Candor from companies

I found a wonderful quote from a company (posted at end) that reminded me what it is like when companies are honest with themselves, their customers, and their partners.

Inspired by a post from someone about to visit Philadelphia, I recalled what is was like when my Philly-born-and-raised parents would take us kids back to visit family (my grandparents and aunts and uncles and even a couple great-aunts). One of the food items I recall was that my grandfater (father's side) drank Ortlieb's beer. Knowing how the smaller regional brewers have been squeezed out by the megabrewers I wondered if Ortlieb's was even still around. I followed a number of Google leads until I found an interesting article at beerhistory.com about the advent of beer advertising on TV. Within the article they reference the very early linkage of beer sponsors and baseball games on television. I found it fascinating (hey, I'm easy) that during their first foray into television the Boston Red Sox essentially let Naragansett Brewing advertise for free. The BoSox reasoning? . . . .

In fact, Sox management granted Narragansett the sponsorship rights free of charge, telling brewery officials, "We don't know what we're doing, and neither do you."

Times have certainly changed.

I did find some other references that following an on-again/off-again cycle common to small brewers that there's a Henry Ortlieb brewing at a very small level for a limited local distribution.