Eastside Beer and Ale

Red and blue text on a yellow background with a red bird singing

The Los Angeles Brewing Co. opened in 1897 on the banks of the Los Angeles River, using the water from the river as an ingredient in their beer. Twenty years later, a German immigrant and brew master purchased the brewery, renaming it Eastside Brewery, and it grew to one of the largest in the country. During the Prohibition years, the Eastside Brewery survived by producing near-beer and soft drinks. When Prohibition was lifted, Eastside had trucks stocked with alcohol ready to drive out of the brewery to begin sales one minute after midnight. Actor Walter Huston gave a speech and Jean Harlow broke a bottle over the first truck to drive out. Eastside was purchased by Pabst in 1948, the Eastside label was discontinued, and Pabst continued brewing their beer in the Los Angeles based plant until 1979.

See more photos of pre- and post-prohibition beer buttons on the Busy Beaver blog.