Du Bois Budweiser Beer Crowntainer

Du Bois Budweiser Heritage

The Du Bois Budweiser Beer Crowntainer stands as one of the most remarkable artifacts in American breweriana due to its connection to a landmark legal battle. Produced by the Du Bois Brewing Company of Du Bois, Pennsylvania, the can features the famous "Budweiser" moniker under regional brewery branding.

The brewery, founded by German immigrant Frank Hahne, introduced Du Bois Budweiser under the premise that "Budweiser" referred to a traditional Bohemian style originating from Budweis (České Budějovice), rather than an exclusive corporate trademark. Brewing giant Anheuser-Busch challenged Du Bois in court in the early twentieth century and later revived the dispute in federal court. Ultimately, the courts ruled that Anheuser-Busch had delayed too long to bar the Pennsylvania brewer from using the name, granting Du Bois the legal right to market Du Bois Budweiser across its established territory.

Because of this historic outcome, Du Bois was permitted to package and distribute Crowntainers bearing the Budweiser name. For breweriana enthusiasts, this can represents a rare anomaly in domestic brewing history: an authentic, legally authorized American beer can bearing the Budweiser name that was not brewed or released by Anheuser-Busch.

Collectors actively seek this can for its rich backstory and graphic design, which features the brewery's trademark hop leaf emblem. Variations of the can exist among surviving examples, displaying slight differences in side text and label details. Today, it remains a coveted centerpiece for collectors of regional breweriana.