Edel Brau Beer Flat Top Can

Brooklyn's Pre-War Edel Brau Can

The Edel Brau Beer flat top can dates to the late 1930s pre-World War II era, bearing the mandatory Internal Revenue Tax Paid statement required during this manufacturing window. Holding 12 ounces, this steel container features prominent Germanic design elements, including bold Gothic-style lettering for the brand name, an ornate cartouche crowned by a detailed heraldic lion, and decorative rope-pattern borders accenting both the upper and lower rims.

The brand was introduced to provide consumers with a classic German-style lager that honored traditional European brewing methods. Edel Brau was marketed across the New York metropolitan area as an authentic, heritage-driven brew suited for local neighborhood taverns and retailers. After World War II, the company updated the brand's presentation and shifted the spelling to the more phonetic "Edelbrew," which remained the primary label until the facility ceased brewing.

The brewery behind the can, Edelbrau Brewery, Inc., was located in the historic brewing hub of Bushwick in Brooklyn, New York. The site had deep roots extending back to nineteenth-century operations, notably the Otto Huber Brewery. Under the leadership of Edward B. Hittleman, the facility survived Prohibition and re-emerged in the post-Repeal market under various operating names before becoming Edelbrau in 1937. Although the brewery maintained a solid local presence, post-war economic pressures and intensifying competition from large regional and national shipping brewers led to its eventual shutdown in 1951.

Among breweriana enthusiasts, pre-war flat top cans from New York City are highly regarded historical artifacts. This can captures a pivotal moment in Brooklyn's industrial past when local neighborhood breweries flourished. Containers featuring the earlier "Brau" spelling instead of the later postwar "Brew" variation hold special significance for collectors focused on East Coast brewing heritage.