Stenger Brewery Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Naperville Sesquicentennial Can

The Stenger Brewery Beer 12 oz tab top can was produced by the Jos. Huber Brewing Company of Monroe, Wisconsin, to commemorate the 1831–1981 sesquicentennial of Naperville, Illinois. Rather than serving as a standard commercial brand, this release was issued to celebrate the historical brewing legacy of the region, where the Stenger Brewery once stood as a cornerstone industry.

Historical Artwork and Label Details

The centerpiece of the can's design is an illustration painted by Naperville artist and historian Lester Schrader. The artwork depicts the nineteenth-century brewery complex on Franklin Avenue and Webster Street, featuring horse-drawn wagons transporting wooden kegs. Alongside the artwork, the can includes historical text documenting the establishment of the original brewery by Jacob Engelfritz and Peter Stenger Sr. in 1848, noting that by 1854 it was among the earliest operations in Illinois to produce lager beer.

The Adolph Coors Connection

A notable piece of brewing lore featured on the can is the involvement of Adolph Coors. Before establishing his own famous enterprise in Golden, Colorado, Coors worked at the Stenger Brewery in the late 1860s as a superintendent, refining his craft before heading west.

Production by Jos. Huber

Because the historic Stenger operation closed in the 1890s, organizers commissioned Jos. Huber Brewing Company—a historic regional brewery founded in 1845—to brew and can the commemorative beer. Collectors of Midwestern breweriana and historical crossover cans prize this release for its rich narrative and connection to American brewing history.