Here's another vintage beer ad that ran in the
Lorain Journal during the month of April. Only this time the date is April 8, 1947 – and the beer is
Barbarossa.
It's a nice, stylish ad. I like the tagline too: A Welcome Label on any Table.
According to the book,
Cincinnati's Brewing History, Barbarossa was brewed by the Red Top Brewing Company and was its premium brand of beer. It was produced solely at the Dayton Street plant until the demise of Red Top in 1957.
![]() |
| Courtesy of taverntrove.com |
The book also reveals the story behind the beer's unusual name. It states that the iconography of the Barbarossa label (
at left) "revolves around the legend of Frederick I, the king of Germany and a Holy Roman emperor. According to this legend, Frederick, also known as Barbarossa, never actually dies but bides his time in a cave, waiting for the ravens to cease flying so he can return to Germany in triumph."
Somehow, that creepy story doesn't exactly make me want to reach for a cold, refreshing Barbarossa.
But it must have worked for my grandfather, though. According to my mother, it was her father's favorite beer.
