It wasn't just Hans Kestler, the unforgettable brewmaster extraordinaire, who had troubles with grasping English. His son Mattias struggled as well, and he was a mere first-grader when he landed in Monroe in 1977.
"I remember how the expressions and pronunciations were a nightmare - for both of us," said Mattias, without a hint of a German accent, who is now 43 and living the quiet life of soccer dad to two daughters in Waunakee. "I had to learn how to fit in at school, but as for my Dad... well, leave it to my father to make the most of it."
Indeed, the unintentionally comedic radio bits the deadpan Hans Kestler would stammer through as the spokesman for Augsburger beer would be among several strokes of genius he would enjoy during his days here.
Brought here with his family from West Germany by Fred Huber in 1977 for the serious role as brewmaster - a job of great dignity also held back home by Hans' father and grandfather - Kestler was soon tapped for what Huber hoped would provide a voice of German authenticity. After all, Kestler was literally born in a brewery.
The commercials would turn out to be oh so much more, as they would help put both the beer and Monroe on the map.
"I remember we're in Chicago at WGN studios, and Dad is reading the lines and some of the ad people were so upset about how he was butchering them, putting the emphasis on the wrong words," Mattias said. "But others were having a blast laughing.
"Finally, when he said "No way, Josie!' - instead of "No way, Jose!' - everyone just lost it. The person in charge said, "Leave it, it's so much better that way.'"
A legend was born, as were catch phrases like "drink a little beer," "Hollywood and Wine," "Yankee know-how" and "you better believe it, bunky."
And it the end of each ad people heard. "Joseph Huber Brewery, Monroe, Wisconsin."
For sure, the ads were good for sales. But the attention at first was a bit awkward for Hans Kestler, who was always quick to remind us between laughs about how important his brewmaster job was. And things were at times uncomfortable for Mattias as well, who said he would sometimes wonder if people were picking on his dad. He soon realized the mimicking he'd hear of his dad's voice, accompanied by the constant raising of a beer stein that came with it, was actually a tribute.
"Everyone seemed to like him, so I eventually figured it was all OK," Mattias said. "Then it got downright fun - we'd get Brewers tickets for (Chicago's old) Comiskey Park to watch them play the White Sox and people would ask, "Are you the guy from the commercials?' Next thing I knew he's signing autographs."
An exciting childhood would follow for Mattias, as Augsburger beer took off and a bit of celebrity status kicked in for the family. It was sometimes good and sometimes a bit much.
"I recall being on a float in the Cheese Days parade," Mattias said. "I also remember going to the brewery after school and I'd find my teachers with my dad at the bar. I knew then I would have no secrets from anyone.
"Then there was the time my fifth-grade class wanted to do the "Oh Christmas Tree' play in German, as "Oh Tannenbaum,' and they brought in my dad, of all people, in to teach us the words. I think they wanted a laugh, but I know I was mortified."
Augsburger would soon change hands and fizzle out, Hans Kestler helping make certain of that.
"That's when I learned my dad wouldn't give the new owners the formula," Mattias said. "He literally took it with him. He said, "That's mine. No one gets that.'"
An eighth-grade move to Milwaukee would be next, followed by an opportunity to move to Hawaii. It was there Mattias spent his senior year of high school as his dad worked for Koolau Brewery, an endeavor short-circuited by a dishonest company president, Mattias said.
A return to Monroe in 1991 was the next stop, this time to oversee Huber's Berghoff beer.
"I tried one (a Berghoff) and told my dad, "This is not so good,'" Mattias said. "He told me they wanted the formula left alone, but when I tried one a few months later it was a lot better. I told him that, and he just smiled at me. I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but he changed it a bit. And sure enough, it started to sell."
The Hans Kestler ads were by this time a thing of the past and Mattias rarely heard a peep about it. But that didn't mean dad was done having some fun with it.
"I was on this co-ed adult soccer team and we needed a sponsor, so my dad sends us these shirts - and sure enough, they've got the "drink a little beer" slogan on them and his likeness on the back," Mattias said. "Here I was, a grown man, playing in these shirts for a team called the Berghoff Buzz."
In hindsight, Mattias also noted life around the brewing business had its downsides.
"That's not ideal for family life, for everything to be centered around alcohol. When I became a parent I tried to not place too much emphasis on it," Mattias said. "It wasn't always good."
To Hans Kestler, it was a way of life until his death in Middleton on July 26, 2012.
Always the character who was never out of character, that's who he was. And how could he not be? It's amusing to realize how all that time he was being exactly who he was, literally. Like many, I always figured he was an actor, playing a role. He was far from it.
"He was a brewmaster who loved his job and never considered it work," Mattias said. "He would have had as much fun even if he hadn't done the funny ads."
