Alps Brau Bavarian Style Beer Flat Top Can

Fort Wayne's Alps Brau Flat Top

Produced in the late 1950s, this twelve-ounce flat top can represents the Centlivre Brewing Corporation's celebratory push into regional premium marketing. Identified among collectors by its metallic gold trim, the design borders its central alpine imagery with wide gold bands at the top and bottom. The upper border carries the phrase "FROM MOUNTAIN VALLEY HOPS," while the lower rim features the tagline "COOL • CRISP • CLEAR". Set against a snow-capped mountain backdrop and a prominent stylized letter "A," an arched red banner showcases the brand name, complemented by a gold medallion highlighting the contents as a "Bavarian Style Premium BEER".

Centlivre introduced Alps Brau in 1957 to commemorate the brewery's 95th anniversary. Aimed at countering the rising popularity of national lagers, the beer was positioned as an authentic Bavarian-style brew and supported by an extensive regional advertising blitz. Marketing featured local radio jingles recorded by Nancy Lee and the Hilltoppers alongside the catchy slogan "So very, very Bavarian!" The brand quickly established itself as a regional best seller. After Centlivre restructured in the early 1960s, Alps Brau continued under employee ownership before production eventually transitioned to Chicago's Peter Hand Brewing Company, where it remained in distribution until the 1970s.

The brewery itself originated in 1862, when French immigrant Charles Lewis Centlivre founded the French Brewery along Spy Run Avenue in Fort Wayne, Indiana. After rebuilding from a catastrophic fire in 1889, the plant grew into a pillar of local industry, operating an adjoining streetcar line and a beloved public beer garden. The company weathered Prohibition by operating as the Centlivre Ice and Cold Storage Company, resuming brewing in 1933. Despite early post-repeal triumphs with brands like Old Crown, mounting competition led to an employee buyout in 1962 under the Old Crown Brewing Corporation banner, which operated until the historic facility closed in 1973.

For collectors of mid-century American breweriana, this flat top serves as a centerpiece of Indiana brewing heritage. Its vibrant mountain artwork and metallic gold finish embody the spirited promotional design used by independent Midwestern breweries during the twilight of their family-owned era.