Monday, August 10, 2009

Schodack NY Fitzgerald Bros Ale

I returned for a brief time to a previous dig. A former private farmers landfill near Graw Rd area of the Town of Schodack NY 12165 appx zip code area. The only item of interest from my 3 hr dig was an old bottle / can opener. Heavily rusted and unreadable in found state. After the use of Coke and a rust remover I was able to get enough rust and grunge off the bottle opener to get a reading of the engraved label. It read Fitzgerald Beer and Ale Troy NY. Fitzgerald's was one of the many local beer breweries common in America in the 19th and 20th Century that often disappeared after the 40's. From what I have been told they made 2 or 3 different brews. One of which was a Half & Half. This was a half beer , half ale combination. Before the advent of the pop top can and the easy off bottle cap these were a common kitchen tool. They opened your bottles or cut holes in the top of a can with the triangle shaped end.