Pacific Lager Beer Cone Top Can

Rainier Pacific Lager Cone Top

This twelve-ounce low-profile cone top container dates to the late 1930s pre-World War II canning era. Bearing the "Internal Revenue Tax Paid" (IRTP) tax statement, this specific container is distinguished by the absence of an alcohol statement and contains no mandatory brewery address printed along the bottom rim of the front face. Visually, the label is defined by crisp cursive script for "Pacific" angled above shadowed block lettering for "LAGER BEER," set against an oceanic backdrop anchored by a clean sailboat graphic gliding atop stylized wavy water lines.

Rainier introduced the Pacific Lager brand in the late 1930s as a refreshing, regional beer targeted at consumers across California and neighboring Western markets. Positioned with an unmistakable coastal and maritime motif, the brand relied on nautical iconography to capture the casual outdoor and seaside lifestyle of the Pacific Coast. Pacific Lager was produced in both cone top and flat top variations before Rainier retired the label in the 1940s to focus resources on its primary flagship offerings.

The brewery behind the brand, Rainier Brewing Company of San Francisco, had roots extending north to Washington. When Washington enacted statewide prohibition in 1916, Seattle Brewing & Malting Company shifted operations southward, constructing a modern brewing plant on Bryant Street in San Francisco. Under the direction of Louis Hemrich, the San Francisco operation survived national Prohibition by producing syrups, sodas, and near-beer. Following Repeal in 1933, the facility modernized rapidly, growing into one of Northern California's most prolific production breweries. Rainier's San Francisco outpost operated successfully for two decades until changing post-war industry dynamics led to its closure in 1953, after which the brand's primary presence reverted entirely to the Pacific Northwest.

Pre-war cone tops from West Coast breweries hold an enduring appeal among breweriana collectors. The Pacific Lager can is particularly sought after for its striking two-tone composition and streamlined maritime imagery. Variations differing in wave coloring, background panels, and mandatory text placements ensure the brand remains a prized study in early graphic design and California brewing heritage.