Reserve Of Wisconsin Beer Flat Top Can

Reserve of Wisconsin Beer Flat Top

The Reserve of Wisconsin Beer flat top is a 12-ounce steel can dating from the mid-1950s. Produced under the Reserve of Wisconsin Division in Burlington, Wisconsin, the can design is anchored by a prominent central red shield graphic set against a light background with subtle radiating background accents. Above the emblem, the can features the header slogan "The Select Wisconsin Beer," while the base displays the regional endorsement: "Brewed and Aged in the Beautiful Wisconsin Land-O-Lakes." The side mandatory text documents the canning operation at the Burlington plant.

Reserve of Wisconsin was marketed as a regional lager designed to appeal to local pride and the pristine reputation of Wisconsin's northern lake country. Positioned as a select, carefully aged brew, advertising emphasized quality and traditional regional brewing values. Like many mid-century regional specialty labels facing increasing pressure from national conglomerates, the brand enjoyed a relatively brief commercial run before disappearing from market shelves by the late 1950s.

The brewing heritage behind this can in Burlington traces back to 1859 with the Anton Finke Brewery, which later operated as the Finke-Uhen Brewing Company. After navigating the Prohibition era as the Burlington Cereal Products Company, the facility resumed brewing in 1933 as the Burlington Brewing Company. Known nationally for packaging brands such as Van Merritt, the plant was reorganized in 1953 as the Van Merritt Brewing Company. In 1955, the facility was acquired and operated under the Wisconsin Brewing Company umbrella, utilizing divisional trade names like Reserve of Wisconsin until the historic Burlington brewing facility permanently shut down around 1957.

For breweriana enthusiasts, this flat top represents a compelling piece of Wisconsin's post-war brewing history. It is especially sought after by collectors of Midwestern breweriana, short-lived contract and divisional labels, and 1950s shield-motif graphic art. Its direct connection to the final years of commercial brewing in Burlington adds historical appeal to any regional flat top collection.