Tru Blu Ten Star Ale Cone Top Can

Tru-Blu Ten Star Ale J-Spout Can

Manufactured in an uncommon 10-ounce capacity, the Tru-Blu Ten Star Ale can represents a distinctive chapter in mid-century American packaging. Produced as a J-spout cone top—a profile developed by the Crown Can Company beginning in 1937—the container carries an Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) statement across its face. The front graphic features the "TEN STAR" name flanked symmetrically by ten small stars split into two clusters of five. This sits above a scalloped green arch framing large, stylized "ALE" lettering with open inline detailing. Below the brand title, the label advertises that the ale was "Brewed under the Famous TRU BLU process," while the dark band circling the base identifies it as brewed and packaged by the Northampton Brewery Corporation in Northampton, Pennsylvania.

Tru-Blu served as Northampton’s flagship brand after Repeal, marketed with regional pride as the "Famous Old Brew of the Pennsylvania Dutch." The lineup spanned traditional German-style lagers, bocks, porters, and ales, with the "Ten Star" designation highlighting a premium tier within the brewery's ale portfolio. The brand was supported by regional advertising and saw distribution extend through neighboring Mid-Atlantic markets, including dedicated bottling and wholesale operations in Washington, D.C. Tru-Blu remained the brewery's primary identity until the company ceased operations at mid-century.

The Northampton Brewery Corporation originated in 1898 on Newport Avenue in Northampton, Pennsylvania. Operating originally as the Northampton Brewing Company, it served the industrial Lehigh Valley until Prohibition forced a shutdown in 1920. Following Repeal, the business reorganized in 1933 under corporate leadership and became one of the country's earliest regional breweries to package beer in metal cans. Despite maintaining strong regional brand loyalty throughout the 1930s and 1940s, the company faced steep post-war competition from large national shipping brewers and closed permanently in 1950.

For breweriana collectors, the can holds special significance within Pennsylvania brewing history. Early cone tops from regional independent breweries are widely collected, and J-spouts produced in the 10-ounce size are far less common than standard 12-ounce examples. Its striking graphics and connection to the Lehigh Valley brewing tradition make it an enduring favorite among vintage container historians.