Drewrys Extra Dry Beer Flat Top Can

The Chicago Drewrys Flat Top

Drewrys Extra Dry Beer produced by Drewrys Ltd. in Chicago, Illinois, represents a notable entry among mid-century Midwestern breweriana. Emblazoned with the brewery's iconic Canadian Mountie imagery and bold shield graphics, this can serves as a hallmark artifact of the brand's distinctive marketing identity.

The Chicago Mandatory

While the vast majority of Drewrys cans found in collections feature the flagship South Bend, Indiana mandatory, examples displaying the Chicago, Illinois plant designation are considerably more elusive. Drewrys maintained operations in Chicago to supply the surrounding metropolitan area, but substantially fewer cans bearing the Chicago imprint survived in comparison to their Indiana counterparts. As a result, securing a Chicago-labeled flat top is widely considered a key milestone for regional specialists and brand completists.

The Bar Pyramid Discovery

One of the most enduring stories in can collecting lore surrounds a discovery made during the 1970s inside a Chicago neighborhood tavern. Decades prior, a proprietor had built an elaborate backbar display by soldering empty Chicago Drewrys flat tops together into a large pyramid. When the display was later dismantled, these salvaged cans entered the collector community, forever associating the Chicago canning run with this famous urban find.

Can Variations

Collectors recognize several variations of the Chicago Drewrys Extra Dry can. These variations reflect minor changes throughout production runs, including different can manufacturing logos, subtle adjustments to the mandatory text layout, and differing background finishes ranging from satin silver metallic to solid enameled steel.