Manhattan Premium Beer Flat Top Can

Manhattan Premium Beer Can History

The Manhattan Premium Beer Flat Top Can represents a notable chapter in mid-century Midwestern brewing and American container history. Produced by the Manhattan Brewing Company of Chicago, Illinois, this can originates from an era of rapid packaging innovation when the brewery grew into one of the largest producers of canned beer in the nation.

Brewery History and Organized Crime Ties

Manhattan Brewing Company, established in Chicago in 1893, carries one of the most colorful backstories in the industry. Prior to and during Prohibition, the brewery became associated with prominent Chicago Outfit figures, including Johnny Torrio, with operations later overseen by associates tied to Al Capone and Frank Nitti. The facility survived Prohibition under alternate corporate identities—such as Fort Dearborn Products Company—before returning to standard brewing operations following Repeal.

Canned Beer Expansion

Following Repeal, Manhattan quickly adapted to emerging packaging methods, adopting American Can Company's "Keglined" containers. The brewery expanded distribution across the Midwest and beyond, making Manhattan Premium one of its core offerings. By the late 1930s, Manhattan's canning volume surged to rival major national competitors.

Can Attributes and Variations

The Manhattan Premium design incorporates bold period typography alongside classic Chicago mandatory text and opening instruction panels. Early production runs feature "Internal Revenue Tax Paid" (IRTP) notices, reflecting the statutory tax markings of the era.

Variations of this can exist among collectors, exhibiting differences in side-panel patent verbiage, copyright notices, and American Can Company manufacturing codes. The brewery later rebranded as the Canadian Ace Brewing Company, cementing original Manhattan-branded cans as enduring artifacts of Chicago's industrial brewing heritage.