Falstaff era Ballantine ales labels

After the Newark brewery was closed in 1972, Falstaff opened a distribution center in nearby North Bergen, which employed some former Ballantine workers (mostly delivery truck drivers).

Taking advantage of NJ's "Three Tier" laws, Ballantine had self-distributed their beers in large sections of New Jersey.

Distributor's ad in Pennsylvania, one month after Falstaff's purchase of the Ballantine brands:

Another PA distributor's ad for the Falstaff-brewed Ballantine Ale, claiming it was a "genuine ale" and still "America's Favorite Ale" - possibly in response to then-recent popularity of the low-hopped Genesee Cream Ale in Pennsylvania.

Final Falstaff-Pabst era Ballantine India Pale Ale label

Brewed at the Pabst Milwaukee brewery that would be closed in 1996

Short-lived Ballantine Golden, labeled from Milwaukee and Ft. Wayne but probably brewed after the latter's closing, in the 1990s. Unknown if product was an ale or a lager beer.

Note the number of different "city" lists for the Falstaff breweries. The last XXX Ale label lists "San Francisco", and no doubt was used at the brewery (closed in 1976) or one of the General Brewing Co.'s breweries, since the 11 ounce size bottle was a West Coast convention.

India Pale Ale- Note "Aged in Wood One Year" has become "Aged in Wood" (the aging period is said to have been shortened to 4-5 months) and the year in "Bottled at the Brewery-Established in 1840" line has become "1890" to reflect the founding date of Falstaff's Naragansett brewery in Rhode Island.

Brewers Gold Premium Ale - A short-lived product from Falstaff (late '70's-early '80's) named after the strain of hops Ballantine Ale famously used. Rumored to have been a blend of XXX and IPA, the label was quickly changed, no doubt because retailers in the pre-bar code days would confuse this more expensive product with XXX Ale. The "newer" label and the POP piece (bottom) while not very ornate, is unusual in that it lists the brewer's name as "P. Ballantine" unlike most Ballantine products marketed by Falstaff and, later, Pabst which used the "Falstaff Brewing Corporation" name.

Confusingly, at least one PA Ballantine distributor, Wyoming Quality Beverage Co. outside of Wilkes-Barre, advertised the new Falstaff-brewed ale as being made by "The Nation's Largest Ale Brewers" under the Narragansett Brewing Co. name.

Two other short-lived ales using the Ballantine brand name would also be brewed and marketed by Falstaff/Pabst in the post-Newark era -

Ballantine Cream Ale (1970-80's- available in cans only, thus the poor label example above)

Ballantine Twisted Red Ale (1990's).

In addition, Falstaff also marketed kegs of Ballantine Dark Beer and Ballantine Porter (sources suggest it was re-branded Narragansett Porter), and canned a Ballantine Bock Beer.

A promotional picture of the new packaging for the Falstaff brands brewed in Milwaukee at the Pabst brewery in 1990, after the closure of the last Falstaff brewery in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

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