Chris Conway is a native of Newfoundland and a current PhD candidate at the University of Toronto who has created a website dedicated to tracking the history of brewing in Newfoundland aptly titled Newfoundland Beer History.
The main section of the website contains timelines and labels from brewers’ past.
The research blog section of the website is updates of recent posts related to brewing history and also has overviews of brewers past and present with their related brands and timelines.
There is also a related Tumblr account with a hilarious poster for Oland’s Export Ale (would love to know what year this is, far before the term politically correct was invented).
Definitely a site worth checking out for history and / or beer enthusiasts.
It would make for an interesting article to interview some of the older brewmasters like Toby McDonald aged 97. I wonder if this has ever been considered?
I sent Chris a note via Twitter with your suggestion.
Hi, Chris here.
jjc, that’s something I’m working on right now. I’m in touch with Mr. McDonald’s family and they are going to be conducting an interview with him using my questions in the coming weeks. I’ll be posting it as soon as I have it back!
Good stuff Chris! I’m looking forward to this.
I have a bottle of Blue Star (which has not been opened) with the same label that you have posted at the top of this page. I was wondering if you could tell me what years these labels were used?
Chris, depends on the bottle shape/color. If it is a clear or green glass bottle with this label (Bavarian Brewing, gold colored foil), then it is (roughly) post-WWII but before 1962 (when Labatt bought them).
Should look something like this if that is the case: https://nlbeerhistory.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/blue-star-1960s1.png