Mc Sorley's Cream Ale 12 Oz Tab/Stay Top Can

McSorley's Philadelphia Ale Can

The McSorley's Cream Ale 12 Oz Tab/Stay Top Can represents a pivotal chapter in the packaging and distribution history of one of America's most legendary tavern brands. Originating from McSorley's Old Ale House—the historic Manhattan establishment founded in the mid-nineteenth century—the ale was originally produced locally in New York by Fidelio and later Rheingold. When brewing operations shifted to Pennsylvania under the corporate umbrella of Christian Schmidt Brewing Company, packaging bore the mandatory listing for McSorley's Ltd., Philadelphia, PA.

This transition marked the first era in which McSorley's signature ale was canned outside New York. The can design prominently showcases traditional Irish pub iconography, retaining the classic heritage typography and establishment lore that made the brand famous across the East Coast.

For breweriana collectors, the Philadelphia cans are highly sought after as artifacts documenting the shift of historic regional ales into wider contract brewing arrangements prior to later acquisitions by national brewing conglomerates. Collectors have documented notable variations of this can, primarily distinguished by slight shifts in mandatory text layout, can seam designs, and manufacturer markings.