Gold Age Beer Cone Top Can

El Rey Gold Age Cone Top History

The Gold Age Beer cone top was produced for the El Rey Brewing Company, which operated along Mission Street in San Francisco, California. Manufactured by the Continental Can Company, this low-profile container reflects the post-Prohibition canning era among Northern California regional breweries.

El Rey was among the smaller California brewing operations to market beer in cans during the 1930s. The brewery produced a distinctive roster of low-profile cone tops across several house and contracted brands, including Tornberg's Old German, Leidig's Dutch Mill, Eagle Beer, El Rey Beer, and Gold Age Beer. Among these, the Gold Age label stands out to collectors as one of the more elusive releases associated with the facility.

The can features period-mandatory labeling, including the Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) statement. Variations exist among surviving cans, particularly in the alcohol content statements printed on the side panels, such as text specifying that the contents contained not over four percent alcohol by weight.

El Rey Brewing Company's canning period was relatively brief. The San Francisco plant eventually transitioned through corporate reorganizations, later operating as the Albion Brewing Company and the Eagle Brewing Company before closing during World War II. Because El Rey maintained a modest market share compared to larger California brewing giants, surviving Gold Age cans remain prized artifacts of early West Coast breweriana.