Blatz English Type Ale Cone Top Can

Blatz English Type Ale Cone Top

The Can

The Blatz English Type Ale cone top can represents an early packaging style adopted shortly after canned beer first entered national distribution. Manufactured with a flat bottom and a low-profile cone construction, this 12-ounce container features an Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) statement from the pre-1950 regulatory era. Marked with a 1936 copyright date along the lower perimeter alongside the brewery’s Milwaukee imprint, the face of the can features the historic "B B C" shield monogram beneath a scroll ribbon, crowned by an intricate hop cone set within a six-pointed star.

The Brand

Following the repeal of Prohibition, Blatz introduced English Type Ale to give consumers a traditional, top-fermented option alongside the light lagers dominating domestic markets. By explicitly referencing English brewing heritage in the ribbon banner, the brand was marketed as a classic, full-bodied alternative for drinkers seeking an Old World style. As post-war consumer preferences shifted increasingly toward mild, pale lagers, specialty ales of this profile were gradually phased out in favor of the brewery's primary lager labels.

The Brewery

The Valentin Blatz Brewing Company traces its origins to 1851, when Bavarian immigrant Valentin Blatz established his operation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, subsequently taking over Johann Braun's neighboring City Brewery. Blatz pioneered widespread industrial innovations, becoming the first Milwaukee brewer to establish an on-site bottling department to distribute beer across the country in the 1870s. Together with Pabst, Schlitz, and Miller, Blatz stood as one of the city's "Big Four" brewing giants. After weathering Prohibition by marketing malt syrup, sodas, and near-beer, Blatz experienced renewed growth. The brewery operated independently until the late 1950s, after which corporate acquisitions and subsequent antitrust actions led the label through ownership by Pabst and G. Heileman.

Collecting Context

Pre-World War II cone tops from Milwaukee's historic breweries represent a cornerstone of vintage breweriana collecting. Cans manufactured with flat bottoms and IRTP tax markings document the formative decade of commercial canning, capturing a pivotal moment in packaging history when metal containers directly challenged traditional glass bottles.