Meister Brau Real Draft Beer Draft Flat Top Can

Peter Hand Meister Brau Flat Top

The Meister Brau Real Draft flat top beer can represents a significant piece of mid-century brewing history from the Peter Hand Brewing Company of Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1891 by Prussian immigrant and Civil War veteran Peter Hand at North and Sheffield Avenues, the brewery grew to become one of the region's largest independent operations. Meister Brau stood as the brewery's most celebrated and recognizable flagship label across several decades.

Marketed prominently with the "Real Draft" distinction, this flat top can design features the classic woodgrain pattern backdrop complemented by bold gold, white, and red typography centering the traditional Meister Brau brand identity. For collectors of Chicago breweriana, several variations exist across different production runs, exhibiting subtle differences in seam assembly, manufacturer marks, and side-panel regulatory statements.

Beyond its packaging, the brand carried a major cultural footprint in the Midwest through broad advertising and sports sponsorships, as well as the long-running Meister Brau Showcase broadcast on Chicago's WGN-Radio. The Peter Hand facility holds an important place in industrial history as the last macro-brewery to operate within the Chicago city limits before closing its doors, cementing these cans as iconic regional centerpieces.