Old King Beer
Old King Beer: Oklahoma’s Forgotten Best-Seller
When Prohibition ended in 1933, breweries across the country scrambled to get back into business. In Oklahoma, one of the earliest was Southwestern Brewing Corporation, which opened in 1934 and began producing beer under the Old King label.
The brewery was located at 2 West 3rd Street in Oklahoma City for easy distribution using the nearby Santa Fe railroad. It began operation one year after the repeal of Prohibition and remained active under the Southwestern name until 1946, when it was sold.
Southwestern’s flagship product was Old King Beer, but the brewery offered a full lineup, including Old King Pilsner Winter Beer, Black Dallas Beer, Golden Vienna Beer, Old King New Blend Extra Dry, Gold Seal Beer, and Old King Bock.
In its first three years, Old King sold over 48 million bottles—making it the top-selling beer in Oklahoma. A case of 24 bottles cost just $2.25 in 1935. It was affordable, available, and made close to home.
The label shows a jolly king raising a mug—bold and easy to spot. Carrying the motto “the quality beer,” it was a name that stuck and a quality product.
"OK" is emphasized in the beer's name, and appears three other times on the label, a not-so-subtle reference to both the name of the beer and state where it was made.
Old King was found in taverns, groceries, corner stores, and lunch counters. It was part of the post-Prohibition rhythm—everyday beer for everyday people facing the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl and World War II.
Workers cracked it open after long shifts. Bar owners stocked it because they knew it would move. In a decade of rebuilding and challenge, Old King became one of the things people could count on.
Production under the Old King name ended when the brewery changed hands in 1946. Peter Fox Brewing Co., a large Chicago-based brewer, acquired it and several other regional breweries to extend its distribution. They closed the Oklahoma City location in 1948.
The building is gone. The brand faded without fanfare. But for many years, Old King ruled over an Oklahoma beer empire. It was the King of Beers.
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