Van Merritt Beer Flat Top Can

Old Crown's Van Merritt Flat Top

The Van Merritt Beer flat top can produced by the Old Crown Brewing Corporation of Fort Wayne, Indiana, represents an intriguing chapter in mid-century regional brewing and brand stewardship. Originally marketed with an Old World pedigree claiming a formula originating in 1433, the Van Merritt label was added to the Fort Wayne facility's production portfolio following the brewery's transition from the historic C.L. Centlivre Brewing Company into Old Crown Brewing Corporation.

The can design prominently displays the long-running brand slogan, "The World's Most Honored Beer," accompanied by classic heraldic styling and gold-accented graphics. The side panels feature promotional copy referencing imported and domestic hops alongside the mandatory brewery location credit for Fort Wayne. The cans were manufactured by major industrial can makers such as the Continental Can Company, with canning technology of the era reflected in variations featuring soldered or glued seam constructions.

For collectors of Midwestern breweriana, the Fort Wayne version of Van Merritt holds historical significance as part of Old Crown's broader strategy to keep the Spy Run Avenue plant running by packaging established regional and acquired labels. Different variations exist across manufacturing runs, including minor differences in mandatory phrasing, side panel text positioning, and can seam fabrication.