Heileman's Special Export Beer Flat Top Can

Heileman's Special Export Flat Top

Dating from the mid-1950s, this 12-ounce flat top can represents an iconic graphic package for G. Heileman's premier label. A key distinguishing detail for this specific variation is the complete absence of metallic gold ink, which characterizes other production runs of the design. The label artwork emphasizes an international shipping motif, depicting an ocean vessel steaming across a globe marked with navigational lines and the commercial designation "Cable Code 'HEILEMAN'". The can margin includes dual measurements listed in both fluid ounces and centilitres, underscoring its transatlantic theme. Across the front, an extensive promotional statement proclaims "Old World Methods," "Costly Ingredients," "Double Fermentation," and "Longer Lagering," all crowned by the company's traditional cavalier trademark.

G. Heileman introduced Special Export in 1934 as a higher-end, fuller-bodied counterpart to its flagship Old Style Lager. Conceived to rival prestigious European imports, Special Export was marketed as a super-premium brew crafted with artisanal care. Advertising leaned heavily on the brewery's traditional kraeusening technique and natural Wisconsin spring water to substantiate its claims of superiority over mass-market lagers. The brand found deep regional loyalty across the upper Midwest for decades and transitioned into a storied heritage label that remains preserved under the Pabst brand portfolio.

The G. Heileman Brewing Company was founded in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in 1858 by German immigrant Gottlieb Heileman and partner John Gund. Following Heileman's passing in 1878, his widow, Johanna Heileman, assumed control of the operation, becoming one of the nation's earliest female brewing chief executives and guiding the company to major regional prominence. The brewery navigated Prohibition by marketing near-beer and baker's malt, emerging in 1933 positioned for rapid resurgence. In the postwar era, aggressive regional brewery acquisitions propelled Heileman into one of the largest brewing powerhouses in the United States before financial turmoil and consolidation led to its sale in the late 20th century.

For breweriana collectors, this can holds enduring appeal as an expressive artifact from the height of the flat top era. The convergence of vintage maritime illustration, telegraph-era terminology, and classic Midwestern brewing history makes it a prized addition to collections centered on Wisconsin breweries.