Meister Brau Pilsener Beer Flat Top Can

Chicago's Meister Brau Pilsener

The Meister Brau Pilsener Beer flat top can represents a defining piece of Chicago brewing history. Produced by the Peter Hand Brewery Company—originally established in 1891 by Prussian immigrant and American Civil War veteran Peter Hand—Meister Brau served as the company's flagship label.

Operating from its long-standing facility on North Side Chicago, Peter Hand Brewing was deeply embedded in local sports and media culture, eventually standing as the city's last remaining large-scale brewery before closing in the late 1970s. The brewery also holds a prominent place in industry lore as the originator of Meister Brau Lite, the pioneering low-calorie formulation that was later sold to Miller Brewing and rebranded into Miller Lite.

For can collectors, the Meister Brau flat top container highlights an important era in Midwestern industrial packaging. The brewery issued multiple variations of the can over its lifespan. These include classic label executions displaying traditional gothic lettering alongside brewery crests, as well as illustrated pictorial issues featuring outdoor and scenic themes released under special multipacks.