Gettelman Rathskeller Beer Flat Top Can

Gettelman Rathskeller Flat Top Can

This 12-ounce flat top container represents mid-twentieth-century canning by the A. Gettelman Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The front panel features a prominent central oval framed by delicate silver leaf and vine flourishes across the cream background, crowned by Gettelman's trademark emblem depicting a hand raising a filled beer glass surrounded by a golden laurel wreath. Produced during the post-World War II peak of flat top beer packaging, the design reflects the classic aesthetic of mid-century regional brewing.

Named after the traditional German basement taverns often found beneath town halls, the Rathskeller brand was developed to evoke Old World cellar-pub heritage and German craftsmanship. A. Gettelman marketed Rathskeller primarily to regional taverns, supper clubs, and retailers throughout Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest. Positioned as a rich, classic Milwaukee beer alongside brewery staples like Milwaukee's Best and their famous $1,000 Natural Process, Rathskeller remained a local favorite through the 1940s and 1950s before being phased out following the brewery's sale.

The A. Gettelman Brewing Company traces its beginnings to 1856, when George Schweickhart established the Menomonee Brewery in Milwaukee's Menomonee River valley. Adam Gettelman joined the operation in 1871 and took sole ownership in 1876, giving the firm its lasting name. Recognized as the smallest of Milwaukee's historic "Big Five" brewing companies—alongside titans Pabst, Schlitz, Blatz, and Miller—Gettelman maintained a loyal Midwestern following. The company successfully weathered Prohibition by producing near beer and diversifying commercial operations, and leadership later contributed to container innovations including early steel kegs and consultancies on canned beer packaging. In 1961, neighbor Miller Brewing Company purchased Gettelman, bringing an end to the independent family operation.

Among breweriana enthusiasts, Gettelman cans hold a celebrated position in Wisconsin collecting circles. Because Gettelman operated on a much smaller scale than Milwaukee's national giants, its packaged cans survive in lower numbers, making mid-century flat tops like Rathskeller highly sought-after artifacts of Milwaukee's rich industrial brewing history.