Guinness's Ale Flat Top Can

Oakland's Guinness's Ale Flat Top

The Guinness's Ale Flat Top Can produced by the Goebel Brewing Company represents an intriguing chapter in mid-century American contract brewing. During the 1950s, Arthur Guinness Son & Co. partnered with Goebel to brew and can Guinness-branded beverages domestically for the United States market.

While the majority of Goebel's production took place at their primary facility in Detroit, Michigan, a select volume was brewed and packaged at their branch plant in Oakland, California. Goebel operated the Oakland brewery—previously the Golden West Brewing Company plant—for only a brief span during the 1950s before shuttering the location. Due to this short operational lifespan and localized West Coast distribution, cans bearing the Oakland brewery designation are significantly harder to find than their Detroit counterparts.

The label showcases traditional Guinness branding, displaying the iconic Irish harp trademark alongside bold typography and striking color contrasts. Known variations exist among surviving examples, differing subtly in bottom-rim mandatory texts, patent markings, and minor side-panel brewery information.

Among breweriana enthusiasts, the Oakland-marked Guinness's Ale can remains a prized centerpiece for collections centered on West Coast canning history, licensed foreign brandings, and mid-century graphic packaging.