R & H Special Ale Flat Top Can

R&H Special Ale Flat Top History

The R & H Special Ale flat top can is a celebrated piece of New York brewing heritage, produced for the Rubsam & Horrmann Brewing Company of Staten Island, New York. Established in the Stapleton neighborhood during the late nineteenth century by German immigrants Joseph Rubsam and August Horrmann, the brewery grew into one of the most prominent and durable beverage makers in the New York metropolitan area prior to its mid-twentieth-century acquisition by Piel Brothers.

Manufactured in the twelve-ounce format by the American Can Company, this can displays the iconic "R & H" branding and distinctive graphic design created to showcase the company's specialty ale. Rubsam & Horrmann cans represent an important chapter in regional breweriana, documenting the transition of Staten Island's historic brewing tradition into modern canned packaging.

Collectors of East Coast breweriana hold R & H cans in high esteem due to the company's storied history in New York. Variations are known to exist across production runs, showcasing differences in canning marks, mandatory legal text, and minor graphic alterations. The R & H Special Ale flat top remains a prized centerpiece for collectors focusing on historic New York City breweries and mid-century canned ales.