Champale
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Champale | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Brewery | Pabst Brewing Company |
| Style | Malt Liquor |
| First brewed | 1965 |
| Alc. vol. | ? |
| Original Gravity | ? |
| Final Gravity | ? |
| IBU Scale | ? |
Described as "sparkling and elegant," Champale is a brand of Malt Liquor, brewed with yeasts more commonly used in wine fermentation, to produce a beer resembling champagne in taste. Champale was one of the first alcoholic drinks to target the African American market in its advertising, contributing to malt liquor's current popularity within the United States.
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[edit] History
Champale was first produced by Champale, Inc. in 1960[citation needed], operating out of the Lalor St Brewery in Trenton, New Jersey.[1] The release was accompanied by print advertisements, chiefly depicting African Americans enjoying the beverage, with slogans such as "Live a little on very little",[2] the drink was pitched as a 'poor man's champagne'. The beer's packaging and label resembled that of wine. The beverage's huge initial success has ensured the brand's continuity, and likely contributed to the current popularity of high-alcohol Malt Liquors. The brand has been passed along a succession of companies, most recently acquired by the G. Heileman Brewing Company in 1986.[3] The G. Heileman Brewing Company has been since acquired by the Pabst Brewing Company, who currently produce the beer in a limited release across the United States.
[edit] Flavors
Champale is currently produced in four flavors: Golden, Pink, Dry, and Red Berry.
[edit] Cocktails with Champale
On the 1960's Champale can, viewable online at "Tavern Trove" printed "4 Ways To Enjoy" Champale on its label:
'Sahara' Highball Tall glass of ice, add jigger of vodka - fill with CHAMPALE.
Champale 'Cheer' Serve ice cold CHAMPALE in stemmed glass - add a maraschino cherry.
Champale 'Cooler' Tall glass of cracked ice, fill with CHAMPALE - add twist of lemon peel.
'Pink' Champale Add dash of grenadine or cherry juice to CHAMPALE in stemmed or champagne glass.
Pink Champale is referenced in popular music (see below.) The 'Sahara' Highball, though a potent "boilermaker" (beer and hard liquor) completely disguised the taste of the vodka.
[edit] Champale in popular culture
- Marge Simpson, a character in the animated TV show The Simpsons, has referred to the drink, notably in the episode "I Married Marge" prior to the conception of Bart Simpson.
- The Beastie Boys, in their song Ch-Check It Out on the album To The 5 Boroughs, deliver the line "I got class like pink Champale."
- Jonathan Coulton, in his song "I'm Having a Party", sings "My brother says he won't come down and punch me / And we can drink his four-pack of Champales."
- Ghostface Killah, mentions the drink in Wu-Tang Clan's Careful (Click Click), seemingly freely associating: "Begosh all that Oshkosh jumpers / Pink Champale, brown paper bags, wall to wall bumpers."
- Champale is the preferred drink of Uncle Trash, a character in the short story Strays by Mark Richard.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ L.A. Parker, "Champale site now an eminent domain fight", Trentonian.com, 14th October 2006
- ^ Kihm Winship, "A Story without Heroes: The Cautionary Tale of Malt Liquor"
- ^ PHILIP H. DOUGHERTY, "ADVERTISING; Champale Is Assigned To Doner of Baltimore", The New York Times, 5 December 1986
