Berghoff 1887 Beer Cone Top Can

Berghoff 1887 Low Cone Top Can

This twelve-ounce low-profile cone top can was manufactured with a concave bottom and carries a mandatory tax statement, placing its production in the era spanning the late 1930s through the 1940s. The front face features the brewery's founding year in large, outlined "1887" numerals set behind a prominent orange heraldic eagle shield. A distinct horizontal bar across the upper section of the shield explicitly designates the beverage as "Dortmunder Style" beer.

The Berghoff brand began when German immigrant brothers Herman, Henry, Hubert, and Gustav Berghoff established their commercial brewing operations. The brand gained substantial Midwestern renown after Herman introduced the family's Dortmunder-style lager to massive crowds at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Capitalizing on that popularity, Herman opened the historic Berghoff Restaurant in Chicago in 1898, where the beer became an iconic staple. The "1887" name was consistently highlighted on post-Repeal containers to emphasize the brand's long-standing Old World heritage and brewing pedigree.

Operating out of Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Berghoff Brewing Corporation grew into one of the state's largest and most modern brewing enterprises. When national Prohibition took effect, the company managed to survive by manufacturing soft drinks and near-beer under altered trade names. After the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment in 1933, the Fort Wayne brewery reopened for legal beer production and modernized its packaging operations. Berghoff enjoyed strong regional sales throughout the Great Depression and the Second World War, but post-war consolidation in the brewing industry eventually led the owners to sell the Fort Wayne facility to the Falstaff Brewing Corporation in 1954.

For breweriana collectors, this container represents a celebrated example of Midwestern cone top packaging. Its bold heraldic design, historical brand connection to both Indiana brewing and Chicago dining history, and early can profile ensure it remains an enduring centerpiece among regional beer can enthusiasts.