Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Albany Ale: The First Albany Ale Project

When I conjure up images of 1965 in my head, I might picture the Beatles running across the grass at Shea Stadium, or Muhammad Ali standing over the limp body of Sonny Liston. I might even think of a helicopter whirring down into a blown back field of grass, with black-rifled GIs scurrying way from the green chopper's open door. 

1965—the heady days of 77¢ swim trunks.
What I would never think about is Albany Ale.
But, someone back then was. 

This morning I was searching a newspaper database, and seeing the usual spread of dates of the 1850s to the turn of the century when 1965 caught my eye. Not 1865, 1965. It appears that 48 years ago—when I was but a twinkle in my momma's eye and Alan was a tot of two—columnist and associate editor of the Albany newspaper the Knickerbocker News, Charley Mooney, had his own run-in with Albany Ale. Here's what he wrote about on Friday, July 25, 1965:
IT ISN'T too frequently these days that we hear from one of our colleagues of a long time ago—George A. Laird Jr., director of advertising and public relations for Niagara Mohawk Corp.
     So when our secretary informed us we had a letter yesterday from Mr. Laird, who also is prominent in Republican politics in the town of Bethlehem, we naturally snapped to attention.
     It develops Mr. Laird, who as a youth turned to the newspaper business when he could have had a successful career as a cowpuncher in his native Brisbee, Ariz., had been discussing affairs of the day with his old friend Art Quinn, one of the area's better-known maestros of the mahogany.
*       *       *
MR. QUINN is the fellow who sees to it that nobody goes thirsty at Nathaniel Blanchard Post, American Legion. He is among other things, a collector of beer trays. It was over an aperitif that he let Mr. Laird in on the secret of his latest discover—a beer tray that bore the name "Amsdell Brewery, Albany New York."
     "I have an idea." confided Mr. Quinn, "that it dates back to the late 1800s."
     Just what prompted that conclusion Mr. Laird neglected to explain, but latter admits he informed Mr. Quinn that anything dating back to the 1800s (even the late 1800s) was far ahead of his time.
    Addressing this writer, Mr. Laird wrote: "I informed Mr. Quinn I knew a fellow—namely you— who, if he wasn't a patron of Amsdell Brewery, at least must have had a few old friends who were."
*       *       *

THAT LEFT the problem entirely up [to] this column. Mr. Laird wasn't too helpful, either, in his last sentence, which read: "My bet is that it (the old brewery) was along the river somewhat south of the Dunn Memorial Bridge."
     Go to the foot of the class, and pronto, George Laird!
     For Amsdell Brewery, which does date back to the late 1800s, actually was at Jay, Dove and Lancaster Streets. The firm's proper name was Amsdell Brothers Brewery & Malthouse, and it was operated by George I. and Theodore M. Amsdell.
*       *       *

WE DETAILED our oldest agent to the case—a gentleman who at 92 years, is won't to surround himself with old city directories and other historical tomes, and who prefers to be known only as Mr. J.B. of Nassau. This gentleman came pup with the following incidental details on the Amsdells:
     In the year 1881, Theodore Amsdell was living at 31 Dove Street, while his brother, George, made his home at 141 Washington Avenue. They were brewers of the famous Albany XX Ale; celebrated India pale Amber ale and porter, and the equally famous Diamond & Burton Ale.
     So there Messrs. Laird and Quinn, you have sufficient historical conversation to last well into the evening, and if any more mysterious beer trays should be uncovered, just give this column a buzz.

Okay, so it looks like Alan and I got beat to the punch by nearly a half century. I'm cool with. We don't have to give Mooney—or Nassau's Mr. J.B.—a research credit in the book do we? How about just an honorary title? Something like Albanius Cerevisiae Emeritus.

As a bonus question, does anybody have any idea what brewery Laird was talking about that "…was along the river somewhat south of the Dunn Memorial Bridge."? 

Albany Ale Project Euro-bumper stickers to the first one who gets it right.

19 comments:

  1. Maestro of the mahogany! That is waaaay better than bar fly.

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    1. I read that as Quinn was the bartender.

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    2. Yep, which the next sentence confirms.

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    3. Either way, I've referring to every bartender from this point on as a Maestro of the Mahogany.

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  2. Howard & Ryckman / Fidler, Ryckman & Co

    Taylor & Sons
    both being south of the bridge Taylors being impossible to miss

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    1. Gotta pick one or the other.

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    2. You mean the other side of the river doesn't count? Looks like fertile territory (albeit not in 1921). :)

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Steamboat_Square_Albany,_New_York.jpg

      Gary

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    3. Fantastic photo, but that's north of the Dunn memorial.

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    4. Right but I meant you can see on the other (south) side of the bridge the industry that was there and that is where I thought some of the breweries from Rensselaer were

      Gary

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    5. That image is mislabeled on Wikipedia, that's the Livingston Avenue Bridge—which still stands today. It's further north on the river. The two roads that are converging in the photo are Water Street and Erie Blvd. If the photo was wider, you'd be able to see Beverwyck Brewery behind that block of buildings on the right. The majority of late 19th century breweries on the east side of the river would have been further north in Troy, not in Greenbush, or what is now Rensselaer. At least not from what I've found.

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    6. Well that is very interesting and you live there so you must know, but I must say the two bridges look quite dissimilar to me including the abutments (the concrete supports in the water).

      Gary

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    7. I stand corrected. That is indeed the original Dunn Memorial Bridge! I looked at a turn of the century map that had Steamboat Square labeled. My guess is the photo was taken from one of the upper floors of the Delaware & Hudson Railroad/Albany Evening Journal Building (now the SUNY administration building).

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  3. Van Rensselaer Brewery.

    Gary

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  4. I love the six sorts of beer: Albany XX Ale, India pale Amber ale, porter, Diamond & Burton Ale. Or is it five? Surely "India pale" is separate from "Amber" ale

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    1. Take a look at the image in this post. I think Mr J.B. must have gotten the line-up off an advertisement like this. My guess is he transcribed it wrong or Mooney wrote it incorrectly. It's obviously India Pale Ale and Amber Ale.

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  5. Taylor is somewhat south of the Dunn Memorial Bridge

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  6. Like I knew the bridge's name?

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