PB Ale

Button shows a lithograph of a white dog wearing a brown collar with gold lettering and studs over an orange background, surrounded by a yellow circle with black lettering at the bottom and an ornate gold circle.

In 1821, John Cooper and Thomas Gould established a brewery in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, the city's first..  When William Van Nostrand acquired interest in 1860, he gradually expanded production and distribution.  His son, Alonzo G. Van Nostrand, joined his father's brewery in 1872 and originated the “P.B. Ale” (Purest and Best) brand in 1879.  In the 1890s, Alonzo became the sole proprietor of the brewery, which was now known as the Bunker Hill Brewery.  It operated until Prohibition.  In addition to P.B. Ale, the brewery also manufactured; Boston Club Lager, Bunker Hill Lager, Old Musty Ale, Owl Musty and Van Nostrand's Porter.

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