Gettelman Milwaukee Beer Flat Top Can

Gettelman Milwaukee Flat Top Can

The Gettelman Milwaukee Beer flat top can represents an iconic piece of Wisconsin breweriana produced by the A. Gettelman Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Operating from 1856 until its acquisition by the Miller Brewing Company in 1961, Gettelman held a distinctive position as the smallest of Milwaukee's celebrated "Big Five" breweries alongside Schlitz, Pabst, Miller, and Blatz.

Despite operating in the shadow of larger local rivals, Gettelman distinguished itself through memorable advertising campaigns and creative packaging. The Gettelman Milwaukee Beer flat top design prominently highlights the historic Gettelman moniker and Milwaukee heritage from the brewery's Menomonee Valley plant.

For collectors of Midwestern breweriana, Gettelman flat tops are especially notable for their graphic diversity. Known variations exist across production runs, spanning standard metallic label layouts as well as specialty outdoor and sportsmen-themed pictorial series depicting activities such as fishing. Other known variations include differences in mandatory brewery text and canning marks. Because independent production ceased with Miller's buyout in 1961, authentic Gettelman-labeled flat top cans remain enduring artifacts of Milwaukee's competitive brewing heritage.