Heileman's Special Export Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Heileman's Special Export Tab Top

Produced by the G. Heileman Brewing Company in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the Heileman's Special Export Beer 12 oz tab top can represents the brewery's flagship entry into the super-premium domestic market. Special Export was positioned directly against prominent national premium labels and was heavily promoted around Old World craftsmanship and its traditional kraeusening process.

Design and Visual Elements

The label graphics are defined by a deep hunter green and metallic gold palette. The central visual motif features a classic European sailing vessel set within an ornamental crest, underscoring the maritime "export" theme. Clean typography displays the Special Export brand name prominently across the face, flanked by text attributing the beverage to G. Heileman Brewing Co. in La Crosse. The can design also incorporated company seals and references to its Wisconsin heritage, complementing Heileman's regional advertising themes.

Can Variations and Manufacturing

Due to G. Heileman's extensive Midwest expansion and use of multiple canning facilities, collectors recognize several variations of this tab top container. These variations include subtle shifts in mandatory legal phrasing, differences in canning manufacturer logos, minor modifications to rim and seam construction, and the inclusion of additional secondary brewery cities alongside the primary La Crosse location. Slight differences in metallic ink shading and finish also appear across different production runs.

Breweriana Significance

During its peak market run, Special Export was supported by widely recognized regional advertising campaigns celebrating its export-style pedigree. Today, this tab top can stands as an iconic piece of Wisconsin breweriana and a well-known artifact from G. Heileman's twentieth-century brewing era.