Piels Real Draft Premium Draft 12 Oz Zip/Tab Top Can

Piels Real Draft Brooklyn Can

Produced by Piel Bros. at their long-running facility on Liberty Avenue in the East New York section of Brooklyn, New York, this can represents a significant transitional era for one of the city's quintessential heritage breweries. Founded in 1883 by brothers Gottfried, Michael, and Wilhelm Piel, the company grew from a local German-style lager producer into a dominant regional force in the American Northeast.

By the mid-20th century, Piel Bros. had achieved mainstream fame not only through widespread distribution but also through celebrated advertising campaigns, including the animated duo Bert and Harry Piel voiced by comedians Bob and Ray. As customer demand shifted toward canned offerings that promised tap-room freshness at home, Piels introduced the "Real Draft" label to market an unpasteurized, cold-filtered draft profile in portable packaging.

For breweriana collectors, this specific can is an important artifact of New York City brewing history, issued before the original Brooklyn brewery ceased operations and production moved out of state. Several graphic and manufacturing variations exist across production runs, featuring subtle differences in can manufacturer marks—such as Continental Can Company and Crown Cork & Seal—as well as slight modifications to the label's crest detailing and rim construction.