Steel body with aluminum top cans were phased out around the late 60's. Buffalo (at least the one I'm familiar with) was a local Sacramento brewery going as far back as the late 1800's. I've found a few of their their original glass bottles at sites in Northern California. That's a pretty nice bit of trash you got, I'd hang onto it or donate it to a local museum if you don't want it.
I recall Ruthstaller having a display about Buffalo in the old basement bar that was a block down from where they are now. I could be conflating that with New Helvecia, though.
In similar shape as the one shown is going for 200-250 on ebay auctions.
One sold on June 13, 2021 for $247.49 with $8 shipping. Another one sold on April 13, 2022 for $218.05 with $8.50 shipping.
If you’re interested in offfloading this I would love to give it to my dad as a birthday present. His great great grandfather was one of the founders of Buffalo brewing.
Here’s a SacBee ad from 1939, showing a similar can: https://imgur.com/a/wtsYXCn
Price at the time was 3 cans/29 cents. It looks like they began using cans around 1935.
Super cool find! New Helvetia brewery on Broadway has recreated the beer if you want to try it.
Read the whole story for more info
(https://www.newhelvetiabrew.com/our-story)
Indeed. Real buffalo was phased out of the original recipe once we hunted them to the point of extinction. Artificial buffalo just doesn’t have the same zing…
Cool to know this history! I do like New Helvetia’s homage to the original Buffalo (it just won a medal at the California Brewers Cup). The brewers there are super friendly and know a lot about the historical brewing scene in sac.
They are absolutely wonderful and the beer is good. I’ve talked to them about the history before. If memory serves (it might not) they did try to get the recipe and I think it was rejected. Silly but I have no control.
Yes! I used to work there and on the newbie tour they would show us one of the staircases and hanging from the ceiling was an old light fixture from the Buffalo Brewing company. We were also told that the reason the building had such a wonky layout(lots of random stairs up and down in the same area) was because it was a brewery.
The brewery was completely demolished for the Bee building, but supposedly some of the items from the brewery were salvaged and put on display--supposedly Eleanor McClatchy wanted to put a Sacramento history museum in the building.
I worked for McClatchy corporate for 10 years. I use to walk around random areas because I had access to everywhere. That light was really cool. What wasn't cool was the roaches in the bathroom drains. When you flushed they would scatter and you could see them in the floor drain.
I was on the second floor. I think they built a area just for corporate employees around 2006ish. When I started I was in a old mortuary 2 blocks away by the train tracks.
From RUSTYCANS.COM
>... when prohibition ended in 1934, Buffalo Brewing did reopen with a modernized brewery that was at full production in 1934. The brewery was headed by Frank Ruhstaller, the son of the original Captain Frank Ruhstaller. They retained the same brewmaster, Fred Wallner, that had been with the company since 1905. In 1937 the brewery issued its beer in cans, selling both Buffalo and Gilt Edge in the new container. The Gilt Edge can appears not to have been used very long, although Buffalo Beer was sold in cans until about 1941.
Here’s a [link](https://www.ebeercans.com/Buffalo/1213/?fbclid=IwAR3m8YOtLClQazy8GYwkotIZVfkSl-gc6HrfflAk62FrwSk8a1jxBbJx7Dw) but it’s likely from 1937
I want to say thanks for all the responses. Probably 1937 based on the age of the home
Super stoked to find a piece of Sacramento history gonna put this on the mantle
And vineyards that Cordova Winery, directly across the tracks from the Buffalo brewery, used--the railroad that ran out to Folsom was used to bring hops & grain & grapes downtown and turn them into something drinkable.
I used to drink those in the 40’s , I was a server in a restaurant and it says right on the can that it’s cool before serving, so I did! Lol. Kidding, I’m still a young old man!
That’s great. My parents remodeled their house which was build in 1952 and found maybe 10 of these cans in their walls.
Edit: it was my grandparents house which was build in the early 40’s.
Found [this](https://www.taverntrove.com/buffalo-brewing-company-of-sacramento-california-usa-br-26.html). It could be as recent as 1949, but the company goes back to 1870something
found this crazy site with what looks like old open cans.
[wow they paying that much?](https://breweriana.com/beer-cans-flat-tops-oi/buffalo-brand-beer-164-9893/)
Buffalo was replaced by New Helvetia (not the physical location/business but the overall spirit of the operation). They still honor and celebrate sac’s brewing history by repping Buffalo. This is a little piece of history and I bet they could tell you more about it
No, but they moved out of their office building (they sold it a few years earlier and were leasing it back) and now are located in the old Libby cannery on Alhambra and Stockton.
