Meister Brau Bock Flat Top Can

Peter Hand Meister Brau Bock

The Meister Brau Bock flat top can represents a significant piece of Chicago brewing history, produced by the Peter Hand Brewing Company on the city's North Side. Founded in 1891 by Prussian immigrant and Civil War veteran Peter Hand, the brewery grew into one of the Midwest's most prominent regional brewing enterprises and eventually became the final legacy industrial brewery operating within Chicago city limits.

Bock beers were brewed and canned as seasonal offerings, typically released in late winter and early spring. Because of their limited seasonal release window, bock cans were produced in considerably smaller volumes compared to the brewery's year-round flagship Meister Brau lagers, making them especially sought after by collectors specializing in Chicago breweriana.

The can's design showcases the traditional bock goat motif paired with the established heraldic Meister Brau branding and bold mid-century typography. Throughout its manufacturing run, multiple variations of the can were released to the market. These variations differ in brewery mandatory text, canning line manufacturing marks, and lid stampings.

The Peter Hand brewery and its Meister Brau label hold a notable position in American brewing lore. In the 1960s, the company developed Meister Brau Lite, a reduced-calorie formulation that was later purchased by the Miller Brewing Company in the early 1970s and subsequently rebranded into the internationally famous Miller Lite. Cans bearing the original Peter Hand Meister Brau name remain cherished centerpieces in collections celebrating Chicago's industrial heritage.