Drewrys Extra Dry Beer Flat Top Can

Drewrys Extra Dry Flat Top Can

The Drewrys Extra Dry Beer Flat Top Can represents a defining mid-century package from one of the Midwest's most prominent regional brewing powerhouses. Canned by Drewrys Ltd. U.S.A., Inc. in South Bend, Indiana, this container held the company's flagship product during the golden age of American canned beer.

Brewery Heritage

Drewrys traced its lineage to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Following the repeal of Prohibition in the United States, founder E.L. Drewry expanded south of the border, purchasing the historic Muessel Brewing Company facility on Elwood Avenue in South Bend in 1936. By the mid-20th century, the South Bend operation had expanded dramatically, shipping millions of barrels across the Midwest and establishing Drewrys as an industrial titan in northern Indiana.

Can Design & Notable Variations

The flat top can artwork prominently highlighted Drewrys' Canadian roots, typically showcasing the brand's signature Royal Canadian Mounted Police figure alongside bold gothic lettering and crest motifs. The South Bend brewery contracted with major container manufacturers of the era, such as American Can Company and National Can Company, to produce the metal cans.

For breweriana collectors, Drewrys Extra Dry flat top cans are celebrated for the wide array of graphic and text variations produced over the years. Versions exist with opening instruction text on the side panels, while other production runs feature clean side panels with general company advertising. The brewery also produced notable promotional runs, such as horoscope and zodiac series panels as well as sports-themed artwork on the reverse side of the can. Different iterations can also be identified by variations in brewery mandatory text, state tax lid stamps, and internal revenue statements.

Legacy

The South Bend plant operated until November 1972 following its acquisition by G. Heileman Brewing Company. Today, Drewrys Extra Dry flat tops bearing the South Bend, Indiana mandatory line serve as prominent artifacts from the apex of Indiana's brewing industry.