Rheingold Extra Dry Lager Beer Flat Top Can

Miss Rheingold Suzy Ruel Can

This flat top can was issued by Liebmann Breweries of New York as part of the famous Miss Rheingold promotional campaign. Introduced in the 1940s, the annual Miss Rheingold pageant became a major cultural phenomenon in the New York metropolitan area, often drawing millions of votes from the public. Balloting took place at grocery stores, taverns, and delicatessens, making it one of the largest electoral events in the United States outside of official government races.

To promote the 1957 contest, Liebmann Breweries placed portrait lithographs of the finalists directly onto their 12-ounce cans. This particular can features candidate Suzy Ruel, who represented Riverside, California during the nationwide competition. Alongside her portrait, the packaging served as both a point-of-sale advertisement and a ballot prompt, encouraging consumers to cast their votes for their favorite contestant.

Because the Miss Rheingold election series rotated finalists and concluded with a final commemorative can for the winner, individual candidate cans like this Suzy Ruel issue saw relatively short production runs. Several variations of the Suzy Ruel design exist across different manufacturing runs and canning facilities operated by Liebmann. Today, portrait cans from the Miss Rheingold series remain celebrated centerpieces of mid-century brewing history and breweriana collecting.