Rhinelander Export Premium Beer Test Can

Rhinelander Export Test Can

This straight steel tab top container represents a pre-production prototype for Rhinelander Export Premium Beer. Produced by the Joseph Huber Brewing Company of Monroe, Wisconsin, this mock-up design displays a central oval cartouche containing a scenic northern wilderness illustration featuring a rushing mountain stream surrounded by evergreen trees and rocky terrain. Flanking the lower portion of the oval is an arched green-and-gold banner reading "EXPORT PREMIUM BEER," while the bottom panel proudly displays the regional promotional slogan, "Refreshing as Wisconsin's North Woods".

The Rhinelander brand originated with the Rhinelander Brewing Company, founded in 1882 in the lumber town of Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Built around the imagery and recreational appeal of Wisconsin's Northwoods, the brand positioned its beer as crisp, pure, and tied to regional outdoor heritage. Following intense competition from national mega-brewers, the original Rhinelander plant closed its doors in 1967. Recognizing enduring loyalty for the regional brand, the Joseph Huber Brewing Company purchased the recipes, intellectual property, and branding rights, integrating Rhinelander into its Monroe production line. Under Huber's stewardship, Rhinelander was sold across the Upper Midwest as an economical, easy-drinking regional staple.

The Joseph Huber Brewing Company was established in Monroe in 1845, originally founded by Mr. Bissinger and later operated as the Blumer Brewery. Joseph Huber took ownership in 1947, giving the brewery its modern namesake. Huber carved out an enduring business model by surviving industry consolidation through value-priced proprietary brands, contract brewing, and resurrected legacy regional labels. The Monroe facility endured as one of Wisconsin’s oldest continuously operating breweries before transitioning to new ownership in the twenty-first century.

Within breweriana collecting, pre-production test cans and concept mock-ups hold significant appeal. They provide collectors with a behind-the-scenes view into how regional breweries evaluated packaging layouts, typography, and color schemes before embarking on full production runs. This prototype stands as an intriguing artifact documenting the post-acquisition legacy of one of Wisconsin's classic regional beer names.