Heileman's Special Export Beer Flat Top Can

Heileman's Special Export Flat Top

The Heileman's Special Export Beer flat top can represents a premium label from the G. Heileman Brewing Company of La Crosse, Wisconsin. Positioned as an upscale complement to the brewery's flagship Old Style lager, Special Export was marketed as a fully kraeusened, European-style brew. This positioning was clearly reflected in the can's design, which favored regal, traditional graphic elements over standard commercial layouts.

The artwork on the can typically highlights ornate heraldic crests, bold typography, and maritime imagery—such as a classic sailing vessel emphasizing the export theme. Rich color palettes featuring deep greens, metallic golds, and crisp whites gave the package a distinguished shelf presence. Text on the can often drew attention to the brewery's traditional kraeusening process and its Upper Midwest heritage in La Crosse.

Throughout its manufacturing run, variations of this flat top can were produced. These variations display differences in the phrasing and placement of mandatory brewery statements, can manufacturer identifying marks, trademark symbols, and minor shifts in background shading and border detailing. As G. Heileman grew into a dominant regional powerhouse, Special Export flat tops were distributed across a widening Midwestern territory. Today, the can is an enduring piece of Wisconsin breweriana, highlighting a key era in the history of one of La Crosse's most prominent breweries.