Rheinlander Export Beer Cone Top Can

Northwoods Export Cone Top History

The Rheinlander Export Beer cone top can is an iconic piece of midwestern breweriana produced for the Rhinelander Brewing Company of Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Hailing from the heart of Wisconsin's Northwoods, the packaging captured the regional identity of the brewery, featuring scenic branding, deep forest tones, and the famous regional slogan, "Refreshing as the Northwoods".

Founded in 1882 by German immigrants Otto Hilgermann and Henry Danner, the Rhinelander Brewing Company grew into a prominent regional brewery surviving fires and Prohibition before expanding into modern canning formats. The Export Beer label was the brewery's primary offering, packaged in containers produced by major manufacturers such as the Continental Can Company.

For collectors of Wisconsin breweriana, several graphic variations of this can are known to exist. Notable variations include versions displaying a Northwoods pine tree silhouette against an evening sky, versions with metallic snowflake backgrounds, and differences in mandatory tax statements such as the "Internal Revenue Tax Paid" (IRTP) text. These visual distinctions and deep ties to northern Wisconsin logging and vacation culture make the can a staple of regional beer history collections.