Alpen Glen Beer Flat Top Can

San Francisco's Alpen Glen Flat Top

The Alpen Glen Beer flat top can is one of the most intriguing and sought-after artifacts from the brewing history of Northern California. Packaged by the San Francisco Brewing Corporation in San Francisco, California, this container was canned especially for the General Enterprise Company.

For decades, the existence of this particular design was widely considered a myth among breweriana historians and collectors. Because documented examples were virtually nonexistent for over thirty years, collectors debated whether the brand ever moved beyond trial stages into regular commerce until verified authentic examples finally came to light.

Manufactured by the American Can Company, the can features opening instructions on the reverse panel alongside patent text. Its layout shares distinctive design cues with its sister label, Alpen Glow, which was produced and distributed through the same enterprise. Variations of the Alpen Glen can exist, distinguished primarily by subtle differences in patent information and state regulatory text.

Produced under the roof of the San Francisco Brewing Corporation—best known across the West for its iconic Burgermeister brand—the Alpen Glen flat top can remains a standout centerpiece of early West Coast canning history.