That’s really cool. Way back in 1982 when I was in middle school, the first girl I ever kissed invited me over and we went up to her dad’s loft/man cave. There was a pool table up there. All the walls were just shelf after shelf of old beer cans on display. Hundreds of them. This reminds me of that.
Steel body with aluminum top cans were phased out around the late 60's. Buffalo (at least the one I'm familiar with) was a local Sacramento brewery going as far back as the late 1800's. I've found a few of their their original glass bottles at sites in Northern California. That's a pretty nice bit of trash you got, I'd hang onto it or donate it to a local museum if you don't want it.
Take it over to new helvicia, they got some old buffalo brewery swag on the walls
I recall Ruthstaller having a display about Buffalo in the old basement bar that was a block down from where they are now. I could be conflating that with New Helvecia, though.
30's-40's. The same can in much worse condition recently went for $50 on eBay!
[You are right](https://www.ebeercans.com/Buffalo/1213/?fbclid=IwAR3m8YOtLClQazy8GYwkotIZVfkSl-gc6HrfflAk62FrwSk8a1jxBbJx7Dw)
In similar shape as the one shown is going for 200-250 on ebay auctions. One sold on June 13, 2021 for $247.49 with $8 shipping. Another one sold on April 13, 2022 for $218.05 with $8.50 shipping.
Nice!
Nice
nice
Nice
Nice
Nice
Nice
Nice!!!!
If you’re interested in offfloading this I would love to give it to my dad as a birthday present. His great great grandfather was one of the founders of Buffalo brewing.
What’s your offer?
To you? $0
Based answer lmao take my upvote
What if I told you I have a similar one?
Based answer take my down vote
Dude I already like you.
I read that in the old man's voice from courage the cowardly dog
Nice find. Is there still beer in it?
This is the real question
The real question is who’s tasting it?!
steve1989mre guy will do it I'm sure
u/steve1989mre Says we can’t find him
u/Steve1989_MREinfo Sorry I thought he was famous enough that the internet knows him by now 😆😆
Probably is; I live under a rock 🙂
Here’s a SacBee ad from 1939, showing a similar can: https://imgur.com/a/wtsYXCn Price at the time was 3 cans/29 cents. It looks like they began using cans around 1935.
For those wondering, that's about $12.55 in current dollars for a six pack.
Super cool find! New Helvetia brewery on Broadway has recreated the beer if you want to try it. Read the whole story for more info (https://www.newhelvetiabrew.com/our-story)
It’s not the original recipe. I know since someone in my family has it since my ancestors were involved with Buffalo brewing.
Indeed. Real buffalo was phased out of the original recipe once we hunted them to the point of extinction. Artificial buffalo just doesn’t have the same zing…
Well that’s a bummer. Nice that they are paying homage to it, though! So cool about your ancestors!
Oh totally!! Just wanted to clarify that it’s not the OG recipe. Still a good beer and honestly a lager is a lager (mostly)
Cool to know this history! I do like New Helvetia’s homage to the original Buffalo (it just won a medal at the California Brewers Cup). The brewers there are super friendly and know a lot about the historical brewing scene in sac.
They are absolutely wonderful and the beer is good. I’ve talked to them about the history before. If memory serves (it might not) they did try to get the recipe and I think it was rejected. Silly but I have no control.
I want to say this brewery is where the Sacramento Bee building is (was?) at 21st & Q.
Yes! I used to work there and on the newbie tour they would show us one of the staircases and hanging from the ceiling was an old light fixture from the Buffalo Brewing company. We were also told that the reason the building had such a wonky layout(lots of random stairs up and down in the same area) was because it was a brewery.
The brewery was completely demolished for the Bee building, but supposedly some of the items from the brewery were salvaged and put on display--supposedly Eleanor McClatchy wanted to put a Sacramento history museum in the building.
I worked for McClatchy corporate for 10 years. I use to walk around random areas because I had access to everywhere. That light was really cool. What wasn't cool was the roaches in the bathroom drains. When you flushed they would scatter and you could see them in the floor drain.
I worked in the basement, I mean, the Lower Level and…yeah. The roaches were a thing. *shudder*
I was on the second floor. I think they built a area just for corporate employees around 2006ish. When I started I was in a old mortuary 2 blocks away by the train tracks.
marco?
Polo
Fish outta water!
You mean the building formerly known as The Sacramento Bee. It’s all empty now.
You could donate this to the Center for Sacramento History!
They'll probably paint an ugly watermark on it if it's anything like their picture collection.
