Drewrys Extra Dry Beer Flat Top Can

Drewrys Extra Dry Beer Flat Top Can

This 12-ounce flat top can features Drewrys Extra Dry Beer, produced by Drewrys Limited U.S.A. Inc. in South Bend, Indiana. Printed with an enamel silver finish, this particular release includes mandatory New York State address markings along the label. The face design is framed by a bold red-and-white oval bearing the slogans "IT'S GOOD · REALLY GOOD" across the upper arc and "A FAMOUS NAME SINCE 1877" at the bottom, flanked by statements emphasizing vault aging and choice brewing materials. Anchoring the upper center is an ornate heraldic crest depicting the brand's signature mascot: a red-coated Canadian Mountie positioned alongside his horse.

The Drewrys brand traces its lineage back to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where Edward Lancaster Drewry established his brewing enterprise in 1877. When the company entered the United States following the repeal of Prohibition, it leaned heavily into its northern heritage, utilizing the Mountie figure and Canadian references to establish brand prestige. Drewrys Extra Dry served as a flagship offering, marketed across the Midwest with memorable promotional slogans that celebrated the brew's clean profile and heritage.

The South Bend brewing complex occupied historic grounds originally established in 1852 by the Muessel family. In 1936, the defunct Muessel property was acquired to manufacture Drewrys products south of the border. The plant grew into a Midwestern powerhouse over the subsequent decades, eventually merging into the Associated Brewing Company consortium in 1963. Facing rising pressure from national mega-breweries in the 1970s, the brand and plant were acquired by the G. Heileman Brewing Company in 1972, which shut down the South Bend brewery later that same year.

For vintage can enthusiasts, flat tops from prominent regional breweries showcase the vibrant mid-century commercial artwork of the canning era. The Drewrys Mountie graphic stands out as one of the most recognizable emblems in twentieth-century breweriana. Furthermore, variants with specific state tax or distribution statements provide collectors with historical documentation of how regional brewers navigated interstate commerce regulations.