Monterey Beer Cone Top Can

Salinas Brewing Cone Top Classic

The Monterey Beer cone top represents an iconic piece of Central Coast California brewing history, hailing from the Monterey Brewing Company located in Salinas, California. Operating out of a facility on Main Street—formerly known as the Salinas Brewing and Ice Company—the brewery served local agricultural communities and coastal towns across the Salinas Valley and Monterey Bay.

Manufactured with a low-profile cone structure from the Continental Can Company, the container features classic late-Depression-era commercial art. The graphic design centers around an eye-catching marquee shield motif framing the Monterey brand name, flanked by traditional hops and barley accents. Collectors recognize variations of the design, such as cans with a black marquee and versions distinguished by a blue marquee, alongside subtle background hue differences.

Because the Salinas plant operated with modest annual barrelage compared to the larger industrial brewing establishments in San Francisco and Los Angeles, examples from Monterey Brewing Company remain elusive and sought-after within the breweriana community. The can's historical significance within California's regional brewing heritage even inspired modern local brewers to resurrect the Monterey brand aesthetic decades later.