Heileman's Old Style Lager Beer Flat Top Can

Heileman's Old Style Pictorial Can

Produced by the G. Heileman Brewing Company of La Crosse, Wisconsin, this flat top container represents one of the most detailed pictorial designs in mid-century American breweriana. The label emphasizes traditional brewing heritage through elaborate storytelling artwork rather than simple modern typography.

At the top of the can, set against flowing gold scrollwork, stands King Gambrinus raising a foaming glass of beer. Beneath the central brand lettering lies a wide pictorial vignette depicting Old World brewing and village life. The detailed scene features monks gathered around a stone cellar table, large aging casks stenciled with the "Old Style Lager" emblem, an ox-drawn delivery wagon, and villagers celebrating outside a Bavarian-style building.

Printed directly across the sky of the illustration is a detailed list of brewing credentials, highlighting the use of old-world methods, imported and domestic hops, in-house malting, sparkling Wisconsin water, double fermentation, and extended lagering. A diagonal red banner across the upper-right corner of the artwork incorporates the company's signature verification.

Collectors recognize several variations of this scenic label across production runs, distinguished by differences in the scrollwork coloration, background green tones, and specific mandatory text placements along the seams.