Illustration of a white dog with brown ears and a big collar on a dark background with white text and dark text over the bottom edge.

"Oh Be Jolly" was the slogan of the A. G. Van Nostrand Bunker Hill Breweries. The brewery was founded as Bunker Hill Breweries in Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1821 and was renamed to A. G. Van Nostrand Bunker Hill Breweries in1877 when William Tredwell Van Nostrand purchased it. Due to prohibition laws, the brewery closed in 1918, and although they did briefly reopen in 1933, they closed permanently in 1934. Promotional advertisements commonly featured the slogan and the "P.B. Ale" brand, and promotional buttons often featured a bull dog wearing a collar bearing the initials "P.B". 

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

White text above and below an illustration of an owl's head on a dark background

Owl-Musty was a type of beer brewed by A. G. Van Nostrand Bunker Hill Breweries in the early 1900s. The owl mascot was trademarked in 1906 and was featured on labels, advertisements, and promotional buttons. The brewery was founded as Bunker Hill Breweries in Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1821 and was renamed A. G. Van Nostrand Bunker Hill Breweries in 1877 when William Tredwell Van Nostrand purchased it. Due to prohibition laws, the brewery closed in 1918, and although they did briefly reopen in 1933, they closed permanently in 1934.

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

Blue text around the outer edge with an illustration of a woman in a red, what and blue dress over a donkey on a white background

The Metz Brothers Brewing Company was founded in 1861 in Omaha, Nebraska by Frederick and Philip Metz. They were one of the first brewers in Nebraska and became one of the "Big 4" in Omaha. Like many others breweries in the United States in the 1920s, the Metz Brothers Brewing Company was forced to close due to Prohibition, but the label was brewed until 1961 by the Walter Brewing Company in Pueblo, Colorado. In April 2018, Infusion Brewery in Omaha re-introduced the Metz brand and began serving Metz Jubilee. 

M, Brian. (2018, March 26). Omaha brewery bringing back Metz beer. WOWT, Retrieved from http://www.wowt.com/content/news/Omaha-brewery-bringing-back-Metz-beer-478000053.html.

Red text on a white background

In 1968, the National Brewing Company of Baltimore, Maryland released James Bond's 007 Special Blend, a blend of malt liquor and beer. The cans featured women posing in front of notable English landmarks, including Big Ben, the infamous Tower of London, and the London Bridge. The blend was not manufactured for very long, but can still be found from third party and private sellers. 

White text on a red background

Obak Cigarettes were issued by the John Bollman Company out of San Francisco, California, in the 1860s. Obak Cigarettes is most known for beautifully painted baseball cards in the early 20th century. They also issued pinback buttons with clever “I’m the Guy” phrases in white text on red, blue, and green backgrounds. It is unknown exactly how many cigarette promotional items exist, but the number is thought to be over 350.

Color illustration of a brownish gold rooster standing on green grass on a white background with black text along the top

The Genesee Brewery was founded in Rochester, New York in 1878 when Mathius Kondolf purchased and renamed the Reisky & Spies Brewery. Like many Pre-Prohibition breweries in North America, it was forced to close after the passing of the 18th Amendment in 1919. However, Genesee's legacy did not end there; when Prohibition was repealed in 1932, former brewmaster Louis A. Wehle purchased Genesee brewery and established Genesee Brewing Company. They continued to grow and thrive throughout 20th century and by 2000, their beers were available in 39 states. The brewery remains an integral part of the Rochester community and celebrated its 140th anniversary in 2018 with a year-long celebration.

Color illustration of a woman's head with black hair and red lipstick with black text underneath on a white background

In 1952 Genesee Brewing Company launched the Miss Jenny advertising campaign with the first Jenny girl, Daphne Dore. The slogan was Always Ask for “Jenny” and featured “Jenny” posed with a tray of beer before a backdrop of a mountain and lake. 

The Miss Jenny campaign proved to be the most successful campaign for the company and ran for more than a decade.

Blue text along the top edge over a red illustration of a glass of beer on a white background

Garden City Brewery was founded in 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. Like many breweries in the United States during the 1920s, Garden City closed due to prohibition laws in 1925. They reopened in 1933 after the laws were repealed, but closed permanently in 1951.  

Black text around an illustration of a beer can with a red line going through it

The Brewery Workers Union at Coors Brewing Company went on strike in April 1977 citing unfair labor practices and issues with race and gender equality. A vote to decertify the union was successful because striking workers were replaced and could not vote in the election. This effectively ended 44 years of union representation and led to a consumer boycott of Coors by the AFL-CIO that lasted for 10 years, ending in August 1987. Going forward, Coors would not interfere with union organizing efforts at it plants and also include union representation in the construction of future facilities. Coors Brewing Company operates the brewery in Golden, Colorado which has the largest single-site brewery facility in the world.

Color illustration of two men in suits and hats, one with an umbrella, black coat with a yellow flower and a top hat, the other in a blue suit and grey hat and holding a cane. There is also a little yellow dog. All on a yellow sunburst shape on a white background with black text

“There’s Something Doin’ - Ask for Tioga Rye” was a slogan for Tioga Rye brand whiskey. Tioga Rye was created in 1886 in Pittsburgh, PA. Raphael & Zeugschmidt, the sole owners, have often been listed along with the Tioga Rye name on shot glasses and other types of memorabilia.