Manhattan Premium Beer Flat Top Can

Manhattan Premium Beer Flat Top

Manufactured during the mid-1930s by the American Can Company, this twelve-ounce steel container represents a classic pre-war flat top design. It carries an "OT" state-mandated tax statement alongside a four-panel opening instruction guide on the reverse, cataloged under entry 517 in Kevin Lilek’s specialized guide to instructional cans. Visually, the design stands out for its bold Art Deco styling, anchored by a stark black silhouette of an urban skyline encircling the base with the word "BEER" reversed out in bold block letters. Positioned prominently above the skyline is the flowing brand script and an ornate heraldic shield crest featuring an eagle and an interlocking monogram.

Manhattan Premium was introduced as the post-Repeal namesake flagship for the brewery, marketed to evoke metropolitan sophistication despite being produced in the Midwest. Advertised across regional markets as an upscale, high-grade dinner beer, the brand relied on its sleek city aesthetic to distinguish itself on store shelves. While Manhattan remained a widely distributed label into the early 1940s, the company eventually shifted its promotional focus to Canadian Ace, which gradually eclipsed Manhattan as the firm's primary offering.

The Manhattan Brewing Company was established in 1893 on Chicago’s South Side along Emerald Avenue. The plant attained widespread notoriety during Prohibition when Chicago underworld figures, including Johnny Torrio and Al Capone, gained control of the business, using corporate fronts like Fort Dearborn Products to supply illicit beer throughout the region. Following Repeal, syndicate associate Louis Greenberg assumed ownership and returned the plant to legitimate operations under the Manhattan banner. In 1947, the business officially reorganized as the Canadian Ace Brewing Company, maintaining brewing operations on the South Side until post-war consolidation and market competition led to its closure in 1968.

Instructional flat tops from this era occupy an important niche in breweriana, marking the dawn of canned beer packaging. The Manhattan Premium can is particularly sought after for pairing memorable Art Deco skyline graphics with the colorful, infamous past of Chicago's brewing heritage.