Meister Brau Real Draft Flat Top Can

Peter Hand Meister Brau Draft Can

The Meister Brau Real Draft flat top can represents a notable piece of Chicago brewing history, produced by the Peter Hand Brewing Company from its facility at North and Sheffield Avenues. Founded in 1891 by Prussian immigrant and Civil War veteran Peter Hand, the brewery grew into one of the city's most recognized beverage institutions, eventually standing as Chicago's last legacy commercial brewery before closing in the late 1970s.

Meister Brau served as Peter Hand's flagship label for decades. The "Real Draft" flat top design is celebrated among breweriana collectors for its faux-woodgrain background, shield insignia, and distinctive typography. This packaging reflected the company's aggressive mid-century regional marketing, which included prominent Chicago sports sponsorships, widespread billboard campaigns, and overnight radio programs.

The can also carries historical interest due to Peter Hand's pivotal role in 20th-century brewing developments. The brewery eventually adopted the Meister Brau corporate name and popularized reduced-calorie formulations before selling its brand portfolio to the Miller Brewing Company in the 1970s.

Among collectors, various manufacturing variations are known to exist, exhibiting minor differences in lid imprint markings, side-panel text layout, and regulatory statements. It remains a sought-after staple of mid-century Midwestern can collecting.