History of Brewing

Beer cans were first sold in January 1935, by Krueger Brewing of Newark.  Their test market was Richmond, Virginia.  Since then many billions of cans have been made, filled, and tossed out all over the world.  And a few lucky hundreds of thousands have made their way into collections around the world  (and yes, "hundreds of thousands" is just a wild guess!)  My History section is divided into several sections.

History of Beer & Prohibition  |  Individual Brands & Brewers  | Types of Cans

History of Beer and Prohibition

The 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act

History of Prohibition in Virginia

The Wickersham Commission

The IRTP Statement 

Porcelain Beer Bottle Stoppers

Timeline

Matchbook Advertising

Beer Cans in World War II

Other Uses for Old Beer Cans

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Individual Brands & Brewers

Pages with a date listed were a featured "Can of the Month."  Related pages are indented.

Acme Beer: February 2005

Acme "Stein Girl" can: January 2009

Apache Beer: July 2005

Arrow Beer: December 2004

Hals: April 2009

Atlantic Beer: May 2004

Ballantine Series (1937-1941)

Ballantine "Handy Way": January 2004

B&B: April 2008

Big Mac: October 2007

Billy Beer

Bomber Pin-Up Beer "Strawberry Bitch": June 2005

Boston Light Beer: March 2008

Brew 747: April 2010

Brown Derby: November 2006

Brockert Pale Ale (July 2009)

Buccaneer Beer (Gulf Brewing): September 2008

Buckeye Beer: July 2008

Budweiser: May 2008

Buffalo Beer: May 2006

Bullfrog: December 2005

Burger Beer: August 2008

Christian Heurich Brewing

Christian Heurich's Radio Campaign

Old Georgetown: June 2003

Senate Beer: October 2008

Researcher Needs Information

Clipper Pale: September 2003

Coors "Waterfall" Can: November 2005

Croft Ale: July 2004

Croft Pilgrim Ale: November 2009

Crystal Top: September 2007

Deep Cove: January 2006

Dixie beer from Roanoke: June 2006

Drewry's Set Cans

Drewry's Horoscope Can: May 2003

Eastside Beer: March 2005

For Good Living  (1937 movie with Los Angeles Brewing)

Eigenbrot's Beer (Globe, Baltimore)

English Lad Ale: July 2003

Esslinger Little Man Ale quart: August 2003

Esslinger's Quizzie Cans

Falls City Beer: May 2005

Falls City StaTab: September 2010

Fehr's (Kentucky Derby): October 2004

Fehr's (Liquid Gold): June 2007

Frank Jones Brewery

SS Frank Jones (passenger steamer)

Goebel Bantam: January 2007

Gotham Cone: August 2004

Gretz car series: July 2006

Gunther's Ale: February 2004

Gunther's Beer Radio Show: "Quiz of Two Cities"

Gunther "Premium Dry" can

Gunther "racetrack" can: October 2006

Gunther Trays and Matching Cans: March 2011

Halloween Cans: October 2009

Hals: April 2009

Harvard Export: October 2003

Hop Gold: August 2007

Hudepohl Cincinnati Reds Cans: February 2008

Pace Pilsner: March 2010 (a Hudepohl brand)

Jax: November 2003

Krueger Ale: April 2006

Krueger Beer: November 2008

Lion Ale: June 2004

London Bobby (Miami Valley Brewing): May 2007

Lucky Lager: January 2005

Mitchell's Beer: April 2004

Mountain Dew: July 2010

National Bohemian (Naty Boh) 'Transition' Can: March 2007

National Bohemian Colt: December 2008

National Bohemian Tapper: June 2009

National Bohemian Bank Can: January 2010

National Bohemian's Last Conetop: December 2010

National Canning Company Cans: December 2009

New England Ale: September 2006

Old Frothingslosh

Pabst Snap Cap: February 2010

Pace Pilsner: March 2010

Peter Doelger: November 2007

Primo Beer: March 2004

Pub Malt lager: June 2010

Rainier Jubilee Set

Rainier 'Reindeer' can: December 2003

Red Fox: February 2006

Red Top Malt Can: September 2005

Regent Jamestown: February 2009

Rheingold (Miss Rheingold): July 2007

Richbrau: September 2004

Samson Ale: December 2006

Schaefer OD: January 2011

Schlitz Malt Liquor: April 2007

Sebewaing Beer: August 2006

Seven Up (7Up) Uncle Sam Set (1976): February 2011

Sterling Beer: March 2006

Storz Beer: November 2004

Suntory Beer: October 2010

Tudor (Brand): January 2008

Trommer's Beer: April 2005

Valley Forge Bock: August 2005

Valley Forge (silver can): June 2008

Wiessner's Beer: February 2007

Wooden Shoe (cone top): December 2007

Wunderbrau Beer: October 2005

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Types of Cans

Store Brands

1970's Cans

American Can Company Dating Codes

Bank Cans

Mystery Cans

National Can in the 1930s

Opening Instruction Cans (OI's)

Soft Top Aluminum Lidded Cans (1960-1965)

Zip Tops: The First Pulls Tabs, 1962-1964

 

 

Brewery research on Rustycans.com has been aided by Carlson's Brewery Research.