Rare Vintage Soviet Latvia Beer Label "Jūrmalas Alus" – Aldaris Brewery, 14% Original Gravity, 1980s Era

Description

Physical Properties & Condition

• Dimensions: 100 x 70 mm.

• Material: Period-accurate, un-glued paper stock typical of the Soviet Latvian printing industry during the 1980s.

• Condition: Unused (not salvaged from a bottle) and in exceptionally well-preserved condition, as visible in the reference file . Clean edges, no tears, and no punch marks on the outer calendar rim.

Design & Typography

The label features a dynamic three-color wave composition framed by a thick, golden-yellow outer border:

• Top Section (Brown): Bears the traditional circular "Aldaris" emblem with the founding year "Anno 1865" and Cyrillic/Latvian state authority text: "LATV. PSR VARK R/A ALDARIS".

• Central Section (White): Displays the product name "JŪRMALAS ALUS" in a bold, stylized yellow font with stark black drop-shadows.

• Bottom Section (Blue): Contains bilingual regulatory details in Latvian and Russian (Пиво "Юрмалас"), along with the prominently displayed 14% density rating and 0.5 L volume.

• Calendar Rims: The top and bottom margins feature numbers (1–12 for months, 1–31 for days) meant for manual punching at the production line to denote bottling dates.

• Production Mark: Small text in the lower left corner credits the regional printing house: "Talsu tip." (Talsi printing house).

Historical Significance

This label is a prime specimen of late Soviet-era Baltic industrial graphic design and economic planning. Printed under the state republican standard "LATV. PSR RS 908-81", it formally places the production era to the post-1981 period of the Soviet Union. The explicit pricing text "CENA BEZ TRAUKA VĒRT. 36 KAP." (Price without bottle: 36 kopecks) directly reflects the tightly regulated state economy of the time.

The beverage was manufactured by the Aldaris Brewery, which was established in Riga in 1865 and remains one of Latvia's oldest and most iconic breweries. This specific "Jūrmalas" variety was named in honor of the famous Baltic seaside resort city, Jūrmala.

Authenticity

• 100% Original: This is a genuine historical artifact from the 1980s. It is not a digital print, replica, or modern reproduction.