Stein-haus New Ulm Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

August Schell Stein-haus Beer Can

The Can

The Stein-haus New Ulm Beer can is a 12-ounce straight steel tab top container produced during the tab top era of the late 1960s and 1970s. The front display is highlighted by an illustrated tavern scene rendered in a woodcut engraving style set inside an arched medallion. The artwork depicts figures dressed in traditional Germanic tavern attire seated at a table and raising lidded steins, with a bird resting on an adjacent perch. Anchoring the medallion is the "STEIN-HAUS" brand name set in bold, sweeping red lettering with dark shading, positioned above "NEW ULM BEER" and the mandatory identification crediting the August Schell Brewing Company of New Ulm, Minnesota. Known variations across production runs feature minor differences in side-panel mandatory text and statutory alcohol statements.

The Brand

August Schell introduced the Stein-haus label to embrace and celebrate the proud German heritage of New Ulm, often dubbed "The City of Charm and Tradition". Marketed as a traditional hometown brew, Stein-haus leaned into Bavarian tavern hospitality and Old World motifs to appeal to regional consumers seeking an authentic local alternative to mass-market lagers. The brand enjoyed popularity across Minnesota and surrounding Midwestern markets before evolving market trends and portfolio consolidations eventually led to its retirement.

The Brewery

The August Schell Brewing Company was founded in 1860 by German immigrant August Schell and partner Jacob Bernhardt along the Cottonwood River in New Ulm, Minnesota. Schell soon assumed full ownership and developed the property into a landmark brewery surrounded by lush gardens and deer parks. The brewery survived the dry years of Prohibition by diversifying into near beer, ciders, soft drinks, and candy. While post-World War II industrial consolidation shuttered hundreds of independent regional breweries across the country, Schell endured through family stewardship, strong local community support, and innovative specialty brewing. Today, August Schell ranks as the second-oldest family-owned brewery in the United States and continues brewing on its historic New Ulm grounds.

Collecting Context

For collectors of Midwestern breweriana, the Stein-haus can is an attractive piece that highlights August Schell's distinctive graphic packaging from the tab top period. It is appreciated for its detailed folk art illustration and strong thematic connection to New Ulm's brewing heritage.