Goebel Gold Label Beer 1940 Baseball T-Shirt

In 1873, after the Civil War, German immigrant August Goebel, Sr. founded A. Goebel & Co., and by the 1880s, Goebel had become Detroit's third-largest brewery. Billed as a 'light lager,' their beer was golden in color, and was noticeably drier than most everyday beers of the era. The beer was a local favorite from the brewery's inception, but grew in popularity by word of mouth beyond Michigan. Seeing opportunity in out of state bars and restaurants placing orders, Goebel rebranded their signature brew as 'Gold Label' in 1940, with a national ad campaign leading to regular availability in many states throughout the '40s and '50s. Goebel was sold to a brewery conglomerate in 1964, which started a decline from top shelf to bottom shelf brew.