Blue text on a red background with a bull terrier dog pouring a Bud Light beer from the bar.

Bud Light used Spuds Mackenzie, a Bull Terrier, as a marketing device in the late 1980s. The dog’s first appearance was at the 1987 Super Bowl XXI. The advertising executive Mitch Meyers created the Spuds Mackenzie character. The terrier was controversial because it was a female dog portraying a male dog and also because of the dog’s appeal to children. The Mothers Against Drunk Driving organization was just one organization to pose the allegations that Anheuser-Busch was marketing their product to minors through Spuds Mackenzie. The dog was so popular that the decision to remove her from commercials after two years was made. The dog had started to overshadow the product.

White text on a red background with blue on a white background with a blue leaf in the middle with white text on it.

Pabst Breweries joined in the trend of selling war bonds during WWll with its own public relations and advertising campaigns. One such Pabst sponsored contest awarded a total of $50,000 in bonds. The winning entries were to ‘develop and assemble practical and workable plans and ideas’ for the eminent post-war employment of returning American servicemen and women. A popular tack for businesses during WWll, kiosks popped up to sell bonds wherever people would gather. Celebrity and media support for war bond drives became a competition of sorts to see who could sell the most.

Large red "W" on a white and black background with white text.

In 1862, Steven Weber purchased an established brewery renaming it West Hill Brewery. Over time, the Weber company possessed a variety of names: West Hill Brewery, Bethesda Brewery, Weber Brewing Co. and Weber Waukesha Brewing Co. During prohibition, the company survived by operating as a dairy bottling plant. After prohibition, the brewery was modernized becoming one of the first in the area to use stainless steel equipment. The company remained in the Weber family until 1958 when it merged with Fox Head Brewing Company.

Red, black and white text on a blue background, with an end of a barrel and an owl.

In 1821, John Cooper and Thomas Gould established a brewery in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. When William Van Nostrand acquired interest in 1860, he gradually expanded production and distribution.  In the 1890’s, his son, Alonzo G. Van Nostrand Alonzo became the sole proprietor of the brewery which was now known as the Bunker Hill Brewery.  It operated until Prohibition.  The brewery manufactured; Boston Club Lager, Bunker Hill Lager, Old Musty Ale, Owl Musty, Van Nostrand's Porter and P.B. Ale.

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

Black and red text on a brown wood background with a green leaf wreath with a gold and red label in center.

In 1821, John Cooper and Thomas Gould established a brewery in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. When William Van Nostrand acquired interest in 1860, he gradually expanded production and distribution.  His son, Alonzo G. Van Nostrand, originated the “P.B. Ale” (Purest and Best) brand.  In the 1890’s, 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.

Dark blue text on a light blue background with two palm trees and a white moon. Moon's reflection shimmering on the water with a black emblem.

The button was to advertise Lowenbrau beer for spring break in 1982.

The name means "lion's brew." Lowenbrau was founded in Munich, Bavaria and has a long history. First official documents originated in the 1700s and has been in operation since. Lowenbrau has participated in Oktoberfest since 1810 since the festival only allow beers produced in Bavaria to be sold.

Purple text on a yellow background

"I sold My Soul For Rock & Roll" was the Slogan of Rock and Roll beer. The slogan proved to be so controversial that the beer was banned in Texas by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. The aforementioned commission said the slogan on the can was quote "false, indecent,and immoral". The beer was launched in 1982 and owned by Joe Edwards.

In the shape of a beer can, with a Schlitz label. White text on a red rectangle and red text on a white background.

Schlitz dates back to 1849, when German immigrant, August Krug, began brewing beer in his Milwaukee restaurant’s basement. In 1850, twenty-year-old Joseph Schlitz immigrated to Milwaukee from Germany and was hired by Krug to handle his restaurant and brewery’s bookkeeping. After Krug passed away in 1856, Joseph Schlitz took over the brewery, renaming it the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. “The Beer that Made Milwaukee Famous” was introduced as an official slogan in 1893 at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

Illustration of a Native American wearing a  headdress on a yellow background, with white text on a green inner ring and red text on a yellow outer ring.

Jacob Schmidt started his brewing career in Minnesota as the Brewmaster for the Theodore Hamm's Brewing Co. He left this position to become owner of the North Star Brewing Co. Under Schmidt's new leadership the small brewery would see much success and in 1899 Schimdt transferred partial ownership of his new brewery to a new corporation headed by his son in law Adolph Bremer, and Adolph's brother Otto. This corporation would later become Bremer Bank. With the new partnership the Jacob Schmidt Brewing Company was established. In 1900 the North Star Brewery would suffer a fire that would close it for good. With the new management team in place a new brewery was needed, the new firm purchased the Stahlmann Brewery form the St. Paul Brewing Co. and immediately started construction on a new Romanesque brewery incorporating parts of Stahlmann's original brewery along with it including the further excavation of the lagering cellars used in the fermentation process to create Schmidt's Lager Beer.

Illustration of an angel with a red dress and a cherub, with black text on blue banners, on a beige background.

The F.A. Poth Brewing Company, later renamed F.A. Poth & Sons, was established in 1865 by Frederick August Poth in Philadelphia, PA. The Poth Brewing Company is most well known for the brewery itself, as the building is featured in many architecture reviews. Since the former Poth Brewery's facade has some of the architectural details seen in many earlier U.S. lager breweries, it can still serve as a partial example of such architecture, much of which now only exists in pictures.

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