Ben Brew 100% Grain Beer Cone Top Can

Mid-Century Franklin Brewing Cone Top

This 12-ounce high-profile cone top can represents mid-century regional brewing in central Ohio. A prominent feature on the container is the "INTERNAL REVENUE TAX PAID" statement printed along the lower metallic gold band. This mandatory federal tax phrase dates the can's production to the era between 1935 and 1950, after which federal regulations discontinued the requirement. Notable text on the front face includes the stylized banner declaring "100% GRAIN BEER" framed across intertwined stalks of barley, emphasizing the product's traditional brewing ingredients.

The Ben Brew Brand

Ben Brew served as the flagship label for the Franklin Brewing Company. The name paid homage to Benjamin Franklin, subtly mirroring the brewery's corporate identity. Promoted widely across Ohio, Ben Brew was marketed around quality craftsmanship and grain purity, contrasting against cheaper adjunct beers of the mid-twentieth century. The brand encompassed multiple styles over its lifespan, including standard lagers, bock beers, and kraeusened specialties, before disappearing when the facility ceased brewing operations in the 1950s.

Franklin Brewing Company History

Franklin Brewing Company was originally established in Columbus, Ohio, around the turn of the twentieth century. Operating on Cleveland Avenue before Prohibition, the plant supplied a bustling local market. Following the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment, operations were revived on North Sandusky Street, where the brewery regained its footing as a major local producer. Franklin Brewing competed against regional rivals like August Wagner Breweries, maintaining a strong local following through the 1930s and 1940s. However, mounting post-war competition from expanding national shipping brewers squeezed regional independent operations. Franklin Brewing closed in the early 1950s, briefly transferring operations to Pilsener Brewing Company before brewing ceased entirely.

Collecting Context

Mid-century cone top cans from Ohio regional breweries remain a cornerstone category for breweriana enthusiasts. As an authentic IRTP cone top from a historic Columbus brewery, this can represents the transition period of mid-century can packaging before flat tops and pull tabs dominated the marketplace. Its bold typography and classic graphical ribbon make it a notable piece of midwestern brewing heritage.