Burgemeister Premium Beer Flat Top Can

Warsaw's Burgemeister Flat Top

This 12-ounce flat top container features an enameled finish and originates from the Warsaw Brewing Corporation of Warsaw, Illinois. A defining chronological marker on this release is the inclusion of a postal ZIP code within the mandatory brewery identification text, confirming its manufacture after the United States Post Office rolled out the five-digit coding system in 1963. The face of the can is anchored by the script brand name set across a bold diagonal red banner, accompanied by the brewery's distinctive winged horseshoe emblem printed above the sash.

The Brand

The Burgemeister brand traces its ancestry back to pre-Prohibition Illinois brewing, when the local brewery marketed labels such as "Burg'Meister" and "Burg Bräu." Following the repeal of Prohibition, the brewery revived the title using the "Burgemeister" spelling, distinguishing it from the unrelated West Coast "Burgermeister" brand. Positioned as the company's flagship premium lager, Burgemeister was widely distributed across western Illinois, eastern Iowa, and northeastern Missouri. It remained a mainstay of the brewery's portfolio throughout post-war decades until operations ended in the early 1970s.

The Brewery

Warsaw Brewing Corporation was situated atop the Mississippi River bluffs in the historic town of Warsaw, Illinois. The enterprise originated in the early 1860s under Rudolph Giller and Martin Popel, eventually flourishing as the Popel-Giller Brewing Company. During Prohibition, the plant survived by producing soda, syrups, and near-beer. Reorganized after Repeal, the business adopted the Warsaw Brewing Corporation name and maintained steady production for decades. Facing intense pressure from massive national shipping breweries and aging equipment, Warsaw finally ceased brewing in 1972.

Collecting Context

Cans from Warsaw Brewing Corporation carry strong regional appeal among Midwestern breweriana collectors. As a small-town brewery operating well outside the major metropolitan hub of Chicago, Warsaw's mid-century packaging represents a classic chapter of independent Mississippi River brewing history.