Southern Select Beer Crowntainer

Southern Select Beer Crowntainer

Southern Select was the flagship brand packaged by Galveston-Houston Breweries, Inc. in Galveston, Texas. Originally created before Prohibition by the Houston Ice & Brewing Company, the brand was later revived and became an iconic Texas label produced at the historic facility on Postoffice Street in Galveston. During the mid-20th century, the brewery packaged Southern Select in Crown Cork & Seal's two-piece Crowntainer format.

For breweriana collectors, the Southern Select Crowntainer holds substantial historical significance as one of the prominent Gulf Coast can offerings of its era. Several variations of the can exist, reflecting different production runs and regulatory statement adjustments. Known variations feature distinct base finishes, including classic silver metallic coatings as well as cream-and-white enameled bodies paired with either gray or silver spouts. Furthermore, versions differ across mandatory regulatory phrasing, such as variations with Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) designations and varying text box arrangements on the reverse.

The brand enjoyed strong regional popularity across Texas, supported by military shipments and extensive marketing campaigns before Galveston-Houston Breweries was acquired by the Falstaff Brewing Corporation in the mid-1950s. Today, Southern Select Crowntainers remain sought-after artifacts of mid-century Texas brewing heritage.