Old Crown Beer Flat Top Can

Centlivre's Postwar Old Crown Flat Top

This 12-ounce flat top can represents a classic postwar release from the Centlivre Brewing Corporation of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Documented in reference literature under entry 590 in Bob Lilek's guide, this version bears the statutory "INTERNAL REVENUE TAX PAID" notice across the upper banner alongside the prominent "LAZY AGED" caption arched above the brand lettering. The packaging design is framed by ornate heraldic borders, repeating crown bands, and a Centlivre family crest shield noting "SINCE 1862".

Following the repeal of Prohibition, Centlivre introduced the Old Crown label, which swiftly grew into the brewery's flagship line. In the 1940s, the company launched its popular "Lazy Aged" marketing campaign, promoting the concept that the brew was given extensive, unhurried aging to reach peak flavor perfection. Advertising featured a whimsical sleepy figure napping on a cloud to emphasize the slow-maturing process, setting the brand apart from rapidly brewed mass-market competitors in the Midwest market.

The brewery traced its origins to 1862, when French-born cooper Charles Louis Centlivre established the French Brewery along the St. Joseph River. After a destructive fire in 1889, the company rebuilt a modern facility and grew into one of Fort Wayne's most prominent industrial staples, even operating a dedicated streetcar route to supply local establishments and rail lines. The company weathered Prohibition by pivoting to ice manufacturing and cold storage, resuming beer production in 1933. Following substantial postwar plant modernization in 1950, the brewery was later reorganized as the Old Crown Brewing Corporation before ceasing local operations in 1973.

For vintage beer can collectors, this container represents a treasured artifact of Indiana's brewing heritage. It exemplifies mid-century lithographed steel packaging, pairing detailed heraldic graphic art with tax-mandated markings from a celebrated regional brewer.