American Breweries Beer 12 Oz Flat Top Can

C.L. Centlivre American Breweries Can

Issued in the late 1970s by the Pittsburgh Brewing Company, this 12-ounce flat top can was released as part of the "American Breweries" tribute series honoring vanished heritage brewing operations across the United States. Fabricated with crimped steel construction, the can is notable for omitting a standard commercial brand name on its main display panel. Instead, it features intricate lithographed artwork celebrating the C.L. Centlivre Brewing Company of Fort Wayne, Indiana, depicting painters suspended on a ladder and scaffold lettering a grand sign above a bustling 1880 brick brewhouse and cityscape.

The American Breweries series was introduced to celebrate the rich legacy of historic regional beer makers. Rather than marketing a standard label, Pittsburgh Brewing used the line to salute bygone operations that had defined local brewing in earlier eras. Packaged with vintage-style illustrations, the series functioned as both a consumer beverage and a tangible piece of beer history.

The Pittsburgh Brewing Company, tracing its origins to 1861 in Pennsylvania, established itself as one of the country's most prominent regional brewers through its flagship Iron City brand. Facing the challenges of Prohibition, the brewery adapted by diversifying into soft drinks, ice cream, and near beer to keep its facilities active. Following repeal, the brewery reasserted itself as an industry pioneer, becoming an early adopter of major packaging developments—such as the pull tab—and frequently producing commemorative pictorial cans that celebrated sports teams, local milestones, and historical themes.

Within the collecting community, cans from the American Breweries series hold an interesting place. By featuring long-closed operations like Fort Wayne's Centlivre brewery, they connect twentieth-century commemorative can collecting with nineteenth-century pre-Prohibition history. This crossover appeal makes them popular among collectors specializing in pictorial sets, Indiana brewing heritage, and Pittsburgh Brewing issues.