- John Morton covers the city beat for the Monroe Times and can be reached at jmorton@themonroetimes.com or by phone at 608-328-4202, ext. 50. His column normally appears Mondays.
"I remember how the expressions and pronunciations were a nightmare - for both of us," said Mattias, without a hint of a German accent, who is now 43 and living the quiet life of soccer dad to two daughters in Waunakee. "I had to learn how to fit in at school, but as for my Dad... well, leave it to my father to make the most of it."
Indeed, the unintentionally comedic radio bits the deadpan Hans Kestler would stammer through as the spokesman for Augsburger beer would be among several strokes of genius he would enjoy during his days here.
Brought here with his family from West Germany by Fred Huber in 1977 for the serious role as brewmaster - a job of great dignity also held back home by Hans' father and grandfather - Kestler was soon tapped for what Huber hoped would provide a voice of German authenticity. After all, Kestler was literally born in a brewery.
The commercials would turn out to be oh so much more, as they would help put both the beer and Monroe on the map.
"I remember we're in Chicago at WGN studios, and Dad is reading the lines and some of the ad people were so upset about how he was butchering them, putting the emphasis on the wrong words," Mattias said. "But others were having a blast laughing.
"Finally, when he said "No way, Josie!' - instead of "No way, Jose!' - everyone just lost it. The person in charge said, "Leave it, it's so much better that way.'"
A legend was born, as were catch phrases like "drink a little beer," "Hollywood and Wine," "Yankee know-how" and "you better believe it, bunky."
And it the end of each ad people heard. "Joseph Huber Brewery, Monroe, Wisconsin."
For sure, the ads were good for sales. But the attention at first was a bit awkward for Hans Kestler, who was always quick to remind us between laughs about how important his brewmaster job was. And things were at times uncomfortable for Mattias as well, who said he would sometimes wonder if people were picking on his dad. He soon realized the mimicking he'd hear of his dad's voice, accompanied by the constant raising of a beer stein that came with it, was actually a tribute.
"Everyone seemed to like him, so I eventually figured it was all OK," Mattias said. "Then it got downright fun - we'd get Brewers tickets for (Chicago's old) Comiskey Park to watch them play the White Sox and people would ask, "Are you the guy from the commercials?' Next thing I knew he's signing autographs."
An exciting childhood would follow for Mattias, as Augsburger beer took off and a bit of celebrity status kicked in for the family. It was sometimes good and sometimes a bit much.
"I recall being on a float in the Cheese Days parade," Mattias said. "I also remember going to the brewery after school and I'd find my teachers with my dad at the bar. I knew then I would have no secrets from anyone.
"Then there was the time my fifth-grade class wanted to do the "Oh Christmas Tree' play in German, as "Oh Tannenbaum,' and they brought in my dad, of all people, in to teach us the words. I think they wanted a laugh, but I know I was mortified."
Augsburger would soon change hands and fizzle out, Hans Kestler helping make certain of that.
"That's when I learned my dad wouldn't give the new owners the formula," Mattias said. "He literally took it with him. He said, "That's mine. No one gets that.'"
An eighth-grade move to Milwaukee would be next, followed by an opportunity to move to Hawaii. It was there Mattias spent his senior year of high school as his dad worked for Koolau Brewery, an endeavor short-circuited by a dishonest company president, Mattias said.
A return to Monroe in 1991 was the next stop, this time to oversee Huber's Berghoff beer.
"I tried one (a Berghoff) and told my dad, "This is not so good,'" Mattias said. "He told me they wanted the formula left alone, but when I tried one a few months later it was a lot better. I told him that, and he just smiled at me. I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but he changed it a bit. And sure enough, it started to sell."
The Hans Kestler ads were by this time a thing of the past and Mattias rarely heard a peep about it. But that didn't mean dad was done having some fun with it.
"I was on this co-ed adult soccer team and we needed a sponsor, so my dad sends us these shirts - and sure enough, they've got the "drink a little beer" slogan on them and his likeness on the back," Mattias said. "Here I was, a grown man, playing in these shirts for a team called the Berghoff Buzz."
In hindsight, Mattias also noted life around the brewing business had its downsides.
"That's not ideal for family life, for everything to be centered around alcohol. When I became a parent I tried to not place too much emphasis on it," Mattias said. "It wasn't always good."
To Hans Kestler, it was a way of life until his death in Middleton on July 26, 2012.
Always the character who was never out of character, that's who he was. And how could he not be? It's amusing to realize how all that time he was being exactly who he was, literally. Like many, I always figured he was an actor, playing a role. He was far from it.
"He was a brewmaster who loved his job and never considered it work," Mattias said. "He would have had as much fun even if he hadn't done the funny ads."
- John Morton covers the city beat for the Monroe Times and can be reached at jmorton@themonroetimes.com or by phone at 608-328-4202, ext. 50. His column normally appears Mondays.