First Canned Beer Sold on January 24, 1935

The Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company was a brewery in Newark, New Jersey founded by Gottfried Krueger and John Laible. Krueger had been brewing beer since the 1858. In 1934, the American Can Company approached the brewery with the idea of canning its beer and offered to install the equipment for free: If the beer flopped, Krueger Brewing Company wouldn’t have to pay.

So, on January 24, 1935, Krueger’s Cream Ale and Krueger’s Finest Beer were the first beers sold to the public in cans. Canned beer was an immediate success. The public loved it, giving it a 91 percent approval rating.