International Old Dutch Beer Flat Top Can

International Old Dutch Flat Top

This 12-ounce flat top can represents the late 1950s to early 1960s transition era for one of Ohio's best-known regional beers. The container features a metallic finish accented by the corporate emblem of International Breweries Inc. (IBI), showing a globe graphic of the Americas surrounded by the company initials. Just above the primary red arch, an oval seal declares "Quality Certified by International's Master Brewers," while the lower rim carries the mandatory statement identifying the canning location as Findlay, Ohio.

The Old Dutch brand originated in Findlay around the turn of the twentieth century and gained a loyal following across the Midwest. For decades, the brand was famous for featuring an elderly couple enjoying beer and soup, a design adapted from the painting A Friend in Need. When the brand was folded into International Breweries Inc., corporate management modernized the packaging, reducing the heritage couple artwork to a small master brewers crest and highlighting the bold gothic lettering alongside the corporate IBI insignia. After the Findlay facility shut down, the Old Dutch label transferred to Associated Brewing Company and later other regional producers, including Queen City and Pittsburgh Brewing, which eventually revived the classic couple motif.

The brewery in Findlay traces its origins back to 1891 as the Brilliant City Brewery before being purchased by Peter Krantz in 1898 to form the Krantz Brewing Company. Krantz navigated Prohibition by producing near beer, sodas, and malt beverages, successfully resuming standard brewing operations after Repeal in 1933. In 1957, Krantz merged into International Breweries Inc., a multi-state brewing syndicate assembled to compete against emerging national brewing giants. Rising market pressures forced the conglomerate to shutter the Findlay plant in 1966, ending decades of local brewing in the city.

For breweriana enthusiasts, this can is an appealing artifact from the post-war consolidation era in American brewing. Its mid-century styling, metallic background, and distinctive corporate branding make it a memorable piece of Ohio's industrial brewing history.