Burgemeister Pilsener Beer Cone Top Can

Warsaw's Classic Burgemeister Cone Top

The Burgemeister Pilsener Beer cone top can represents a classic packaging format from the mid-twentieth-century canning era. Produced during the Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) period, this twelve-ounce container features mandatory federal tax language alongside a label design distinguished by the absence of an alcohol content statement. Visually, the can is highlighted by a bold diagonal red banner framing the gothic-style "Burgemeister" lettering, complemented by an upper circular trademark emblem depicting an eagle against a horseshoe motif.

Burgemeister was marketed as a traditional German-style pilsener, appealing to regional consumers throughout the Midwest. Distinguished by its spelling with an "e" rather than the "er" seen on similarly named western labels, the brand served as a core product line tailored to local tastes. Advertising highlighted its crisp flavor and European heritage, establishing the pilsener as a familiar sight in regional taverns and stores throughout the mid-twentieth century until market consolidation brought an end to its run.

The can was produced by the Warsaw Brewing Corporation of Warsaw, Illinois, an historic river community along the Mississippi River in Hancock County. The brewing site traced its heritage back to 1860 through founders Rudolph Giller and Martin Popel, later prospering as the Popel-Giller Brewing Company before Prohibition forced its closure in 1920. Following Repeal, the facility briefly organized under the Burgemeister name before re-emerging as the Warsaw Brewing Corporation in 1938. The regional plant endured changing economic tides and industry shifts for several decades before finally halting operations in 1972.

Among breweriana enthusiasts, this cone top represents a desirable artifact from an independent Illinois river brewery. Tax-era cone tops from small-market regional producers remain widely appreciated for their distinctive mid-century aesthetic, classic graphic styling, and historical ties to American brewing before national mega-breweries dominated the landscape.