The Falls City Brewing Company, Louisville Kentucky
Falls City Extra Pale, Falls City, Drummond Bros, Billy Beer
Falls City was organized by local tavern and grocery store owners to break a near monopoly of beer production and distribution by the Fehr's Brewering Co. The name Falls City was taken from Louisville's nickname. The Ohio River, at Louisville, had several small waterfalls in this area.
When Fehr's closed in 1964 and Oertels in 1967, Falls City became the last brewery left in Louisville. Falls City Brewing continued until 1978 when the brewery was closed and the brands sold to the G. Heileman Brewery. Heileman transfered the Falls City brand to the Wiedemann Brewery in Newpot, Ky which G. Heileman had purchased and the brand was produced there until this Newport brewery closed.
The early flat top cans.
Extra Pale Released Derby Day 1940 1947 to early 1950's
All of the red cans are opening instruction cans. Fall City used the internal revenue tax paid (IRTP) wording and opening instruction panel well into the 1950's and were produced long after most breweries had dropped the wording and opening instructions. There are 2 variations of the non IRTP red can and both have the registered symbol under beer on the label. There are several variations of these red cans. Some cans have a red grain stalk others have gold grain stalks.
IRTP Non IRTP
All of the early Falls City cans will have one of two slogans
"there's a difference you'll like" or " here's good luck to you"
The "There's a Difference You'll Like* cans
These two cans are very rare
Extra Pale non Extra Pale ( unlisted)
The two "There's a Difference You'll Like" cans have this slogan in the side panel. "This all grain beer is brewed and packaged only at the plant of Kentuck's finest brewery"
Extra Pale non Extra pale unlisted "here's good luck"
unlisted
The "Here's Good Luck to You" Cans
IRTP unlisted Withdrawn free IRTP non-IRTP non-IRTP
original slogan
The IRTP unlisted can has the same slogan in the side panel as the "There's a difference you'll like" cans. The withdrawn free can has "withdrawn free of internal revenue tax for exportation" in the side panel. The last IRTP and two non-IRTP cans have "This all grain beer is brewed and packaged by Falls City Brewing Co Inc Louisville KY"
The Olive Drab Can
During WWII beer production in cans for civilians was stopped. After mid 1942 to 1947 all beer in cans had disappeared from the shelves. The only use of beer in cans was for the military and the majority of those cans went overseas. The Falls City Brewery, however was one of the breweries with a contract with the military to provide canned beer. Falls City Beer for the armed forces came in a olive drab can. I do not have this can. Below is a picture of the can from a scan from the BCCA bi-monthly members magizine. www.bcca.com
The olive drab can has several interesting statements that no other Falls City can has. The can has the content listed in both ounces and centiliters and brewed in the U.S.A. The can also has the statement "Brought to you in this special overseas container". Like the pre war Extra Pale can the olive drab can uses " This all grain beer is brewed and packaged only at the plant of Kentucky's finest brewery". Truly a wonderful can. I believe there are only two known.I would be grateful to anyone who could provide any information about this can or who could make one available.
The withdrawn free of tax for export Falls City can. 1946-1947
The only clue on the face of this can is the" brewed and packed" above the brewery information. On the back of the can is the withdrawn free information. This can is extremely rare with less than ten total known to exist and only 2 or 3 quality example known.
Flat tops used from the 1950's to the pull top can
The steel pull tabs of Falls City
These pull and zip top cans come in a wide seam and ironed seam version and from multiple can companies. I am missing the metallic silver can which is the same as the metallic gold can above but with silver. Can anyone help with the metallic silver can?
The last Falls City
Billy Beer and Drummond Brothers Beer
Drummond Bros Brewery Falls City Brewery
Crown Cork & Seal version both very common Reynolds Metals version
Commemorative Cans
can 1 WWBCC 4th Anv. can 2
7-8-78
A 60 year old Falls City is emptied. (I feared it may leak). It still had some carbonation but smelled like a mixture of oil and bug killer.