer as currently defined was not Miller Lite (nor did Miller even originate Lite), but it was a product introduced in 1967 called Gablinger's Beer, distributed by a subsidiary of Rheingold Breweries, Inc. of New York called Forrest Brewing Company. (And in spite of errorneous information in several Web articles, Gablinger's was never specifically marketed as "diet beer.")


1967 ad for Gablinger's beer.



The slogan, appearing on cartons and point-of-purchase displays in strong typeography was "GABLINGER'S BEER DOESN'T FILL YOU UP." Ad copy boasted that it had no carbohydrates, no fat, and 0.25% protein, making it sound downright healthy. The beer was pale in color, and undoubtedly pale in taste, but advertising claimed it tasted just as good as any other beer.

Labels on cans and bottles featured a drawing of a rather plain-looking middle-aged man in a suit, who looked like he could have been your high school shop or business teacher.

The man was a real person named Hersch Gablinger, a Swiss researcher who developed the technique for eliminating carbohydrates from beer, according to a piece in the May 1967 issue of the trade magazine Modern Packaging. He gave his permission to allow his image to be used on the packages. The process he had developed, according to Modern Packaging, "is claimed to enable consumers to quaff the brew without getting a 'filled-up' feeling."

Gablinger's was sold mostly in Rheingold's marketing area in the eastern US. Meanwhile, Chicago-based Meister Brau came up with its own low carb, low cal beer called Meister Brau Lite, introduced in 1968. While Gablinger's had a distinctly masculine-looking package, Meister Brau tried to appeal to women with its Lite packaging, and even attempted to launch a whole line of dietetic food products with the Lite name, similar to the Weight Watchers product line.

Neither Gablinger's nor Meister Brau Lite really caught on, however. Meister Brau in particular saw hard times and in 1972 sold its brands including Lite to Miller Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. To make a long story short, Miller redesigned the packaging and relaunched Lite under its own name, came up with an ingenious marketing strategy using macho ex-jocks and others in humorous commercials, and soon the brand took off, forcing competing brewers to come up with their own light (but not Lite) beers. Soon, light beers would overtake sales of so-called regular beers.

Meanwhile, Gablinger's beer continued to struggle in spite of the new popularity of light beers. In 1976 the packaging was changed, in attempt to broaden appeal and make the packages stand out more on retailer's shelves. The dark brown background color was replaced with bright orange. The portrait of Hersch Gablinger was dropped, replaced by a depiction of a man and woman raising mugs of surprisingly dark-looking beers (the complete opposite of Gablinger's) while seated at a table in what looks like a fast food restaurant. Though most likely unintended, the image looked strikingly similar to one used by Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour Restaurants. In fact, the cans looked more like diet soda pop cans than beer cans.

By the 1980s, Gablingr's beer was no more, the trademark registration canceled in 1984, and Hersch Gablinger, whose discovery would launch an astronomically successful product category for the brewing industry, would be completely forgotten about.

Politics In Advertising (Non-Partisan Variety)

   As we embark on a presidential election year that promises to be the most volatile, nastiest and potentially violent of any in recent memory, in a political climate where you express a view somebody else might disagree with at your own risk of life, limb and dignity, it is heartening to find examples of political views just about everyone could agree with, or at least not passionately disagree with. You have to go back in time and look real hard for that.

   Turning the clocks back to the early 1930s, things were still pretty volatile in the United States, not to mention the rest of the world. There was a Great Depression going on while dictators stormed through Europe. In the U.S. millions were out of work, companies and banks were going out of business, there was labor strife in the cities and in 1932 voters were ready to run the current occupant of the White House, Herbert Hoover, out on a rail. Franklin D. Roosevelt would end up winning the election that year on the Democratic ticket but the American Oil Company of Maryland (Amoco) ran its own candidate for president, the Hon. I. Save-On-Gas, on the Economy ticket. He looked like a stereotypical gasbag politician too.

   Amoco, then an east coast regional subsidiary of Standard Oil Company of Indiana, used a combination of political humor and patriotism in their advertising during the 1932 and 1936 presidential election years. In 1936 the theme was "Join the American Party," complete with campaign buttons given out by service station dealers, a party that people could get behind regardless of which side of the political aisle they came from. Amoco also distributed booklets, ink blotters and other items full of presidential trivia and history.

   Other marketers also used humorous political campaign themes in their advertising in the 1930s. The H.J. Heinz Company declared the Aristocrat Tomato Man character who appeared in ads for the company's ketchup and tomato juice to be "elected" as "the People's Choice" in a November 1936 advertisement that included a realistic-looking picture of the oversized tomato-headed character with a monocle and top hat at a victory rally, surrounded by enthusiastic crowds and press photographers, with CBS and NBC radio microphones before him.

   "LEADER in every taste test, winner of every digest poll, Heinz aristocrat tomato juice is overwhelmingly elected by flavor connoisseurs everywhere!" the ad proclaimed.

   And in another political campaign themed ad from about the same time, the John F. Trommer Brewing Company of Brooklyn, New York issued a novelty postcard depicting a newspaper with the banner headline: TROMMER'S ELECTED! CARRIES EVERY DISTRICT.

   "Reports from all over the City indicate that Trommer's beer has been elected again as New York's finest all-Malt beverage. Running on an all-Malt (hops and malt only) platform, Trommer's took the lead early and retained it throughout the balloting. Voters were heard to declare 'Here's a beer that tastes like the finest imported. We vote for Trommer's -- and it costs no more!'"

   I guess we can all drink to that.