Old German Style Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Peter Hand Old German Tab Top

The Old German Style Beer 12 oz tab top can represents a notable chapter in Chicago's industrial brewing heritage. Produced by the Peter Hand Brewing Company from its historic facility at North and Sheffield Avenues, this can is tied to the closing era of what was once one of the city's premier regional packaging breweries.

Founded in 1891 by Prussian immigrant and Civil War veteran Peter Hand, the brewery grew into a Midwestern powerhouse. In brewing history, Peter Hand holds national prominence as the originator of Meister Bräu Lite—a low-calorie beer recipe that was sold to the Miller Brewing Company and reformulated into Miller Lite, permanently reshaping the nationwide beer market. Following corporate restructuring and an ownership revival involving Wisconsin brewer Fred Huber, the brewery packaged regional specialty labels, including Old German Style Beer alongside brands like Old Chicago, Alps Brau, and Old Crown.

When Peter Hand permanently closed its doors in 1978, it marked the end of an era as the last traditional macro-brewery operating within the city limits of Chicago prior to the emergence of modern craft brewing.

From a breweriana design perspective, the label features traditional Germanic blackletter typography accompanied by heraldic crest motifs and bold border accents. For collectors, known variations exist across manufacturing runs, distinguished by subtle differences in mandatory side-panel brewery text, canning seam construction, and lid stampings. Because of its direct link to the final chapter of Chicago's classic brewing industry, this can remains a sought-after piece of Midwestern breweriana.