Drewrys Genuine Bock Flat Top Can

Drewrys Genuine Bock Flat Top Can

The Drewrys Genuine Bock flat top is a 12-ounce steel can produced for Drewry's Ltd. in South Bend, Indiana. The label is anchored by a large central shield emblem framing the bold brand name along with "GENUINE" and "BOCK BEER." Positioned between the words "BOCK" and "BEER" is a smaller crest displaying the company's trademark Canadian Mountie illustration flanked by two white stars. Beneath the lower curve of the primary shield, the script slogan "A Famous Name Since 1877" highlights the brand's 19th-century origins.

The Drewrys brewing legacy began in 1877 when Edward Lancaster Drewry founded a brewery in Winnipeg, Manitoba. After the repeal of Prohibition in the United States, the business expanded southward to capture the re-emerging American beer market. The company leaned heavily into its northern roots, adopting the red-coated Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer as its primary advertising mascot across packaging, signage, and print campaigns. While Drewrys Extra Dry served as the brewery's flagship year-round product, Drewrys Genuine Bock was packaged as a darker, malt-accentuated seasonal offering traditionally released in late winter and early spring.

Drewrys established its American manufacturing center in 1936 after acquiring the former Muessel Brewing Company facility on Elmwood Avenue in South Bend, Indiana. Reorganized as Drewrys Ltd. U.S.A., the company invested in facility upgrades and developed into one of the leading regional breweries across the Midwest. Industry consolidation during the 1960s prompted Drewrys to merge into the Associated Brewing Company in 1966. In 1972, G. Heileman Brewing Company purchased the brewing properties, resulting in the permanent shutdown of the South Bend brewery shortly thereafter.

Seasonal bock cans occupy a celebrated niche among vintage beer can collectors. Because bock was brewed strictly as a limited-run specialty compared to standard lagers, cans like Drewrys Genuine Bock were manufactured in far smaller quantities than everyday production runs. As a result, this flat top is an appealing piece for enthusiasts specializing in Indiana breweriana, Mountie-themed advertising, and mid-century graphic design.