Old Style Lager Beer Cone Top Can

Old Style Lager Cone Top Can

The Old Style Lager Beer cone top can represents a landmark packaging release from the G. Heileman Brewing Company of La Crosse, Wisconsin. When canned beer expanded commercially during the mid-1930s, G. Heileman was among the earliest breweries to adopt the Continental Can Company's low-profile "Cap Sealed" design for its flagship lager.

Graphic Design

The can showcases the classic Old Style insignia, banner typography, and traditional crest. Designed to evoke the scenic landscapes of the brewery's Upper Mississippi River valley home—often promoted as "God's Country"—the graphic composition includes pastoral river and mountain imagery. Side panels accommodate regulatory statements and the Continental Can Company trademark insignia.

Collector Variations

Breweriana collectors recognize multiple distinct variations of the Old Style cone top resulting from legislative shifts and slight tooling changes across production runs:

• Tax and Regulatory Phrasing: Cans exist bearing the "Internal Revenue Tax Paid" (IRTP) statement, while others feature statutory alcohol statements such as "Strong - Not Over 5% Alcohol by Weight".
• Rim Text Variations: Select versions display promotional phrasing, such as "Same As Bottle," printed directly below the upper rim.
• Can Construction Differences: Examples vary between early flat-bottom formats and later concave bottoms, along with subtle differences in the inverted shoulder ribbing.
• Manufacturer Panel Layouts: Minor typographic changes exist in the Continental Can Company Cap-Sealed patent and factory markings.

Historical Significance

Employing the cone top format allowed G. Heileman to use existing bottling lines while distributing beer farther without the risk of glass breakage. This packaging era helped establish Old Style as a dominant midwestern staple and represents a formative chapter in American canning history.