Hedrick Lager Beer 12 Oz Zip Top Can

Albany's Hedrick Lager Zip Top

The Hedrick Lager Beer 12 oz zip top can represents a notable chapter in the brewing heritage of Albany, New York. Produced by the Hedrick Brewing Company, this can comes from an operation with nineteenth-century roots that grew into one of the Capital Region's most enduring local brewing enterprises.

Throughout much of its mid-century history, Hedrick Brewing Company was famously intertwined with Albany's political scene. Longtime Albany County political leader Daniel P. O'Connell served as president and treasurer of the brewery. Due to his sweeping political influence, neighborhood taverns and establishments across the region regularly kept Hedrick on tap and on shelves, solidifying the brand's place in local lore.

The can's design features bold "Hedrick" branding, often accented by the brewery's trademark slogan, "Still The Best," along with traditional heraldic crest imagery. For collectors of regional breweriana, this zip top container is particularly notable because it captures the transition to self-opening can technology shortly before the Albany facility ceased its local brewing operations in the mid-1960s. As the company navigated industry consolidation, the brand name and packaging were also produced under arrangement in neighboring states, such as Massachusetts.

Collectors recognize variations in the label's finish, graphic layout, and mandatory regulatory markings—such as state-specific tax shields printed for broader distribution. Serving as a tangible artifact of New York State brewing history and Albany's colorful machine politics, this can remains an appealing centerpiece for East Coast can collections.