Esslinger's Premium Beer Cone Top Can

Esslinger's Premium Cone Top

Produced by Esslinger's, Inc. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Esslinger's Premium Beer cone top can represents a notable chapter in Mid-Atlantic brewing history. Operating out of its historic brewery in Philadelphia's Callowhill neighborhood, Esslinger's was one of the city's foremost regional brewers, competing alongside other prominent Pennsylvania packaging innovators.

Design and Manufacturing

The can showcases the classic Esslinger's branding, characterized by bold typography, rich metallic accents, and the brewery's traditional heraldic insignia. Esslinger's utilized major national container manufacturers, including the Continental Can Company and Crown Cork & Seal, to produce these steel cans.

Known Variations and Collector Context

Several variations of this can exist across breweriana collections. Can historians and collectors identify distinct versions differentiated by legal wording—specifically examples bearing the mandatory Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) statement versus non-IRTP issues. Additional variations feature differing can maker marks, variations in metallic paint coloration, and differences in volume, spanning standard single-serving containers and large quart-sized issues.

Esslinger's remains particularly celebrated in breweriana history for its vibrant advertising campaigns—such as the famous "King Pin" waiter character—and this Premium Beer cone top remains a prized centerpiece for collectors of historic Philadelphia brewing artifacts.