Piels Real Premium Draft 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Piels Real Draft Willimansett Can

The Piels Real Premium Draft 12 oz tab top can is a notable artifact from Piel Bros., bearing the brewery mandatory for their production facility in Willimansett, Massachusetts. Originally founded in Brooklyn, New York, Piel Bros. expanded its brewing reach throughout the Northeast by acquiring the former Hampden Brewing Company facility in Willimansett.

The 'Aluminum Keg Can' Concept

During an era when regional brewers fiercely competed to package draft-style beer for home consumption, Piel Bros. introduced their "Real Draft" lineup. The container prominently promoted itself as an "Aluminum Keg Can," highlighting sterile-filtration brewing methods. The label featured a certification stating that this genuine, non-pasteurized draft beer required no refrigeration until chilled and ready for use—a major technological and marketing selling point of the period.

Labeling and Regional Interest

While Piel Bros. also distributed packaging from operations in Brooklyn and Pennsylvania, cans marked with the Willimansett, Massachusetts brewery location hold special significance for collectors of New England breweriana. Known variations exist among canning runs, distinguished by slight shifts in mandatory text alignment, metallic background finishes, and can manufacturer stamps.