Old Gold Seven Star Lager Beer (USBC 107-08) is generally known to have been canned during the late 1930's-early `40's by the Manhattan Brewing Company of Chicago. An identical can was produced for the Food City Brewing Company of Battle Creek, Michigan, presumably during that same era. Whether the Michigan-based brewing company actually filled the can is left to conjecture, but the Michigan variation does bear the mandatories of FOOD CITY BREWING COMPANY, placing it as one of the rarer Michigan labels

     It is tough enough finding one variation of this can, so imagine my surprise when I discovered a totally different version of the Michigan Old Gold. I realize I am one who generally picks out minor variations, but the difference is extensive. The faces of the cans are exactly the same, but the side panels vary greatly. Both of the variations I have seen are of the Others Pending vintage. One can has the same boxed-in opening instruction panel as that of many of the cans produced in the Mid-west, much like the OI panel of Ambrosia (see photo of page 25 of Beer Can Bible, M-12) while the other version contains a 4-panel OI, like the first generation Manhattan Brewing Company cans, such as Badger (see also OI photo page 25, M-5).

USBC 107-08 (Four panel)

USBC 107-08 (Two panel)

     To date, I know of only one example of the 4-panel Old Gold, which fortunately is in store condition. I would be interested to hear if anyone else has one of the 4-panel cans or any other versions of the Food City Old Gold.