Fitzgerald's Burgomaster Beer Crowntainer

Burgomaster Beer Crowntainers

Produced by the Fitzgerald Bros. Brewing Company of Troy, New York, the Fitzgerald's Burgomaster Beer crowntainer represents a notable piece of Upstate New York brewing history. Fitzgerald Bros. was one of the leading regional breweries along the Hudson River, tracing its roots to nineteenth-century brewing operations in Troy.

The standard civilian release of the can features a cream-colored enamel finish accented with bold brand lettering and classic graphic iconography. In addition to the standard cream issue, collectors actively document a wide range of graphic and regulatory variations across the label's canning history.

Wartime history played a prominent role in this design's history. Fitzgerald Bros. produced an olive drab military version bearing the "Withdrawn Free of Internal Revenue Tax for Exportation" tax-exempt notice for distribution to armed forces overseas. Civilian issues also include background color variations, featuring metallic silver and dull gray backgrounds rather than the standard enamel base.

Collectors also study mandatory legal text and manufacturer markings on the reverse panels. Examples can be found carrying either the mandatory "Internal Revenue Tax Paid" (IRTP) statement or later non-IRTP panels. Manufacturing marks from Crown Cork & Seal further differentiate specimens, including both vertical and horizontal patent box configurations, as well as patent pending versus fully registered patent designations.