Green Death

The original brewer of Haffenreffer Private Stock Ale, August Haffenreffer, 94 (B.S. Harvard biochem.), has died (and apparently spent his later years at a retirement community in my neighborhood-whaddaya know).

Despite my familiarity with cheap domestic beer in my youth, I don't think I ever tasted his brew though I know I heard the memorable name.

It's bad form perhaps to quibble with obits, but I will anyway. The article claims Haffenreffer Ale was known as "Green Death" due to its potency and green label. Where I grew up (Western PA), I'm fairly certain that "Green Death" referred exclusively to Genesee Cream Ale which also had a green label and the name referred not to the alcoholic content but to its perceived "heaviness" (all that cream, I guess)-i.e. you didn't want to drink it if you were having a meal or, under 21 year old logic, it could stand in for a meal on its own. (We also thought it tasted bad, being experts and having drunk a great deal of it. )