Judge, 1908-01-11 · page 11 of 16
Judge — January 11, 1908 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Schlitz beer advertisement**, not satire. The page uses the header "Virtues Unseen" as a philosophical framing device to market beer purity as a desirable but invisible quality. The ad argues that while visible brewing virtues are common, **purity is uniquely valuable** because it prevents illness ("biliousness") and costs more to achieve. Schlitz positions itself as superior by claiming "absolute purity"—making health claims that were common in early 20th-century beer advertising. The tagline "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous" reinforces Schlitz's market dominance during an era when Milwaukee was America's brewing center. **Context for modern readers**: This predates FDA regulations. Brewers could freely claim health benefits. The emphasis on purity likely references actual contamination problems in competing beers and earlier brewing methods.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
There are conspicuous virtues which are quite common in beers. It would be folly for one to omit them. But purity is a hidden virtue most conspicuous in its after-effects. Without it a beer may still be good to the taste. And purity costs more than all other costs of brewing. That is why it is rare. The distinction of Schlitz lies in its absolute purity. It is healthful, and it cannot cause biliousness. That is a virtue which we deem all e important. Don’t you? Atk for the Brewery Bottling a | The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous comicbooks.com