Old Crown Premium Quality Ale Flat Top Can

Centlivre Old Crown Ale Can

The Old Crown Premium Quality Ale Flat Top Can represents a key piece of Indiana brewing history, produced by the Centlivre Brewing Corporation of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Founded in 1862 by French immigrant Charles Louis Centlivre along Spy Run Creek, the brewery established itself as a regional powerhouse and later became the first brewery in northern Indiana to package its products in metal cans.

Brewery History & Branding

Centlivre initially partnered with the American Can Company during the late 1930s to produce cans, introducing the "Old Crown" brand to consumers as what would quickly become the brewery's most famous and long-running flagship label. The Old Crown line was heavily promoted throughout the Midwest with memorable advertising motifs, including the notable "Lazy Aged" campaign highlighting the brewery's patience and craftsmanship.

Design Features & Variations

The can showcases the classic Old Crown insignia, centered around a detailed royal crown emblem and mid-century industrial typography emphasizing its premium ale designation. Known variations exist across the label's production lifespan, featuring subtle differences in metallic background finishes, distinct background hues, and shifting brewery text that traces the company's evolution before it officially renamed itself the Old Crown Brewing Corporation.

Centlivre was deeply woven into Fort Wayne's civic identity, even operating a dedicated trolley spur to transport products from the plant. As a result, authentic cans bearing the original Centlivre name remain highly sought-after centerpieces of Midwestern brewing memorabilia.