Lite Draft 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Feigenspan Meister Bräu Lite Can

This straight-steel tab top can captures a pivotal turning point in American brewing history. Produced under the Christian Feigenspan corporate name in Newark, New Jersey, the 12-ounce container features a blue-and-white vertical pinstripe motif framing the prominent Meister Bräu mark and flowing script "Lite" lettering. Key regulatory and marketing declarations are prominently displayed on the label face, including the phrase "NO AVAILABLE CARBOHYDRATES DRAFT BEER" along with the federally required disclaimer across the lower rim, "THIS PRODUCT IS NOT WEIGHT REDUCING".

The brand itself stands as the direct forefather of the modern light beer phenomenon. In the late 1960s, Chicago-based Meister Bräu adapted an innovative enzyme-reduction brewing process created by biochemist Dr. Joseph L. Owades to remove residual carbohydrates and craft a less filling beer. Seeking broader distribution across the eastern seaboard, Meister Bräu entered into licensing agreements with regional brewers, allowing Newark-based production to supply East Coast markets. Although the low-calorie concept faced initial consumer skepticism and Meister Bräu collapsed into financial distress, the brand made history when Miller Brewing Company purchased its trademarks and formulations in 1972, reformulating it into what became Miller Lite.

The brewery name on the can traces back to Christian Feigenspan, who established the Christian Feigenspan Brewing Company in Newark in the late 19th century. Celebrated locally for its "P.O.N." ("Pride of Newark") ales and lagers, Feigenspan ranked among New Jersey's brewing giants, weathering Prohibition before reopening for post-Repeal operation. In 1943, neighboring Newark titan P. Ballantine & Sons acquired Feigenspan's plant and asset portfolio. Ballantine maintained the Christian Feigenspan corporate identity for specific regional distribution and contract packaging agreements, including this licensed run of Meister Bräu Lite.

For breweriana collectors, this can holds a distinguished place in packaging history. It represents both the final chapter of Newark's venerable Feigenspan legacy and the literal bridge between mid-century diet beer experimentation and the multi-billion-dollar light beer explosion that reshaped the global brewing industry.