Drewrys Labelology

 

St. Paul, MN, c1860-1912  Ed Drewry Settled in St. Paul in 1859 and opened a brewery there in 1860 which continued under family control until closing in 1912. His son Ed Jr. left St. Paul and moved to Winnipeg, Canada in 1872 and managed a brewery there eventually taking it over in 1877. 

 

circa 1884-1888

circa 1888-1895

circa 1895-1912

Evansville, IN, c1933-36 Drewrys in Canada, featuring the Canadian mountie on the label, became quite popular and expansion into the bigger US market was quite attractive.  The time seemed right when US prohibition ended and a new Marketing Company was set up in Chicago to sell Drewrys.  Initial production was by the Sterling Brewers, Inc. of Evansville, IN.  Brands included Ale, October Ale and Half & Half (ale & Porter).  Labels prominently featured the Canadian Mountie holding a glass in one hand and a bottle in the other.! Label text included:  First Brewed in Canada, 1877.  Now Brewed in the USA. Drewrys Ale, manufactured by it’s American affiliate Sterling Brewers, Inc., Evansville, Indiana ........... operating under the direction of Drewrys Ltd Canada.  This Drewrys Ale is very high in alcohol content.  Higher even than the same type Drewrys Ale as made in Canada but so mellowed in process as to make the taste mild and bland....  In keeping with tradition Drewrys October Ale is higher in alcohol content than Drewrys Strong Ale!  These labels were fairly short lived lasting from 1933 to 1936-37.

.

 

 

 

 

Dating Labels 1860-1933