Krueger's Bock Flat Top Can

Krueger's Bock Flat Top History

Produced by the historic G. Krueger Brewing Company of Newark, New Jersey, the Krueger's Bock flat top can occupies a celebrated place among breweriana collectors. Krueger holds distinction in the industry as the pioneering brewery that first partnered with the American Can Company to bring canned beer to the commercial market in the mid-1930s.

While Krueger’s regular flagship beers enjoyed widespread year-round distribution, the Bock was brewed strictly as a traditional seasonal offering. Because seasonal bocks were packaged in limited quantities and available for only a short window each spring, these cans saw significantly lower overall production volume than the brewery's standard cream ales and lagers.

The can design is renowned for its bold graphic presentation, featuring a prominent bock ram's head alongside the brewery’s famous mascot, the smiling "K-Man". Over the course of the brand's run, the container experienced minor graphic and layout updates. Known variations across different production batches include instructional versions with opening diagrams on the reverse side as well as later non-instructional examples, along with minor differences in mandatory text, tax notices, and trademark placements.

Between the brewery's legacy as the originator of canned beer and the perennial popularity of goat-themed bock graphics, the Krueger's Bock flat top remains a quintessential centerpiece in vintage breweriana collections.