Mule Head Stock "wehle" Ale Flat Top Can

Wehle Mule Head Stock Ale Can

Produced during the formative years of canned beer in the late 1930s, this twelve-ounce flat top represents an early milestone in New England canning history. Manufactured with the American Can Company’s patented "Keglined" process, the can features the era's common assurance "12 FL. OZS. SAME AS BOTTLE" across the upper rim to build consumer confidence transitioning from glass. At the bottom of the front face, beneath the Keglined trademark, sits the distinctive label phrasing "COOL BEFORE SERVING". In specialist reference works on opening-instruction containers, this version is recognized under the Lilek classification system.

Following the repeal of Prohibition, Mule Head was introduced as the brewery’s premier stock ale. Positioned as a hearty, traditional brew, it relied on a bold graphic identity centered on a finely engraved mule's head inside a crimson oval border. The brewery promoted the brand extensively across Connecticut and neighboring states through tavern point-of-sale items, including lithographed metal serving trays and neon storefront signs. The label's bold block typography and memorable mascot helped Mule Head stand out on shelves and backbars.

The Wehle Brewing Company operated out of West Haven, Connecticut, located on Campbell Avenue. The property had hosted brewing operations since the late nineteenth century under Henry Wiedemann and the Lion Brewery before being silenced by national Prohibition. Reorganized and opened in 1933 as the Wehle Brewing Company, the plant expanded its regional presence with labels such as Mule Head, Colonial Ale, Ox Head Beer, and Old Eli. However, the economic pressures of World War II, combined with nationwide tin rationing and raw ingredient restrictions, forced Wehle to cease brewing permanently in 1943.

Pre-World War II instructional flat tops from short-lived regional breweries hold substantial historical appeal. Because Wehle only canned for a brief span prior to wartime shutdowns, surviving cans from the West Haven plant are especially appreciated. The striking animal motif, vintage font treatment, and early canning statements make this container an evocative artifact of late-1930s American brewing.