Redtop Beer Flat Top Can

Chicago-Brewed Redtop Beer Flat Top

This 12-ounce flat top can represents a mid-century release of Redtop Beer, produced during an era when traditional midwestern labels frequently moved between packaging facilities. The metallic body showcases the brand's signature design, featuring white "Redtop" lettering anchored inside an eye-catching red silhouette, beneath which "BEER" appears alongside an oval medallion declaring "Bright Refreshing Flavor." Along the lower perimeter, the energetic campaign slogan "STOP FOR REDTOP!" repeats around the bottom rim. Distinguishing this specific issue in collector catalogs is its mandatory statement, which notes two cities rather than a single production point.

The Brand

The Redtop brand originated in Cincinnati, Ohio, where the Red Top Brewing Company operated as an advertising powerhouse following the repeal of Prohibition. Promoted heavily through catchy rhyming taglines and widespread distributor campaigns, Redtop became a staple across the Midwest throughout the 1940s and 1950s. When the Cincinnati brewery shut down in the late 1950s, the brand name and formulas were acquired by outside operators, briefly transferring through Indiana before finding a home in Chicago with the Atlantic Brewing Company. Atlantic continued packaging Redtop through the early 1960s before the brand eventually retired from store shelves.

The Brewery

Atlantic Brewing Company operated from a brewery complex located on West Fullerton Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. Opened in 1933 following Prohibition's end, the company found steady metropolitan success with its own flagship Tavern Pale label. By the late 1950s, mid-sized regional breweries faced intense competition from rapidly consolidating national brewing giants. Atlantic combated declining local volumes by operating as a multi-brand producer, acquiring or contract-brewing recognized heritage names such as Champagne Velvet, Barbarossa, and Redtop. Despite these efforts to keep production volume high, Atlantic ultimately ceased brewing operations around 1965.

Collecting Context

Flat tops from the final chapter of Chicago's regional brewing era hold significant appeal for breweriana enthusiasts. Cans showcasing city-mandatory variations are particularly prized for documenting the transition of legacy Midwest brands between independent plants during the industry's great consolidation wave.