Gunther Old English Ale Flat Top Can

Gunther Old English Ale Flat Top

Produced by the Gunther Brewing Company of Baltimore, Maryland, the Gunther Old English Ale flat top is a classic piece of mid-Atlantic brewing history. Located on Baltimore's historic "Brewery Hill," Gunther was one of the city's premier post-Prohibition packaging breweries, engaged in a notable regional rivalry with neighboring National Brewing Company.

The label design is recognized for its detailed botanical motifs, showcasing grain stalks arching across the upper border and hop cones clustered near the bottom, framing the central oval branding. Manufactured using American Can Company’s "Keglined" process, the container was distributed widely across the Chesapeake region and surrounding states.

Among can collectors, known variations exist across different manufacturing runs. These include examples produced with Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) mandatory text as well as later non-IRTP issues. Other variations feature subtle shifts in the metallic background coloration—ranging from yellow to deeper gold and orange hues—along with state-specific tax lids and minor adjustments in the brewery's side-panel mandatory text.