Old German Brand Draft Flat Top Can

Hammonton's Old German Draft Can

The Old German Brand Draft flat top can represents a notable chapter in Mid-Atlantic brewing history, originating from Eastern Brewing Corporation in Hammonton, New Jersey. Hammonton, widely recognized as a major agricultural hub, was home to Eastern Brewing as its sole commercial brewery, operating out of its facility on North Washington Street.

Eastern Brewing Corporation became famous throughout the breweriana community for its extensive portfolio of regional labels, contract brews, and revived heritage brand names. The brewery acquired the rights to historic trademarks and produced a vast array of budget and supermarket labels. Among these offerings, the Old German line held a prominent place, packaged in various iterations over the decades.

The Draft variant of the Old German flat top is celebrated among collectors for its bold presentation, prominently displaying the 'Draft' designation alongside traditional heraldic and Germanic graphic elements that were popular during the mid-century canned beer market. Eastern Brewing's cans from this era showcase the industrial lithography techniques used to catch the eye of regional consumers in discount stores and local beverage outlets across the East Coast.

During the peak of the beer can collecting boom, Eastern Brewing Corporation became legendary among hobbyists. Collectors frequently made trips directly to the Hammonton plant in search of different canned labels, as the brewery was known to switch production runs rapidly across a wide spectrum of proprietary brands. Variations of Old German cans exist across different canning runs and graphic updates, making individual examples of interest to regional specialists and brand enthusiasts. Today, this can serves as a classic artifact of New Jersey's brewing landscape and Eastern Brewing Corporation's prolific output.