Berghoff 1887 Beer Flat Top Can

Walter Brewing Berghoff 1887 Flat Top

Produced during the flat top era of the late 1950s and early 1960s, this twelve-ounce steel can represents a distinctive regional packaging variation of the historic Berghoff label. The face is highlighted by a red-and-yellow heraldic shield bearing an eagle perched above a bold block letter "B," set against oversized red-outlined numerals denoting the founding year 1887. The can designates the brew as "Pale EXTRA Dry BEER" in a mix of script and clean serif type, with the mandatory statement along the bottom gold rim confirming it was brewed and filled by The Walter Brewing Company in Pueblo, Colorado.

The Brand

The Berghoff brand dates back to 1887, when German immigrant Herman Berghoff and his brothers established the Berghoff Brewing Company in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The beer gained national fame through the Berghoff Restaurant in Chicago, which opened in 1898 and served the family's Dortmunder-style beer alongside traditional fare. Following the closure of the original Fort Wayne brewery in the mid-1950s, the brand name and recipes were licensed to other regional producers. Walter Brewing acquired rights to brew and package the brand, marketing "Berghoff 1887" as a premium, traditional lager to Western consumers while retaining the brand's time-tested heritage and visual identity.

The Brewery

The Walter Brewing Company was founded in Pueblo, Colorado, in 1898 by Martin and Christian Walter alongside their partners. Becoming a cornerstone of southern Colorado industry, the brewery persevered through state and federal Prohibition by producing soft drinks and near beer. Following Repeal in 1933, Walter Brewing modernized its operations and established a dominant regional footprint across the Rocky Mountain region. To compete in the post-war brewing landscape, the company expanded beyond its flagship labels by brewing numerous contract and licensed brands. Walter Brewing remained an independent local fixture until intensifying pressure from national brewing giants led to its closure in 1975.

Collecting Context

This flat top holds crossover appeal for both Rocky Mountain regional can enthusiasts and collectors of heritage Midwestern brand names. Because the Walter-brewed Berghoff cans were distributed in a relatively compact geographic footprint compared to national mass-market labels, clean indoor examples of this particular crest variation remain popular centerpieces in Western beer can collections.