Schoen's Old Lager Beer Flat Top Can

Schoen's Old Lager Flat Top Can

This twelve-ounce flat top beer can represents a notable mid-century production run of Schoen's Old Lager, filled by the Rhinelander Brewing Company in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. The container features a clean white backdrop flanked by gold accent banding and a bold red cartouche displaying the brand name alongside traditional lettering for "Old Lager." The can prominently displays the quality phrase "Carefully Brewed" in red script across the front, paired with the companion slogan "Properly Aged" on the label.

The Schoen's brand originated with Bavarian-born brewmaster Louis Schoen, who had honed his trade in Germany before serving as head brewmaster for G. Heileman Brewing in La Crosse. Following the repeal of Prohibition, Schoen helped establish the Wausau Brewing Company in 1934, where he introduced Louis Schoen's Old Lager. Schoen built the brand around meticulous Old World craftsmanship and extended aging periods. Regional marketing emphasized this dedication to unhurried brewing traditions through slogans highlighting careful preparation and aging. Following the closure of Wausau Brewing Company in 1961, the brand was acquired by Rhinelander Brewing Company, which continued canning it to serve loyal regional drinkers across northern Wisconsin.

The Rhinelander Brewing Company traced its origins to the late nineteenth century in the Northwoods community of Rhinelander. Established by Otto Hilgermann, the enterprise grew into a prominent regional brewery despite suffering a devastating fire in 1897 and closing during national Prohibition. Reopening after repeal in 1933, the brewery modernized its plant and achieved widespread fame across the Upper Midwest, most famously through its patented seven-ounce "Shorty" bottles. As national shipping breweries expanded market share in the post-war decades, Rhinelander attempted to maintain production volume by purchasing labels from closing regional competitors like Wausau, though industry consolidation ultimately led to the Rhinelander brewery's closure in 1967.

For breweriana enthusiasts, this flat top can is an engaging artifact of Wisconsin's rich regional brewing heritage. It serves as a tangible document of brand migrations and corporate transitions during the twilight era of independent mid-century breweries in the Upper Midwest.