Goldcrest 51 Premium Beer Flat Top Can

Goldcrest 51 Flat Top Can

The Goldcrest 51 Premium Beer Flat Top Can represents a key piece of Southern brewing history from the Tennessee Brewing Company in Memphis, Tennessee. Established in 1885 by German immigrant John Wolfgang Schorr, the Tennessee Brewing Company grew into one of the largest brewing operations in the American South prior to Prohibition.

Following Repeal, the brewery introduced the "51" brand designation in 1936 to commemorate its fifty-first anniversary in business. Goldcrest 51 quickly established itself as the company's flagship brand, dominating regional distribution across Tennessee and neighboring states throughout the middle of the twentieth century until the brewery ceased operations in the 1950s.

The flat top container showcases the classic Goldcrest insignia, bold serif typography, and distinct mid-century graphic layout typical of the Memphis brewery's packaging. Collectors recognize variations of this can, which reflect manufacturing differences such as canning plant marks and subtle alterations in mandatory brewery tax and copyright text.

The Tennessee Brewery building itself—a massive Romanesque Revival structure overlooking the Mississippi River—remained a prominent landmark in Memphis long after the brewery closed, contributing to the strong historical interest in breweriana from the facility. As one of the premier post-Prohibition labels from the Mid-South, this flat top can remains a staple for collectors of regional Southern beer containers.