If you are a seasoned beer enthusiast, you might recall a slogan or two that spark memories of a favorite brand. If you or your family grew up in Arizona, you likely heard of A-1 Pilsner Beer, a brand considered by many as “Arizona’s Hometown Beer.” One of its most popular slogans, introduced during the 1940s, was “The Western Way to Say Welcome”. 

This tranquil expression signals “old west” imagery pointing to a time in Arizona when cowboy culture was still dominant in many parts of the state. Several years later, Arizona sports broadcaster Al McCoy, the “Voice of the Suns” for fifty-one years, popularized a new slogan, “That was Good like A-1 Beer,” following key plays by the Phoenix Suns basketball team.

A-1 was a product of the Phoenix-based Arizona Brewing Co. Inc. It was introduced in January 1943 with the catchphrase, “The A-1 Quality Beer of the Year.” It was sold throughout Arizona and in parts of California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and the western-most section of Texas. 

The brewery opened with much fanfare in 1933, following the repeal of National Prohibition, by brothers Martin and Herman Fenster. One interesting tidbit of history is that some brewing equipment acquired for the new venture was previously used by the Arizona Brewing Company in Prescott (1903-1915). The two breweries share little else in common since both ventures formed under different ownership.

The earlier Prescott venture was founded by Henry Brinkmeyer, William J. Mulvenon and Rupert J. Maxgut. Arizona history buffs may recognize the names Mulvenon and Brinkmeyer. Mulvenon served for several years as Yavapai County Sheriff and is known for his role in ending the Pleasant Valley War. Brinkmeyer was a prominent businessman in Prescott, known for establishing the Brinkmeyer Hotel and Bakery in 1890. 

Although the Fensters made great strides in establishing the Arizona Brewing Company in Phoenix, their tenure with the brewery was short-lived, and over the next several years, the company saw a succession of new owners.

Beer brands such as Apache, Hopi, Elder Brau, Dutch Treat and others kept the brewery afloat through the changes, but the onset of World War II eventually strained the brewery to its limits.

Yet, in what might be deemed a stroke of luck, a new owner, Joseph F. Lanser, took control of the Arizona Brewing Company in 1942 and launched the A-1 brand. Lanser was a key figure in the Columbia Brewing Company of Tacoma, Washington, and had experience in the grain exporting business. This proved vital for the brewery’s success during the war years once grain and other necessities were rationed.

With the war’s end in 1945, the brewery flourished through expansion. From the mid-1940s through most of the 1950s, A-1 outsold all other brands in the state. By the 1960s, however, the brewing industry was changing, and many smaller brewers faced lagging sales, buy-outs and consolidations. The Arizona Brewing Company was no exception.

In 1964 it sold to Carling Brewing Company of Cleveland. Then in 1966, National Brewing Co. of Baltimore took control, and in 1974, Carling and National merged, forming the Carling-National Brewing Company. 

In 1979 the brewery changed hands again to the G. Heileman Brewing Company of La Crosse, Wisconsin. It remained in production until Heileman closed its Phoenix plant in 1985. The G. Heileman Brewing Company called its version of A-1 Beer “Arizona’s Original” to rekindle A-1’s glory years. It was fitting and, in a way, circled back to an earlier time when A-1 was simply referred to as “The Western Way to Say Welcome”.

Enjoy beer, wine, delicious bites, and music at Sharlot’s Cellar, May 16, 4–7 p.m. at Sharlot Hall Museum. Visit sharlothallmuseum.org (Events) for more information. Adults 21 and older.

“Days Past” is a collaborative project of the Sharlot Hall Museum and the Prescott Corral of Westerners International (www.prescottcorral.org). This and other Days Past articles are also available at www.archives.sharlothallmuseum.org/articles/days-past-articles/1. The public is encouraged to submit proposed articles and inquiries to dayspast@sharlothallmuseum.org Please contact SHM Research Center reference desk at 928-277-2003, or via email at archivesrequest@sharlothallmuseum.org for information or assistance with photo requests.