Old Ranger Premium Beer Flat Top Can

Hornell's Old Ranger Flat Top

The Old Ranger Premium Beer flat top can is a notable piece of breweriana originating from the Hornell Brewing Company of Hornell, New York. Operating from Franklin Street in Steuben County, the brewery produced Old Ranger as one of its primary regional labels.

Brewery Background

Originally established in the late 19th century as the Schwarzenbach Brewing Company, the facility was reorganized after Repeal as the Hornell Brewing Company. Old Ranger was marketed alongside other well-known house offerings, including KDK Cream Ale and Hornell Beer. The brand enjoyed distribution throughout western New York and neighboring regions, supported by sales offices and warehouses in cities such as Buffalo, Elmira, and Salamanca. Later, the operation became affiliated with the Metropolis Brewery network, which expanded the label's footprint.

Label Characteristics & Collector Interest

The can design is recognized for its bold typography and classic graphic layout. Several releases bear the brand's popular promotional tagline, "It's A Hit!", adding to its appeal among breweriana enthusiasts.

For collectors of regional New York labels, this can represents an era of mid-century packaging. Variations are documented among collectors, featuring differences in mandatory brewery location text—reflecting ties to Hornell, New York or Trenton, New Jersey—as well as variations in state-mandated alcohol statements.