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Gansett - A New England Tradition..
History in a bottle
The history of Narragansett Beer could fill a book, but the 1950s and '60s were the true golden age for the local lager. This is when the company broke their popular advertising slogan, "Hi neighbor, have a 'Gansett." Ads for the beer were everywhere, even on trolley cars.
The company began a long affiliation with Major League Baseball, first sponsoring the Boston Braves in 1951 and later the Boston Red Sox. By 1955, Narragansett was the biggest-selling beer in New England.
The company employed 850 workers by 1965. It is said to have offered steady pay, good benefits and free beer. The beer was brewed by Rhode Islanders in the Cranston plant owned by Rhode Islanders — the Haffenreffers, living in Bristol.
There came a dark period familiar to many local beer towns. The Cranston brewery is gone now. Brewing, like so many local beers across the company, was consolidated in out-of-state plants. The recipe wasn't the same, the water wasn't the same. The beer, and the brand, suffered.
The last remaining vestige of the brewery facility — the trolley barn — was demolished in 2005 after a fire.
However, earlier this year, East Providence native Mark Hellendrung obtained the rights to the Narragansett Beer Brand from Pabst Brewing Company. He found Bill Anderson, the last brewmaster from the original Narragansett Brewery in Cranston, and moved the brewing of the beer to High Falls, N.Y., where he says the water quality is better.
The two men began tinkering with the recipe to bring back the 'Gansett of old.
The first kegs were tapped in late September of this year.
* At one time, the grounds of the Narragansett Brewing Company included a barn, a stable, a blacksmith, 75 horses, 45 wagons, gas-powered trucks, electric trucks, 25 refrigerated train cars and its own ice plant. In later years, the property was home to 29 buildings, over 660,000 square feet of parking space, a small airstrip, a seven-acre pond and some 40 acres of undeveloped land.
From Duffey & Shanley, Inc
History in a bottle
The history of Narragansett Beer could fill a book, but the 1950s and '60s were the true golden age for the local lager. This is when the company broke their popular advertising slogan, "Hi neighbor, have a 'Gansett." Ads for the beer were everywhere, even on trolley cars.
The company began a long affiliation with Major League Baseball, first sponsoring the Boston Braves in 1951 and later the Boston Red Sox. By 1955, Narragansett was the biggest-selling beer in New England.
The company employed 850 workers by 1965. It is said to have offered steady pay, good benefits and free beer. The beer was brewed by Rhode Islanders in the Cranston plant owned by Rhode Islanders — the Haffenreffers, living in Bristol.
There came a dark period familiar to many local beer towns. The Cranston brewery is gone now. Brewing, like so many local beers across the company, was consolidated in out-of-state plants. The recipe wasn't the same, the water wasn't the same. The beer, and the brand, suffered.
The last remaining vestige of the brewery facility — the trolley barn — was demolished in 2005 after a fire.
However, earlier this year, East Providence native Mark Hellendrung obtained the rights to the Narragansett Beer Brand from Pabst Brewing Company. He found Bill Anderson, the last brewmaster from the original Narragansett Brewery in Cranston, and moved the brewing of the beer to High Falls, N.Y., where he says the water quality is better.
The two men began tinkering with the recipe to bring back the 'Gansett of old.
The first kegs were tapped in late September of this year.
* At one time, the grounds of the Narragansett Brewing Company included a barn, a stable, a blacksmith, 75 horses, 45 wagons, gas-powered trucks, electric trucks, 25 refrigerated train cars and its own ice plant. In later years, the property was home to 29 buildings, over 660,000 square feet of parking space, a small airstrip, a seven-acre pond and some 40 acres of undeveloped land.
From Duffey & Shanley, Inc
Back when i was about 14, collecting beer cans was all the rage in my school. Dad used to bring home all sorts of neat cans, as did my older brother who traveled around while in the service. Anyway, one day dad comes home with a 6-pack of Billy Beer (Named after Jimmy Carter's beer-loving brother, for all of ya youngins), and tells me to open one can from the bottom (which was how I tried to save my cans), drain the beer and add it to my collection. Told me to save the rest as is, as they might be worth something some day. Well, temptation got the best of me and my pal, and we split the beer. Tasted like shit, and I never thought I'd want another beer for as long as I lived. Later that year, I remember trying U.S.A. Beer, which stood for U Save Alot!!!.....:missingte .....Took awhile before I eventually acquired a taste for Bud and Killans.
By the way, I still have the five unopened cans of Billy Beer:toast:
By the way, I still have the five unopened cans of Billy Beer:toast:
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