Krueger Beers (circa 1947-1950)
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This month I thought I'd focus on one brand that was packaged in several different containers at one time. Numerous breweries used conetops or crowntainers and then flat tops. These breweries often started with conetop cans because they could be filled on a regular bottle line (with some adjustments) and then upgraded to a separate flat tops canning line.
Krueger Brewing started with flat tops, and in 1935 was the first brewery to sell their beer in a can regardless of the type of can. However, in the years right before and after World War II they also sold beer in conetops.
In part this seems to have been due to their expanding production. Krueger purchased the old Delmarva Brewing in Wilmington, Delaware in 1944 and used it until 1951. The Wilmington branch did not have a regular flat top canning line until after Krueger had abandoned this oval label, so initially they only filled conetops, conetop quarts and crowntainers at this location. Krueger's main brewery in Newark also filled conetops along with their regular flat tops, so their using both type of cans may have also been a marketing strategy aimed at getting customers regardless of which type of can they preferred.
Krueger abandoned 12 oz conetops in the mid 1950s and quarts soon thereafter.
I've been working on a list of what cans with the oval label were filled in which brewery. The table below shows where different cans were filled and when--before or after March 1950, when the IRTP statement was dropped. I did not include most variations. Additions and corrections are welcome! Email me!
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The matching ale flat.
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Some of the quarts have two variations. The tray being carried by the K-Man on the label may have either a bottle and a glass, or a can and a glass. Cans from Newark appear with both variations and are marked with a **. Those without the ** only appear with a bottle and a glass on the tray. |
Variations by Brewery
City/Type |
IRTP |
Non-IRTP | |||||
| Wilmington, DE | Crowntainer | Conetop | Flattop | Quart | Conetop | Flattop |
Quart |
Ale |
X* |
||||||
Beer |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||
| Newark | Crowntainer | Conetop | Flattop | Quart | Conetop | Flattop |
Quart |
Ale |
X |
X |
X** |
X |
? |
||
Beer |
X |
X*** |
X** |
X |
? |
*: Rare!
**: The K-Man may have a can or a bottle on his tray. (see above)
***: also appears in a "Withdrawn Free" version.
?: this variation may exist but has not yet been discovered, at least that I know of.
Sources Used
Thanks to Charlie B. and Matt M. for their help on the qwats!
