Narragansett Select Stock Lager Beer Flat Top Can

Narragansett Select Stock Lager Can

This 12-ounce flat top can represents Narragansett Brewing Company's production during the era requiring an Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) mandatory statement. The container features striking lithography dominated by metallic copper and yellow bands, centered around a rich green circle and massive, shadowed block lettering for "LAGER." Framed within the upper crest is the brewery's trademark seal surrounded by barley ears and hops, bearing the famous company motto, "Made on Honor, Sold on Merit".

The Brand

Following the repeal of Prohibition, Select Stock Lager was positioned alongside Banquet Ale as one of Narragansett's staple post-repeal offerings. Marketed throughout the Northeast as a crisp, well-crafted brew, the brand was promoted heavily on tin and porcelain trays, back-bar signage, and promotional displays across New England. While the brewery consolidated its branding in later decades under simpler naming conventions, Narragansett built an enduring cultural identity around catchy regional slogans like "Hi Neighbor, Have a 'Gansett!" and high-profile regional sports sponsorships.

The Brewery

Narragansett Brewing Company was founded in Cranston, Rhode Island, in 1890 by a group of investors that included German-American brewmaster John H. Kroll and industrialist Rudolph F. Haffenreffer. Through innovative refrigeration and transport, the brewery grew rapidly to become a regional powerhouse. During Prohibition, it maintained operations by manufacturing near-beer, soda, and ice, while also securing permits to produce medicinal alcohol. After repeal, massive investments transformed the Cranston brewery into the largest brewing operation in New England. In 1965, the brewery was purchased by the Falstaff Brewing Corporation. Pressured by national industry consolidation, the Cranston brewery finally closed its doors in 1981, though the brand name was later revived by local investors.

Collecting Context

Early flat top cans from the late 1930s and 1940s are widely admired in the breweriana hobby for their intricate graphic design and pre-modern aesthetic. This Select Stock Lager flat top remains a celebrated piece among collectors due to its metallic copper color palette, historic slogan crest, and iconic status in Rhode Island industrial history.