Gunther's Old English Ale Flat Top Can

Gunther's Old English Ale Flat Top

Produced by the Gunther Brewing Company in Baltimore, Maryland, the Gunther's Old English Ale flat top represents an important era of Mid-Atlantic brewing heritage. Based out of Baltimore's historic brewing district in Highlandtown along O'Donnell Street, Gunther stood as one of Maryland's premier brewing powerhouses, engaging in a celebrated crosstown rivalry with the nearby National Brewing Company.

The can's graphic design stands out among regional releases of the period. The artwork showcases detailed agricultural motifs, featuring elegant stalks of grain arching along the upper border and clusters of hops anchoring the lower perimeter. These botanical elements frame the Old English Ale lettering, accompanied by Gunther's traditional branding and the American Can Company "Keglined" oval insignia.

For breweriana enthusiasts, this can is a sought-after find that appears far less frequently than its standard lager counterparts. Collectors track known variations that feature subtle differences across production runs, including shifts in the intensity of the background gold and orange coloration, as well as the presence or absence of Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) statutory statements.

During the peak of its distribution across Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., Delaware, and Pennsylvania, Gunther was renowned for its ambitious regional marketing, famously sponsoring the widely heard radio quiz program A Quiz of Two Cities. Today, the Gunther's Old English Ale flat top remains a classic centerpiece for regional Maryland collections and vintage breweriana displays.