Rheingold Extra Dry Lager Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Rheingold Extra Dry Tab Top Can

The Rheingold Extra Dry Lager Beer 12 oz tab top can is an emblem of New York City's mid-century brewing landscape. Produced by Rheingold Breweries (originally founded as Liebmann Breweries in Bushwick, Brooklyn), the brand grew to command a massive regional presence, at its peak accounting for more than a third of all beer sold across the state.

Cultural and Marketing Legacy

The graphics on the can feature the classic red, white, and gold livery, highlighting the prominent script and the signature "Extra Dry" designation. Rheingold was renowned for groundbreaking marketing campaigns, most notably the Miss Rheingold election—which at one time was among the largest voting events in the country outside of political elections—as well as its prominent sponsorship of the New York Mets during the team's early decades.

Construction and Urban Lore

Due to its overwhelming popularity among local trade workers, the can holds a storied connection to New York infrastructure. During the building boom of major regional landmarks, workers frequently left empty cans enclosed inside steel columns and beams. Decades later, during site excavation and cleanup at the World Trade Center, numerous Rheingold cans were uncovered embedded within the structural framework.

Variations for Collectors

For breweriana enthusiasts, known variations of this can exist across different production runs. As the company expanded operations and underwent ownership shifts, variations emerged in the mandatory brewery location text—including references to secondary facilities such as Orange, New Jersey or New Bedford, Massachusetts alongside the primary New York markings. Additional differences can be found in the mandatory statement typography, the size and placement of the corporate insignia, and the manufacturer identification marks along the side seams.