Gretz Beer Crowntainer Can

Gretz Beer Crowntainer History

The Gretz Beer Crowntainer was produced for the William Gretz Brewing Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As one of Philadelphia's prominent independent breweries, Gretz was an early adopter of canned beer, using packaging produced locally by the Philadelphia-based Crown Cork & Seal Company.

Design and Advertising

The can design prominently showcases the Gretz banner alongside the brand's distinguished high-wheel "penny-farthing" bicyclist illustration. This imagery was part of a major regional advertising campaign centered around the motto "Made the Old-Fashioned Way". During this era of aggressive marketing, Gretz utilized large-scale moving billboards, sports sponsorships, and promotional tie-ins throughout the Delaware Valley, briefly helping the brewery outsell national competitors in regional packaged beer volume.

Label Variations

For collectors of regional breweriana, the Gretz Crowntainer presents several distinct variations. These differences typically center on mandatory regulatory text—such as the presence or omission of the Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) statement—as well as differences in label border colors (such as blue versus black outer borders) and subtle revisions to patent and copyright markings. Today, the can stands as a prime artifact from the golden age of Philadelphia brewing.