Anheuser-Busch


Company Names, addresses, dates1:
  Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association, 1st and Va Ave SW (1888-1905)
  Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association, Va Ave c E street SW (1906-1910)
  Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association, Del Ave & E street SW (1911-1917)
  Anheuser-Busch Inc, 58 E SW (1923-1938)

Notes:
Anheuser Busch was based in St Louis Missouri, but they had a branch in Washington DC. I beleive the beer was brewed in St Louis, stored in barrels, and sent to the DC branch via the railroad. The DC branch then bottled & distributed the beer.
A 1910 Washington Star newspaper ad listed their Faust beer for 10 cents a bottle, phone 3250, August Brill Mgr. A 1914 ad lists Budweiser beer.

The 1887 book "Washington Hisorical sketches of the Capital City of our Country", by John P. Coffin says that Anheuser-Busch of St Louis was the largest brewery in the world and employed more than 1200 hands. It goes on to say that the office & depot in DC was under the management of Mr. Frank Schwarz, and stocked "Pale Lager", "Faust Beer", "Original Budweiser", "Erlanger" and "Standard".2

During prohibition years, Anheuser-Busch is listed in Washington DC city directories under "Bottlers - Carbonated Beverages", so the bottling facility managed to stay in business during prohibition.
The last year it shows up in city directories was 19381.


Bottles:

anbusch_01 book # 21
This is a 9" aqua blob top bottle embossed:
front: TRADE MARK / (eagle inside letter 'A') / ANHEUSER BUSCH BREW ASN / ST. LOUIS, MO.
front heel: WASHINGTON, D.C.
back heel: JOHNS BROS F W VA
I painted some of the embossing with washable water colors just to make it stand out.
anbusch_06 book # 21
This is similar to the bottle above, but the embossing is slightly different. It has an extra ribbon below the trademark that says "ST LOUIS MO" and the eagle is looking to the side instead of up. It's a 9" aqua blob embossed:
front: TRADE MARK / (eagle inside letter 'A') / ANHEUSER BUSCH BREW ASN / ST LOUIS MO.
front heel: WASHINGTON, D.C.
back heel: E H E CO
anbusch_08 book # 22
This is a 9.5" aqua crown top. It's the only variation I know of from Anheuser Busch in Washington DC that has a slug plate. It's embossed:
round slug plate: TRADE MARK / (eagle inside letter 'A') / ANHEUSER BUSCH BREWING ASN / WASHINGTON D.C.
below slug plate: REGISTERED
rear: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
anbusch_04 book # 23
These are 9.75" BIM crown top bottles. The left is amber and the right is aqua. They are both embossed:
front: TRADE MARK / (eagle inside letter 'A') / ANHEUSER BUSCH BREWING ASN
front heel: WASHINGTON, D.C.
back heel: REGISTERED
base: OB CO / 1088 / 2
anbusch_05 book # 23
This is a 9.1" aqua BIM crown top embossed:
front: TRADE MARK / (eagle inside letter 'A') / ANHEUSER BUSCH BREWING ASN / ST LOUIS MO.
front heel: WASHINGTON, D.C.
It differs from the bottles above in that the logo is larger and it has an extra ribbon below the trademark that says "ST LOUIS MO".
anbusch_10 book # 23
This is a minor mold variation from the amber bottle 2 rows above, in that the 'ANHEUSER BUSCH BREWING ASN' is not in a ribbon on this bottle. It's an amber 9.5" BIM bottle embossed:
front: TRADE MARK / (eagle inside letter 'A') / ANHEUSER BUSCH BREWING ASN
front heel: WASHINGTON DC
back heel: REGISTERED
base: 1 / OB CO / 1088
anbusch_02 book # 24
These 3 bottles are BIM crown top bottles. The left is 9.25" SCA, the center is 9" clear, and the right is 9.25" aqua. They are embossed:
front shoulder: TRADE MARK / (eagle inside letter 'A') / ANHEUSER BUSCH BREW ASN
front heel: WASHINGTON, D.C.
back heel: REGISTERED
The left has a "3" on the base, the center has "SB&G Co" on the base, and the right has nothing on the base.
anbusch_03 book # 24
These are BIM crown top bottles. The left is 9.25" aqua and the right is 9.5" amber. They are both embossed:
front shoulder: TRADE MARK / (eagle inside letter 'A') / ANHEUSER BUSCH BREW ASN
front heel: WASHINGTON, D.C.
back heel: REGISTERED
base: SB&G Co
These differ from the bottles above in that their logo is higher on the shoulder.
anbusch_09 book # 25
The only difference between this bottle and #23 a few rows above, is that this one is machine-made. It's a 9.5" tall, machine-made crown top bottle embossed:
front: TRADE MARK / (eagle inside letter 'A') / ANHEUSER BUSCH BREWING ASN
front heel: WASHINGTON, D.C.
back heel: REGISTERED
anbusch_07 book # 26
This is a 9.5" amber machine-made crown top with a label. It's marked:
embossing: ANHEUSER BUSCH (eagle inside letter 'A')
label: (see below)
anbusch_label_01 book # 26
This is a close-up of the label from the bottle above. It says:
label left:(picture of swordsman in red suit with cape)
label right:(picture of eagle inside letter A)
label center:FAUST BEER / Anheuser Busch, St. Louis / BOTTLED FOR LOCAL TRADE BY / ANHEUSER BUSCH BRANCH, WASHINGTON, D.C / GUARANTEED BY ANHEUSER BUSCH UNDER THE PURE FOOD AND DRUG ACT, JUNE 30th 1906, SERIAL NO ??89

Other Items:
an_busch_1887 This is an advertisement from the 1887 book "Washington Hisorical sketches of the Capital City of our Country", by John P. Coffin. It says:
FRANK SCHWARZ, MANAGER FOR THE Anheuser-Busch BREWING ASSOCIATION ... St Louis Keg and Bottled Beer. 1st and Virginia Ave., S.W. Washington DC
It has a picture of train car that says:
ANNUAL SHIPMENTS 12000 CAR LOADS / BEER AND ICE REFRIGERATOR / ...


1 Boyd's Directory for the District of Columbia (various years)
2 Washington Historical sketches of the City of our Country by John P. Coffin




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This page last updated on September 3, 2023.