Monticello Premium Ale Flat Top Can

Monticello Premium Ale Can Overview

The Monticello Premium Ale Flat Top Can was packaged under the Monticello name by Century Brewery Corporation at their historic Church Street and Washington Avenue facility in Norfolk, Virginia. Distributed primarily throughout the mid-Atlantic, the label represented one of several regional brands produced at the Norfolk plant.

Design and Manufacturer Details

The container features a distinct green-dominated graphic layout centered around the Monticello branding. Most examples were manufactured by the American Can Company and carry the familiar "Keglined" trademark insignia on the seam or side panel. Across various production runs, collectors have identified label variations involving font weight, mandatory alcohol labeling texts, manufacturer plant codes, and end lid configurations.

State Tax Stamps and Breweriana Significance

In accordance with mid-Atlantic alcohol laws of the era, many distributed cans were fitted with factory-applied Virginia state tax stamps printed or stamped directly onto the top or bottom lids. These official tax stamps add significant historical interest for regional breweriana specialists.

The can also gained attention in historical collecting circles when examples of Monticello Brewery cans were formally deaccessioned at auction by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation to benefit their conservation and acquisition funds. Although originally acquired by the foundation due to the thematic connection to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello estate, the cans drew substantial interest from regional packaging collectors.