Rainier Old Stock Ale Cone Top Can

Rainier Old Stock Ale Cone Top

Produced by the Rainier Brewing Company in San Francisco, California, the Rainier Old Stock Ale cone top represents a notable chapter in West Coast packaging history. Manufactured using Continental Can Company's "Cap-Sealed" design, this can entered the market following the brewery's initial foray into metal packaging during the post-Prohibition era.

The can's graphic package features bold typography and the traditional Rainier script prominently centered on the label. Because it circulated under mid-twentieth-century federal regulations, it bears the Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) mandatory statement. Rainier adjusted the labeling to comply with various regional trade laws, resulting in variations across production runs, such as differing alcohol content declarations (including "Not Over 6%" or statements omitted entirely). Collectors also recognize variants across different profile heights over the lifespan of the brand.

A particularly interesting historical aspect involves the brewery itself. Following Prohibition, the San Francisco operation functioned separately from the historic Seattle brewing facilities due to territorial licensing and split corporate ownership. As a result, cans produced under the San Francisco banner document the distinct California presence of the Rainier brand, making this can an important artifact for West Coast breweriana historians.