Gettelman Milwaukee Beer Flat Top Can

Gettelman Milwaukee Beer Flat Top Can

This 12-ounce flat top can represents a classic mid-century design produced for the A. Gettelman Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Set against a horizontally pinstriped cream background, the front panel is anchored by a dark maroon crest prominently displaying the Gettelman name, accompanied by small golden accent stars and an arched lower ribbon reading "MILWAUKEE BEER." Positioned directly atop the crest is the brewer's distinctive emblem: a stylized hand raising a pilsner glass, encircled by a golden grain wreath set against a rich red semi-circular backdrop.

The Brand

Gettelman positioned its beer as a high-standard, traditional lager deeply rooted in German-American brewing craftsmanship. Built on uncompromised quality, the brand established fierce regional loyalty across Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest. Over the decades, Gettelman marketed its products through memorable promotional campaigns, ranging from its historic late-nineteenth-century purity challenge to mid-century graphic presentations celebrating Wisconsin sporting life and leisure culture.

The Brewery

The brewery originated in 1856 when George Schweickhart founded the Menomonee Brewery in Milwaukee's Menomonee River Valley. Adam Gettelman joined as a partner in 1871 and assumed full ownership in 1876, formally establishing the A. Gettelman Brewing Company. Gettelman held a revered local identity as the smallest of Milwaukee's famed "Big Five" breweries, sharing the city with titans like Pabst, Schlitz, Blatz, and neighboring Miller. The brewery survived Prohibition by producing near beer and malt syrups before resuming standard brewing operations upon Repeal. Gettelman remained an independent, family-managed brewery until 1961, when the facility and brand portfolio were acquired by the Miller Brewing Company.

Collecting Context

For breweriana collectors, flat top cans from Gettelman represent a prized chapter in Midwestern brewing heritage. Because Gettelman was the smallest and most localized of Milwaukee's historic industrial brewers, its mid-century can designs—especially variations differentiated by specific graphic accents like wreath coloring—are sought-after centerpieces for Wisconsin and vintage flat top collections.