Metbrau Non-intoxicating Malt Beverage 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Metbrau Non-Intoxicating Malt Can

The Metbrau Non-intoxicating Malt Beverage 12 oz tab top can was produced by Metropolis Brewery of N.J., Inc. in Trenton, New Jersey. While the Metropolis plant achieved widespread commercial prominence through its flagship sparkling malt liquor brand, Champale, the brewery also served the alternative market for low-alcohol and near-beer products under the Metbrau name.

Formulated to contain less than 0.5% alcohol by volume, Metbrau was classified as non-intoxicating, exempting it from standard federal malt beverage excise taxes under Section 5051 of the Internal Revenue Code. The can's layout prominently incorporates these regulatory declarations alongside a detailed ingredient panel specifying water, barley, malt, hops, gum arabic, and papain. Such explicit ingredient disclosures were uncommon on standard canned malt beverages of the era.

The packaging facility occupied an important place in Trenton's brewing lineage, formerly operating as the Peoples Brewing Company facility before Metropolis acquired and modernized the site, eventually operating under the corporate structure of Iroquois Brands Ltd. Across various packaging runs, the label saw several variations, including differences in mandatory corporate credits, bilingual English and French phrasing for broader regional distribution, and eventual branding shifts to the Metbrew name. For breweriana collectors focusing on New Jersey brewing history and specialized near-beer releases, this can represents a notable regional artifact.