Old Chicago Bock Test Can

Old Chicago Bock Test Can

The Old Chicago Bock Test Can is a straight steel tab top container produced during the 1970s revival era of Chicago’s historic Peter Hand Brewery. Conceived as a seasonal extension of the brewery's revived flagship line, this test piece showcases prominent bock iconography that distinguishes it from issued production cans. An arched, red-bordered scroll across the upper label proclaims the brew as a genuine bock fermented from custom-blended dark roasted malts, choice grain, and exceptionally pure water under the Peter Hand Brewery Co. name. Flanking the central shield are two stylized red goats—the traditional hallmark of German bock brewing—standing over bold red numerals denoting 1891, the brewery's founding year, framing the company's armored hand-and-gauntlet crest.

Old Chicago was introduced in the early 1970s to spearhead a resurgence of traditional local brewing. Designed to tap into civic pride and turn-of-the-century heritage, the brand emphasized historical roots and old-world craftsmanship. Marketed across the Midwest in lager and dark beer formulations, Old Chicago fought to establish a local stronghold against dominant national mega-brewers. While label concepts and test runs were prepared for a companion bock beer, the seasonal release saw little to no commercial distribution before the Old Chicago portfolio was ultimately retired.

Peter Hand Brewing Company was founded in 1891 by Prussian immigrant and Civil War veteran Peter Hand on Sheffield Avenue in Chicago. The brewery grew into a beloved Windy City institution, surviving Prohibition through the production of sodas, tonics, and near-beer. In the post-repeal decades, it flourished as a major regional competitor driven by its Meister Bräu label. During the 1960s, the company developed the pioneering Meister Bräu Lite formula, but aggressive national expansion created financial distress. In 1972, the recipes and trademarks were sold to the Miller Brewing Company, while a consortium of investors purchased the original Chicago plant, revived the Peter Hand moniker, and launched the Old Chicago label. The operation finally closed in 1978, ending nearly nine decades of brewing at the iconic facility.

Test cans occupy a prized niche among breweriana enthusiasts, capturing packaging trials and creative concepts that never made it into full distribution. For regional historians and bock specialists, this can stands as a compelling artifact from the final chapter of Chicago's last legacy production brewery.