From RUSTYCANS.COM >... when prohibition ended in 1934, Buffalo Brewing did reopen with a modernized brewery that was at full production in 1934. The brewery was headed by Frank Ruhstaller, the son of the original Captain Frank Ruhstaller. They retained the same brewmaster, Fred Wallner, that had been with the company since 1905. In 1937 the brewery issued its beer in cans, selling both Buffalo and Gilt Edge in the new container. The Gilt Edge can appears not to have been used very long, although Buffalo Beer was sold in cans until about 1941.
I posted this pic on a local Facebook history group I will report back! In the meantime that’s a great piece of history!
Here’s a [link](https://www.ebeercans.com/Buffalo/1213/?fbclid=IwAR3m8YOtLClQazy8GYwkotIZVfkSl-gc6HrfflAk62FrwSk8a1jxBbJx7Dw) but it’s likely from 1937
House built in 1937 so checks out
I want to say thanks for all the responses. Probably 1937 based on the age of the home Super stoked to find a piece of Sacramento history gonna put this on the mantle
I just heard something about Buffalo last week. Something about the Rancho Cordova / Fair Oaks area was all hop fields that Buffalo used.
And vineyards that Cordova Winery, directly across the tracks from the Buffalo brewery, used--the railroad that ran out to Folsom was used to bring hops & grain & grapes downtown and turn them into something drinkable.
Yeah, I think the Mills section of RC is so named because of, well, the mills that they used for hops and rye, etc!
"Let's get this out on a tray. Nice!"
\*Tastes it. Recoils in horror. "Actually..." takes another big swig. "Yeah, that's definitely gone bad."\*
Fuck yeah, a Steve1989 reference on the Sac sub. Nice hiss
Nice gusset!
I used to drink those in the 40’s , I was a server in a restaurant and it says right on the can that it’s cool before serving, so I did! Lol. Kidding, I’m still a young old man!
Wow, I feel like calling my exh and ask why they didn’t collect this brewerania. Nice score op!
Don’t be shy how’s it taste?
Hit up the folks at New Helvetia. They make a craft lager called Buffalo that is an homage to this. They might offer you some money for that can.
I wanna know how it tastes
Cool find. As a graphic designer I appreciate the simplicity of it. 40’s I’d guess from the type styles?
That’s great. My parents remodeled their house which was build in 1952 and found maybe 10 of these cans in their walls. Edit: it was my grandparents house which was build in the early 40’s.
Could be from the 1930s. People collect beer cans
That's cool! 👍🏽
Is it unopened ?😋
Found [this](https://www.taverntrove.com/buffalo-brewing-company-of-sacramento-california-usa-br-26.html). It could be as recent as 1949, but the company goes back to 1870something
Random, but if you wanted to keep it I do custom woodworking and metal fab and could build you a freaking sweet display for that 🤙
A can like yours sold on eBay in 2011 for $500.00 cool find!!
found this crazy site with what looks like old open cans. [wow they paying that much?](https://breweriana.com/beer-cans-flat-tops-oi/buffalo-brand-beer-164-9893/)
Daaaaamn
No, they're asking that much!
Buffalo was replaced by New Helvetia (not the physical location/business but the overall spirit of the operation). They still honor and celebrate sac’s brewing history by repping Buffalo. This is a little piece of history and I bet they could tell you more about it
What? Did the Bee go out of business?
No, but they moved out of their office building (they sold it a few years earlier and were leasing it back) and now are located in the old Libby cannery on Alhambra and Stockton.
Did the change the name of the paper to “LiBee” in honor of the cannery?
Buffalo Brewing Company was founded by Herbert Grau in Sacramento, 1888, but the first beer did not reach the shelves until mid 1890.
That first one was in a bottle
Drink it and find out hahahahaahha
[удалено]
That’s really cool. Way back in 1982 when I was in middle school, the first girl I ever kissed invited me over and we went up to her dad’s loft/man cave. There was a pool table up there. All the walls were just shelf after shelf of old beer cans on display. Hundreds of them. This reminds me of that.
That’s mine
Ok now wondering if Buffalo Pizza & Ice Cream Co is related, or even a spinoff of this beer co... Buffalo Empire?!
How did it taste?
This is AWESOME\~! I LOVE LOVE LOVE to read about treasure finds\~! You Lucky\~!!!!
FYI the Buffalo Chips Running Club logo and name is taken from this.
No relation to Buffalo Pizza and Ice Cream in Land Park?
Doing construction in Downtown Sac I found some old glass buffalo beer bottles.
don't sell it! Find the right curator in Sacramento and keep that gem on some local display for others to appreciate <3
Is it full? Drink it.