Schell's Bock 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Schell's Bock Tab Top Can History

Produced by the August Schell Brewing Company of New Ulm, Minnesota, this 12 oz tab top can represents a classic seasonal offering from one of the oldest regional brewing operations in the United States. Established in 1860 by German immigrant August Schell, the brewery preserved traditional German-American brewing heritage across decades of shifting industry trends.

Schell's Bock has long been tied to the cultural identity of New Ulm, serving as the namesake centerpiece for the brewery's famous annual Bockfest celebration. The can's packaging prominently features traditional bock iconography, incorporating the classic billy goat motif that pays homage to German folklore and the seasonal herald of spring.

For breweriana collectors, August Schell cans are prized because the company remained an independent, family-owned survivor during an era when many historic Midwestern regional breweries were forced to close or sell out to national conglomerates. Collectors also track production variations across different manufacturing runs, noting subtle differences in mandatory text formatting, layout phrasing, and color tones.

Today, the Schell's Bock tab top can remains a staple of Upper Midwest breweriana collections and an enduring artifact of Minnesota's brewing history.