Red Top Extra Dry Beer Flat Top Can

Cincinnati's Red Top Extra Dry Can

Produced by the Red Top Brewing Company in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Red Top Extra Dry Beer can stands out as a prominent artifact from the Queen City's mid-century brewing era. Operating out of the historic Dayton Street brewing district in the former John Hauck brewery facility, Red Top grew into one of Ohio's largest regional brewing operations following the repeal of Prohibition.

The can design is widely recognized for showcasing the brewery's signature spinning top emblem against bold typography and vibrant color fields. As the brewery expanded its marketing efforts, Red Top issued celebrated thematic set cans under the Extra Dry label. These graphic issues featured illustrations highlighting leisure and athletic pastimes, including baseball, golf, fishing, and musical motifs. These illustrated panels turned retail containers into striking graphic display pieces that remain prized by breweriana collectors.

Multiple variations of the Extra Dry container exist among collections. These variations display subtle differences in background metallic tones, manufacturer markings from different canning suppliers, mandatory tax phrasing, and plant designations related to Red Top's acquisition of the nearby Clyffside Brewing Company facility.

In a notable publicity move during the 1950s, Red Top made sports and business headlines by appointing former New York Yankees star Tommy Henrich as company president to revitalize sales and brand visibility. After the Cincinnati facility eventually ceased operations and brand rights shifted out of state, original Cincinnati-brewed cans became enduring centerpieces of Midwestern breweriana.