Black Label, Carling Beer Flat Top Can

Carling's Cleveland Flat Top

The Carling Black Label flat top can from Cleveland, Ohio, is a celebrated piece of industrial and advertising history from Carling's major mid-century American expansion. The can originates from a notable industrial site: the former Peerless Motor Car Company plant on Quincy Avenue in Cleveland. Following the repeal of Prohibition, the luxury automotive factory was converted into a brewing facility by the Brewing Corporation of America, which later adopted the Carling Brewing Company name.

Black Label surged to national prominence during this era, driven by the famous "Hey Mabel, Black Label!" marketing campaign and broadcast sponsorships of local professional sports franchises, including the Cleveland Indians and Cleveland Browns.

The can features the recognizable red, white, and black color palette centered around bold cursive lettering and crest insignia. Produced primarily by the Continental Can Company, this issue is known to collectors for several variations across production runs. As Carling acquired and opened regional facilities across the country, the mandatory brewery text was updated, resulting in variations that feature Cleveland alone as well as versions listing multiple packaging cities such as Belleville, Illinois, and Natick, Massachusetts. Additionally, can collectors note variations across lid stampings, including regional state tax lids such as those stamped for Ohio and Michigan.