Esslinger's Premium Beer Quart

Esslinger's Premium Beer Quart Can

The Esslinger's Premium Beer quart is a 32-ounce cone top container produced in the 1940s. A defining feature of this release is the mandatory "Internal Revenue Tax Paid" statement printed along the bottom margin, placing its production firmly in the pre-1950 era before federal tax statement requirements were abolished. Marked by the extended legal and brewery inscription running across the lower band, this large-format can exemplifies the heavy-gauge steel cone top design produced for family- and tavern-sized servings.

The Brand

Esslinger's positioned its Premium Beer as a dependable regional lager anchored in the brewery's founding year of 1868. Central to the brand's identity and promotion was the "Little Man" mascot—a cheerful, winking waiter in a red bellhop-style uniform carrying a tray loaded with a can and glassware. This character became the centerpiece of Esslinger's regional marketing, appearing on billboards, newspaper advertisements, point-of-sale displays, and packaging across eastern Pennsylvania and surrounding markets.

The Brewery

Esslinger's, Inc. was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1868 by German immigrant George Esslinger. The plant grew into a prominent fixture in North Philadelphia's brewing community. During Prohibition, the business adapted by producing near beer and cereal beverages, which allowed it to swiftly ramp up full-strength beer and ale production when the Eighteenth Amendment was repealed in 1933. Esslinger's expanded through the 1940s and 1950s, but increasing pressure from national brewing giants squeezed regional profit margins. In 1964, the company was acquired by New York's Jacob Ruppert Brewing, leading to the closure of the long-running Philadelphia plant.

Collecting Context

Quart cone tops remain highly sought after by breweriana enthusiasts due to their large display presence and relatively brief window of popularity in the mid-twentieth century. Esslinger's 32-ounce cans are especially prized for highlighting the beloved "Little Man" mascot in full color, capturing an era of distinctive mid-century Philadelphia brewery iconography.