Heileman's Old Style Lager Beer Flat Top Can

Heileman's Old Style Lager Flat Top

This 12-ounce flat top can represents a classic mid-century presentation of G. Heileman Brewing Company's flagship brew from La Crosse, Wisconsin. At the top of the can stands the iconic Heileman grenadier raising a foaming glass of beer. Below, a bold green band frames a sprawling, picturesque illustration of Old World brewing heritage, depicting Alpine chalets, ox-drawn wagons hauling barrels, and monks enjoying beer at a stone cellar table. A red diagonal banner accents the upper corner to guarantee brewery authenticity, while text within the scene touts pure Wisconsin water, proprietary malting, double fermentation, and extended lagering. Unlike other graphic issues from this era that featured ornamental borders around the artwork, this specific variation is distinguished by its clean layout with no scrollwork.

Old Style Lager was introduced in 1902 under the direction of Johanna Heileman, who sought to market a Bavarian-style lager brewed with old-world craft techniques. Positioned as a premium lager, the brand became famous for its krausening process and its association with "God's Country". In subsequent decades, Old Style evolved from a regional favorite into a Midwestern cultural phenomenon, earning enduring fame as a tavern fixture and ballpark staple across the Upper Midwest and Chicago.

Gottlieb Heileman and John Gund founded the original City Brewery in La Crosse in 1858. After Gottlieb's death in 1878, Johanna Heileman took leadership of the company, guiding its modernization and steering it into national prominence. The brewery navigated Prohibition by selling near-beer, soda, and malt syrup, allowing it to quickly resume alcoholic brewing upon repeal. In the post-war decades, Heileman expanded into an industry giant through the aggressive acquisition of competing regional brands before eventually being absorbed into Stroh and later Pabst.

Mid-century graphic flat tops with full pictorial lithography hold a revered place among breweriana collectors. The intricate narrative scene and subtle graphic variations make this Heileman can a prized artifact of Wisconsin brewing history.