Ebling's Extra Special Beer Crowntainer

Ebling's Extra Special Crowntainer

This twelve-ounce container represents Crown Cork & Seal's two-piece Crowntainer design, featuring an "Internal Revenue Tax Paid" statement printed along the side panel. The face of the can prominently displays Gothic-style lettering beneath a circular "Extra Special" crest flanked by stylized grains of barley, while a bold lower ribbon highlights the brewery's long-running slogan, "That Grand Old Beer."

Ebling's Extra Special Beer served as a flagship label for the company during the post-Prohibition period. Heavily marketed across the New York metropolitan area, the brand was promoted as a traditional, high-quality lager that drew on generations of German brewing craftsmanship. Advertising campaigns in local newspapers and taverns emphasized the beer's rich heritage and classic character, appealing to working-class and middle-class patrons across New York City and the surrounding boroughs.

The brewery was founded in 1868 by German immigrant brothers Philip and William Ebling in the Melrose section of the South Bronx. In its early years, the company gained local renown for utilizing expansive lagering caves carved deep into the bedrock beneath the brewery grounds to age its beers at naturally cool temperatures. Ebling navigated the challenges of Prohibition through various alternative ventures and survived enforcement actions in the 1920s, successfully resuming commercial beer production upon Repeal in 1933. In the post-World War II period, however, the brewery struggled against mounting competition from large national shipping brewers and suffered significant financial disruption during the citywide brewery strike of 1949, leading the company to close its doors around 1950.

Within breweriana collecting, this can is appreciated as a classic artifact of the Bronx brewing district. It is particularly sought after by enthusiasts of Crowntainer packaging, regional New York City memorabilia, and collectors focusing on mid-century tax-stamped brewing history.