Meister Brau Real Draft Flat Top Can

Chicago's Real Draft Flat Top Can

The Meister Brau Real Draft Flat Top Can represents a notable chapter in the rich industrial brewing history of Chicago, Illinois. Packaged by the Peter Hand Brewery Company (which later operated as Meister Brau, Inc.), this can held the company's signature brew, which served as a dominant force in the Chicago regional market.

Brewery Heritage

Founded in 1891 by Prussian immigrant and Civil War veteran Peter Hand on North Avenue, the brewery grew into one of the Midwest's premier regional producers. Following the repeal of Prohibition, the Peter Hand Brewery remained a deeply rooted Chicago institution. It held significant cultural influence throughout the city, heavily sponsoring local sports teams and broadcast programs. The brewery ultimately became the last operating legacy macro-brewery in Chicago before operations ceased in the late 1970s.

Design and Collector Details

The Real Draft flat top can is known among breweriana enthusiasts for its distinctive design, characterized by bold brand typography set against a stylized woodgrain background.

Variations of this can exist across different production runs, differing in small details such as brewery mandatory text formatting, canning manufacturer stamps, and top lid designs—including examples that showcase stylized vanity lids. While the primary brewery credit belongs to Chicago, certain examples reflect expanded production arrangements featuring secondary city listings such as Toledo, Ohio.

Because the Peter Hand brewing operation later played a pivotal role in brewing history—originating the recipe and brand concepts later purchased by the Miller Brewing Company to create Miller Lite—Meister Brau cans remain essential pieces of Midwestern canning history.