Paul Bunyan Beer Flat Top Can

Paul Bunyan Beer Flat Top Profile

The Paul Bunyan Beer flat top was produced under the Paul Bunyan Division of the Wisconsin Brewing Company in Waukesha, Wisconsin, affiliated with the Fox Head Brewing Company. The label has long stood out among breweriana collectors for its bold, character-driven aesthetic highlighting American folklore.

Graphic Design and Heritage

The front and back panels feature an illustrated depiction of the legendary giant lumberjack Paul Bunyan, celebrating the logging traditions and wilderness heritage of the Upper Midwest. Regional pride was a major marketing theme for Midwestern brewers during this era, and the can reflects this with slogans celebrating Wisconsin as the "Great Northwoods State" or "Great Northwoods Country". The artwork is framed with rustic thematic elements, pine imagery, and outdoor mountain landscapes.

Known Variations

Collectors recognize notable variations in the graphics and mandatory text across different manufacturing runs. These differences include variations in accent and trim colors—most notably featuring either green or black details. Other variations show text discrepancies in the Northwoods slogan, alternating between "State" and "Country" phrasing. Subtle variations in the scenic artwork include versions with snowy mountain accents, as well as mandatory brewery text variants listing Burlington alongside Waukesha.

Collector Significance

Manufactured by container suppliers such as the Continental Can Company and the American Can Company, the can remains a classic example of mid-century character cans from the Midwest. Its strong crossover appeal among collectors of advertising art, Wisconsin brewing history, and American folklore makes it a prized centerpiece in vintage can collections.