Beer in a can…

TALLBOYS AND STUBBYS

The first canned beer went on sale on January 24, 1935.  Krueger’s Cream Ale and Krueger’s Finest Beer could be purchased in Richmond, Virginia and were a public success.

Two thousand cans were manufactured as a test for consumer feedback, with a 91 % positive approval.

The project, piloted by the American Can Company, proved that taste was not compromised with the new container.  In fact, the can blocked out light which led to a longer lasting fresh taste.

Breweries liked the idea because cans were cheap and easy to stack and store, gave more space for brand identification labels, and chilled faster than bottles.

Today canned beer accounts for about 60% of all beer sales.  While the first cans were used in the same way as bottles – for transportation but generally to be emptied into a glass for consumption – Schlitz’s introduction of a pull tab top in 1965 became a game changer for the can as a direct drinking vessel.

Ruth White’s pictorial map of Virginia is presented here from 1938.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.