Drewrys Extra Dry Beer Flat Top Can

The Elusive Chicago Drewrys Can

The Drewrys Extra Dry Beer flat top produced by Drewry's Ltd. in Chicago, Illinois, holds a celebrated place in breweriana collecting. While Drewrys traced its brand heritage to Canada and ran its primary United States operations out of South Bend, Indiana, cans bearing the Chicago mandatory statement are substantially scarcer and sought after by collectors.

The can features the iconic Canadian Mountie portrait set inside a shield motif, highlighting the brewery's historic northern roots. The bold script and crisp shield graphics made the container one of the most recognizable shelf designs in the mid-century Midwest market.

A notable piece of collector lore surrounds the Chicago cans: in the 1970s, a large group of them was discovered in an old Chicago tavern where they had been assembled into an elaborate pyramid display. Because the cans were soldered together to secure the towering installation, many surviving examples from this discovery feature telltale solder and heat marks on the seams and lids, tying them directly to Chicago bar history.

Fabrication was handled across major container manufacturers of the era, including the Continental Can Company and the American Can Company. Variations exist in seam markings, manufacturer insignias, and subtle text placements around the mandatory lines. Far less common than its Indiana-labeled counterpart, this Chicago-issued flat top remains a premier regional collectible.