Hamm’s, Schaefer, Schlitz, Black Label, Old Milwaukee, Stroh’s, Schmidt, these are beers of bygone days aren’t they? Many from the rust belt area? I’d picture a guy putting in a day on the assembly line at Ford or GM and stopping on the way home for a pint or two of one of these.
I remember as a boy of 13 or so, sitting in the back seat of a car drinking beer–Rainier–for the first time.
What would it taste like? A lager, or a hearty stout.
But… but… the Rainier wasn’t introduced by Buick until 2004??? {
No, but the Gran Torino in Starsky and Hutch red and white was introduced in 1974, plenty of time for my cousin to drive one into the ground. With all the motor oil he had to keep in the trunk there was hardly any room for the beer we weren’t supposed to have.
Well that’s because they were largely Germans that founded the companies and used German brewmasters. And they catered to the large German population in the midwest-Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa. Hamms was always made in Minnesota but Grain Belt (from the grain belt area) started in Minnesota then was moved to Wisconsin so lost some of its Minnesota clientele. Yeah lot of folks from Norway too but they didn’t know much about making beer. Interesting reading anyway. Its hard to tell who makes what anymore though and Pabst (another German one I believe) pretty much controls the market now.
In order to relate beer and motor oil and bring some closure to this discussion, I composed the following (sung to the tune of “Mama’s Babies Like Shortnin Bread”):
Minnesota Vikings like Grain Belt, Grain Belt
Minnesota Vikings like Grain Belt Beer.
Three big Vikings, lying in bed
Two of them hurt bad and
the other about dead.
Call the doctor, the doctor cheer
"Give them Vikings Grain Belt beer".
Minnesota Vikings like Grain Belt, Grain Belt,
Minnesota Vikings like Grain Belt Beer.
Indiana engines like RK, RK
Indiana engines like RK oil.
Three old engines out in the shop
Two of them knock bad and
the other just stop.
Mechanic check them and his blood boil,
said “Fill them engines with RK oil”.
Indiana engines like RK,RK
Indiana engines like RK oil.
You really have hidden talents but Grain Belt was not a Minnesota beer I believe. It was moved to Wisconsin-home of the Packers. A few years ago my BIL in South Dakota wanted a case of special purple can Viking beer. I tried a number of places in Minneapolis and finally found it. I believe it was Budweiser. Don’t know if it was the lite or not but maybe you could sub the Bud lite for the GB.
@Bing I go back to the 1950s and 1960s when Grain Belt was a Minnesota beer. When I turned 21 in the early 60s, I would go up to northern Minnesota on fishing trips and I would buy a 6 pack of Grain Belt, so I always associated Grain Belt with Minnesota.
Its really a confusing story of companies buying other brands and consolidating, dropping brands, moving production, etc. etc. Sold in 76 and moved to Wisconsin in 89 I guess so before that was in Minneapolis and later in St. Paul. I’d better shut up though, my beer ignorance is showing. I just wish I could write a song.
Back to oil. I noticed that five quarts of Mobil 1 plus a Mobil 1 filter were advertised for $29 here. I couldn’t use the filter though since I use OEM and I think you have to buy the five quart container which I don’t like. My cars take 4 quarts which means you have to drain a quart out of the 5 quart bottle. Just too much hassle for the infrequent oil changes now that I’m off the road.
I think you have to buy the five quart container which I don't like. My cars take 4 quarts which means you have to drain a quart out of the 5 quart bottle
I didn’t like the 5 quart containers either…until now, All three vehicles I maintain have at least 6 quarts. So the 5 quart is handier…and usually cheaper then buying 5 individual quarts.
When I did my own oil changes, I preferred 1quart bottles as they were easier to handle than a 5 quart jug. If I shopped around, I could always find a special on a case of 12 quarts of oil–enough to do 2 vehicles with 2 quarts left over if a,quart was needed before the next oil change. If my present vehicles made oil changes as convenient as the Ford Maverick I once owned, I might still do my own oil changes. The drain plug was on the side of the oil pan and the filter was very easy to reach. I could do the oil changes without getting under the car.
I buy engine oil . . . both conventional and synthetic . . . at Costco, but only when it’s on sale
They have Shell and/or Chevron conventional and Mobil 1 synthetic
Then I am free to buy whatever filter I prefer, usually Napa gold, wix or a factory filter
Believe it or not, sometimes a factory filter is cheaper than napa gold or wix . . . !
As far as oil drain plug location, some of the Fords in our fleet have the drain plug facing straight down. Sure reduces the chance of a mess! I believe it’s on the older Explorer 4.0 OHV
I believe that application also uses a rather large oil filter, which also faces straight down. All in all, one of the easier trucks to do an oil change on