Tuesday, July 20, 2010

12 Quarts of Ypsilanti Beer for $1

Ypsilanti once had a father-son beer brewery, at 414 South Grove road, where Grove and Prospect meet. Lucky for you if you lived within a three-mile radius of their brewery: they'd deliver a dozen 1-quart bottles right to your house for only $1. The brewery, under a variety of names and owners, existed from around 1866 to 1943. Here is a selection of 1905 Foerster's ads from the Ypsilanti Daily Times.


Text of above: "WITHOUT BEER. What would frankfurters and sauerkraut be without the accompaniment of generous draughts of genuine beer? Real German flavor actually lost. Console yourselves if you fancy that sort of luncheon by having on hand a case or two of Foerster's beer which aids appetite, increases digestion. Case of 12 bottles delivered to any local address for $1. Phone 139."


"TO ALL GOOD AMERICANS. There is nothing too good for a 4th of a July celebration. For that reason the best of beer is required for those who like that most wholesome of beverages. Foerster's beer fills the bill in every respect, as it is as pure as the purest patriotism. It is bottled by the Foerster Brewing Co., who will fill your 4th of July orders promptly and faithfully."


"FOR YOUR SUMMER OUTING. A supply of Foerster's beer will be found a very necessary essential. It is very unsafe to drink water taken from lakes and brooks as it may be polluted, but when you drink beer bottled by us you know it is absolutely pure, not to speak of its invigorating and refreshing qualities after a day's tramp or fishing."
Are those three empties there beside that crate? I believe these are quart bottles, which may explain the abstracted smile on Mr. Tramper's face.


"AN AMERICAN PRODUCT equal to the best German or Bavarian is the now justly celebrated Foerster Beer. To be sure, the secret of successful beer brewing was learned in the Fatherland. But the best hops in the world are grown in Oregon, U. S. A., as foreign brewers know full well, for they buy them; the water here is as pure as anywhere, and cleanliness marks every stage from malting to lagering and bottling. Buy Foerster Beer and you have a prime article."


"HERE'S WHAT MAKES YOU WANT YOUR DINNER: A glass of Foerster beer is just about the finest thing to create an appetite for a worth while meal you ever struck--beats any cocktail concocted. Doesn't go to the head, does prepare the stomach for more solid nourishment. We guarantee its purity--you will swear by it as to the taste and its appetite provoking quality. Yet it costs only $1 for case of quart bottles delivered within three miles of this plant."

4 comments :

Dusty D said...

Incidentally, $1 in 1910 would be worth $23 today.

Dusty D said...

Interestingly, my husband observed that in none of these ads is the woman depicted sharing in the beer bounty, contrary to our own habits. :)

He's right. I'm not an expert, but I don't think it would have been seemly for a woman to have a nice cold frosty glass of beer along with her husband at his sausage luncheon. . .though, as I said to him, perhaps the sherry flowed freely at her afternoon bridge game.

cmadler said...

12 quarts would be 32 modern 12 fluid ounce beer bottles. 32 bottles for $23 is still a good price; the best I can usually find is about $20-$24 for a case of 24 bottles, and that's for the mass-produced brands (Bud Light, etc.). If I could get Frog Island, Bells, Shorts, etc. at $0.72/bottle, I'd fill up my basement before the sale ended!

Dusty D said...

cmadler: that is so funny, my (engineer, self-described geek) husband made the same calculation and also concluded that he'd spring for said beer! Not to mention it's delivered right to one's parched tongue. :)