Esslinger Premium Beer 12 Oz Zip Top Can

Esslinger Beer by Jacob Ruppert

The Esslinger Premium Beer 12 oz zip top can represents a notable transitional chapter in mid-twentieth-century American brewing. Originally hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Esslinger brand built a dedicated regional following through creative marketing campaigns and its famous waiter mascot. Following the closure of Esslinger's independent Philadelphia operations in the 1960s, the storied Jacob Ruppert brewery of New York acquired the brand label and began packaging the beer under its own name.

Jacob Ruppert, an institution of New York City brewing history famed for its Knickerbocker label and its historic ties to baseball team owner Jacob Ruppert Jr., produced this can during the twilight years of its Manhattan plant prior to the brewery's closure in 1965. Manufactured by the National Can Company using metallic steel construction, the design retained the classic Esslinger script and red-and-white shield motif while featuring the Jacob Ruppert, New York, N.Y. mandatory brewer statement.

Among breweriana enthusiasts, this release is prized for documenting the post-war consolidation of East Coast brewing. Collectors take particular interest in the subtle design shifts found on these cans, as known variations include differences in mandatory text placement, secondary brewery city listings, and metallic color finishes. Because Jacob Ruppert's tenure packaging the Esslinger label was relatively short before the business was sold to Rheingold, these New York-canned zip tops had a brief manufacturing run compared to older Pennsylvania releases, making them an intriguing crossover collectible for both New York and Pennsylvania breweriana historians.