Oertel's '92 Old Style Bock Crowntainer

Oertel's '92 Bock Crowntainer

Produced by the Oertel Brewing Company of Louisville, Kentucky, the Oertel's '92 Old Style Bock Crowntainer represents one of the standout seasonal releases from the historic Butchertown neighborhood brewer.

Heritage of the '92 Brand

The Oertel Brewing Company traced its origin to 1874 when it began operations as the Butchertown Brewery. John Fred Oertel joined the firm in the 1880s and took sole ownership in 1892. To honor that milestone, the brewery named its flagship line "Oertel's '92," establishing the number as the core symbol of the company's regional identity. While the brewery distributed lager year-round, it promoted its bock line heavily as a traditional seasonal offering.

Seasonal Identity and Design

Bock beers held an important place in American brewing traditions rooted in German heritage, where seasonal releases marked late winter and the arrival of spring. The brewery marketed the bock with classic goat iconography in local print campaigns and translated this seasonal push onto store shelves. For the Old Style Bock Crowntainer, the can showcased a metallic silver backdrop centered around the prominent '92 shield, accented by bold red and dark lettering designating the contents as Old Style Bock.

Variations and Collector Significance

Manufactured by the Crown Cork & Seal Company, Crowntainers were utilized across Oertel's product line. Among collectors, Oertel's cans are recognized for several variations. While their lager Crowntainers appeared in multiple design treatments—such as white enamel backgrounds, metallic silver finishes, and wartime Victory markings—the Old Style Bock design stands out within the series. Across the brewery's Crowntainer runs, variations also exist featuring the Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) statement as well as later non-IRTP releases following the repeal of that federal labeling requirement.