Champ Ale 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Champ Ale from Century Brewery

The Champ Ale 12 oz tab top can was produced for Century Brewery in Norfolk, Virginia. The Norfolk plant, situated near Church Street and Washington Avenue, held a prominent place in Virginia's mid-century brewing history, operating after Jacob Ruppert and prior to the facility's official rebranding under Champale Products Corporation.

Because Norfolk had relatively few commercial packaging breweries during the post-Prohibition era, breweriana from Century is highly sought after by Virginia regional collectors and malt beverage enthusiasts. The Champ Ale brand served as an important bridge in the evolution of sparkling malt beverages and specialty ales originating from the brewery's portfolio.

Collectors have documented variations of this can, featuring subtle shifts in corporate naming designations, state tax markings, and label graphic details from different canning runs. The can remains a quintessential artifact of Norfolk's industrial brewing heritage.