Old Reading Beer Flat Top Can

Old Reading Beer Flat Top Can

The Old Reading Beer Flat Top Can stands as a classic artifact of mid-century eastern Pennsylvania brewing history. Produced by the Old Reading Brewery, Inc. (historically known as the Reading Brewing Company) located at Ninth and Laurel Streets in Reading, Pennsylvania, this container represents one of the signature regional brands distributed throughout Berks County and neighboring Mid-Atlantic markets.

The visual design features bold commercial typography and graphic motifs paying homage to the brewery's regional Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. Fabricated by container producers such as the Continental Can Company, examples of this can frequently featured state tax stamps directly on the top lid, reflecting regional distribution mandates.

Among breweriana collectors, the can remains a popular regional staple. Known variations exist across different production runs, exhibiting differences in brewery corporate phrasing, mandatory text placement, and canning factory markings. The brewery itself maintained a strong local legacy, serving the area for generations before the rise of national macrobreweries led to the facility closing operations in 1976. Today, this flat top can serves as an enduring piece of Pennsylvania's independent brewing legacy.