Beer by the Bottle

Natty Boh ad, 1940s

Beer was not sold by the six-pack until 1938 and the practice became more widespread in the succeeding decades, with Baltimore's National Bohemian selling by the six-pack in 1940 and Pabst shortly thereafter.  However, Coca-cola was already sold in six-pack bottles which easily led to beer being purchased in the same quantity; this is probably the reason that, in the play, the customer orders "a half-dozen bottles of beer."

Before Prohibition, which ended on Dec 5, 1933, beer was only sold in bottles and had wire baling at the top (see above). After Prohibition, the cap was more commonly used. However, beer bottles were always brown (see below) at this time, as it was thought best for keeping the beer fresh.