Schwegmann Premium Bock Flat Top Can

Chicago Supermarket Bock

The Schwegmann Premium Bock flat top can represents a fascinating cross-regional chapter in American breweriana. Although the beer was brewed and packaged by Gold Brau Brewing Company in Chicago, Illinois, it was produced specifically for Schwegmann Brothers Giant Super Markets, a legendary grocery chain based in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Schwegmann Brothers earned national renown for revolutionizing the supermarket experience. The massive New Orleans stores offered a one-stop-shop atmosphere where customers could fill prescriptions, buy hardware, and famously purchase cold beer to drink directly while pushing their shopping carts. To supply this retail enterprise, Schwegmann contracted regional breweries like Gold Brau to can house-brand beverages, including specialty seasonal offerings.

For can collectors, this bock flat top stands out as an exceptional example of private-label contract packaging. While standard supermarket lagers were produced in volume, seasonal bock releases had considerably shorter canning runs, making them far more difficult to track down today. Collectors also keep an eye out for known variations involving the lid stamping, as select examples feature a factory-stamped bock designation on the top lid.

The connection between a Midwestern contract brewer and a beloved Louisiana retail institution makes this can an intriguing centerpiece for collectors focusing on regional oddities, grocery store private labels, or classic bock cans.