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 iconic release from the city's historic brewing district in Highlandtown along O'Donnell Street. Operating directly across from its major crosstown rival, the National Brewing Company, Gunther was one of the premier regional brewing powerhouses of the Mid-Atlantic.

The can's graphic layout is widely celebrated for its detailed agricultural motif. The artwork features arched stalks of grain framing the upper perimeter and clusters of hops anchoring the lower border. These botanical illustrations enclose the traditional "Old English Ale" lettering and the American Can Company "Keglined" oval insignia.

Among breweriana collectors, the Old English Ale can is considerably scarcer than Gunther's flagship lager releases. Collectors track known variations across production runs, which exhibit differences such as shifts between lighter and darker gold or orange background coloration, as well as the presence or absence of the Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) statutory statement. During its distribution throughout Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C., Gunther was widely recognized for its ambitious advertising, including its long-running sponsorship of the popular radio show A Quiz of Two Cities. Today, this can serves as a classic centerpiece for Mid-Atlantic regional collections.