Fort Pitt Beer Crowntainer

Fort Pitt Crowntainer History

The Fort Pitt Beer Crowntainer is a historic mid-century container produced for the Fort Pitt Brewing Company of Pittsburgh (Sharpsburg), Pennsylvania. During the 1940s, Fort Pitt rose to prominence as one of the largest brewing operations in the state, driven by strong regional distribution and the memorable advertising slogan, "Fort Pitt—That's It!"

Wartime Production and Export

Manufactured by the Crown Cork & Seal Company, the Fort Pitt Crowntainer saw duty on both the home front and abroad. During World War II, Fort Pitt was among the regional breweries contracted to supply beer to United States armed forces serving overseas. For military deployment, Fort Pitt filled special olive drab cans finished with non-reflective matte coatings designed to avoid catching glare in combat zones. These wartime issues featured specialized tax-exempt text denoting that the contents were withdrawn free of internal revenue tax for exportation.

Label Variations

Several notable variations of the Fort Pitt Crowntainer exist across its production run. Commercial civilian versions typically feature the brewery's green, white, and gold color scheme with bold typography and heraldic imagery. Discrepancies among known versions include differences in mandatory tax statements—such as the presence or absence of the "Internal Revenue Tax Paid" (IRTP) designation—as well as statutory alcohol content declarations and slight changes in mandatory brewery location text between Pittsburgh and Sharpsburg.