Tornberg's Old German Beer Cone Top Can

Tornberg's Old German Cone Top

Produced by the El Rey Brewing Company of San Francisco, California, the Tornberg's Old German Beer cone top is an iconic pre-World War II artifact from the Northern California brewing landscape. El Rey operated as a relatively short-lived brewery in the years following the repeal of Prohibition, making cans bearing the company's San Francisco mandatory statement prized centerpieces for West Coast breweriana collectors.

Historical accounts suggest the Tornberg brand name was inspired by a notable pre-Prohibition brewmaster who worked across several California breweries. The can features classic Germanic-style script alongside the era-defining Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) statutory statement.

For specialist collectors, the can holds particular historic interest because the brand was later produced by other regional California operations, such as North Bay Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, in flat top format. However, the low-profile cone top bearing El Rey's San Francisco imprint represents the original canning run of the brand.

Known variations exist across the production run, featuring minor differences in mandatory text placement and legal layout. Due to the brief operational window of the El Rey facility, this can remains a standout relic of San Francisco's mid-century brewing history.