 Brewer/bottler #133 | | | | Address | 532/600 East Superior Street
Use for all post-1930 Lovit crowns when the bottler is not visible on the skirt or not printed on the skirt. |
| | | | | | | | Extra info | Excerpt from Tavern Trove:
Trade Names for the brewery at 532/600 East Superior Street, Duluth, MN:
A. (August) Fitger & Co., Lake Superior Brewery 1883-1903
Fitger Brewing Co. 1903-1920
Brewing operations shut down by National Prohibition on January 19, 1920
Issued permit L-?? allowing production of nonp-alcoholic beverages during Prohibtion 1920
The Fitger Co., Inc. circa 1922-1937
Issued permit MINN-U-804 allowing the operation of a brewery 1933
Fitger Brewing Co., Inc. 1937-1972
Lake Superior Brewing Co. 1984-1994
Fitger's (microbrewery) 1994-Present
The microbrewery shares space in the old Fitger Brewery Complex with a shopping mall and the Fitger's Inn. There is a small display of vintage Fitgers items in the lobby.
Products:
Dakota Beer 1903 - 1920
Export Beer 1903 - 1920
Export Bohemian Beer 1903 - 1920
Fitger's Export Beer 1903 - 1920
Fitger's Natural Beer 1903 - 1920
Natural Setup 1903 - 1920
Arrowhead Ginger Ale 1922-1937
Dog's Head Lager 1922-1937
Fitger's 1922-1937
Fitger's Carbonated Water 1922-1937
Fitger's Malt Extract 1922-1937
Fitger's Natural Beer 1933-1936
Fitger's Pickwick 1922-1933
Isle Royale Ginger Ale 1922-1937
Liberty Brew 1922-1937
Moose Beer 1933-1936
Pickwick 1922-1937
Pickwick Beverage 1922-1937
Royal Brew 1933-1936
Silver Spray 1922-1933
Town Club Special 1922-1933
Lovit was originally a brand of the Rex Company, formerly Duluth Brewing and Malting Company. Fitger's acquired Rex's beverage division, the Sobriety Company, in 1930.
Fitger's had been producing its own soft drinks since 1918, mostly dispensed by the glass at drugstore counters. In was in 1921 that Fitger's, desperate to retain employees during Prohibition, bought Duluth's Purity Candy Company and began selling 10-cent candy bars and selling soft drinks by the six-ounce bottle. The first success was Extra Dry, which came out in 1924 and was advertised as having "the taste and sparkle of champagne." It was rebranded as Silver Spray in 1925 and became Fitger's most popular and widespread product.
From that purchase, the Fitger Company received title to labels such as Minnesota Club Ginger Ale, the Lovit pop line, the Rex and Royal Brew cereal beverages, the Moose label, and other brands, bottles, and equipment. ... In addition, Fitger's came out with three new products -- a citrus drink called "Lindy Julep," a carbonated water called "Kitchi Gammi," and a ginger ale, another carbonated water, and a lime rickey under the brand name "Isle Royale," which was very popular.
The soft drinks offered myriad flavors that often changed. In addition to the usual flavors of grape, orange and strawberry, Fitger's bottled Imitation Chocolate Milk Shake, Black Calf, Black Cow, Imitation Cherry Flip, Ginger Ale, Grape High Ball, Lemon Soda, Lime Rickey, Raspberry Punch, Strawberry Fizz and Carbonated Water
Fitger's owned the regional franchise for Squirt starting in the 1930s, but passed on the opportunity to buy the Coca-Cola territory for Duluth, Two Harbors and Cloquet.
Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office
USA Patent Office · 1930 ·
FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 742
... BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES . Maltless Beverages Sold as Soft Drinks and for Syrups , Concentrates , and Extracts Used in Making the Same ... FITGER COMPANY , Duluth , Minn . 1930 . Lovit For Nonalcoholic , Maltless Beverages Sold as Soft Drinks . Claims use since Apr. 14 , 1930 . Ser . No. 300,141 .
Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office
United States. Patent Office · 1950
FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 781
... LOVIT . Registered Aug. 26 , 1930. The Fitger Company . Renewed Aug. 26 , 1950 , to Fitger Brewing Company , Duluth , Minn . , a corporation of Minnesota . NON - ALCOHOLIC MALTLESS BEVERAGES SOLD AS SOFT DRINKS . Class 45 . 274,639 ... |
| | | | | | | Other names used for this Brewer/bottler | | Name 1 | The Fitger Co., Inc. |
| | | Name 2 | Squirt Bottling Co. (Duluth, MN) |
| | | Name 3 | A. (August) Fitger & Co. |
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