Liebotschaner Cream Ale 12 Oz Tab Top Can

The Lion's Liebotschaner Cream Ale

This 12-ounce aluminum tab top container dates from the late 1970s, representing an era of transition for regional Pennsylvania packaging. Produced by The Lion, Inc. in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, the can features a prominent dark oval medallion enclosing an illustration of a foamy stemmed glass flanked by hop cones and barley stalks. Directly beneath the central emblem, the label displays the brand's signature promotional motto, "A New World of Old World Flavor," accompanied by a "Product of U.S.A." statement.

The Liebotschaner name carries deep historical roots in northeastern Pennsylvania. Originally introduced in the late nineteenth century by the Stegmaier Brewing Company, the moniker paid homage to the brewing heritage and famed Saaz hop fields of Bohemia. Following Stegmaier's closure in 1974, The Lion acquired the brand rights and reintroduced Liebotschaner as a premium cream ale, marketing it with Old World tradition. The label enjoyed lasting prestige and went on to win major industry accolades, including gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival in the mid-1990s.

The Lion traces its origin to 1905, when it was established as the Luzerne County Brewing Company in Wilkes-Barre. Adopting the name The Lion Brewery in 1912, the company weathered Prohibition by manufacturing low-alcohol cereal beverages before being purchased by the Smulowitz family upon Repeal in 1933. Under Smulowitz management, the brewery withstood decades of national brewing consolidation by modernizing operations and absorbing classic regional brands, including Bartels, Esslinger, and Stegmaier. This perseverance made The Lion the sole surviving independent brewery in a region once dense with commercial beer makers.

Among breweriana collectors, this can holds special appeal as a bridge between two historic Wilkes-Barre brewing institutions. It reflects the adaptability of independent regional breweries that sustained heritage brands against the tide of national mass-market expansion.