An All-American Brew
When the war ended and servicemen came marching home, there was a new post-war optimism and Minneapolis Brewing Company, along with the rest of the industry, came back in full force. Tastes were changing, however. As home consumption of beer continued to increase, the preference of the American beer drinker was gearing more toward a lighter, smoother brew. In response, Grain Belt Premium was introduced in 1947 on a test-market basis. Premium came in clear bottles, instead of amber, to show its pure, golden goodness, and in cap-sealed cans. It was priced a little higher than Golden Grain Belt but consumers found it well worth the price. While the industry fell into somewhat of a slump in the 1950s, Minneapolis Brewing Company continued to grow, thanks in large part to the introduction of Premium, which soon became a permanent fixture of the Grain Belt line. |
The entrance of the United States
into the Second World War brought new challenges
to the brewing industry. Canned beer was put on
hold due to tin rationing and a federal dictum
that required canned beer to be produced only
for those serving in the Armed Forces. Malt and
hops were periodically rationed, bringing occasional
shortages of the product, and brewers were required
to set aside fifteen percent of beer production
for exclusive military use. Grain Belt, for a
brief period during the war, was sold in green
bottles, with a label explaining, “This
Is Your Regular GRAIN BELT BEER In a TEMPORARY
Bottle Due to Bottle Shortage.”