Meister Brau Pilsener Beer Flat Top Can

Chicago's Peter Hand Meister Brau

The Meister Brau Pilsener Beer flat top represents the flagship label of the historic Peter Hand Brewing Company of Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1891 by Prussian immigrant and Civil War veteran Peter Hand on Sheffield Avenue, the brewery grew into one of the most prominent regional brewing forces in the Midwest, anchoring its corporate identity around the Meister Brau name.

Peter Hand aggressively promoted Meister Brau across the Chicago metropolitan market through extensive broadcast marketing and local sports sponsorships, backing teams such as the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks, and Chicago Bulls. The label was also synonymous with regional entertainment through its long-running sponsorship of the Meister Brau Showcase hosted by Franklyn MacCormack on WGN radio.

The Peter Hand Brewing Company holds a notable place in American brewing history as the launchpad for the modern light beer market. After acquiring a low-carbohydrate formula originally developed for Gablinger's Diet Beer, the brewery introduced Meister Brau Lite. When financial difficulties forced a sale in 1972, Miller Brewing Company purchased the Meister Brau labels and formulation, ultimately transforming Meister Brau Lite into Miller Lite. When Peter Hand finally ceased operations in 1978, it marked the closure of the last legacy macro-brewery in the city of Chicago.

For collectors of Midwest breweriana, the Meister Brau Pilsener flat top is a quintessential artifact of mid-century industrial Chicago. Multiple variations exist across manufacturing runs, exhibiting slight differences in can company lithography markings, mandatory text arrangements, and logo details.