Walter's Pilsener Beer Cone Top Can

Walter's Pilsener Cone Top Can

Dating to the 1950s, this 12-ounce high-profile cone top container was produced for the Walter Brewing Company of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Manufactured by the Continental Can Company during the post-IRTP era, it represents one of the final generations of cone top packaging before flat top cans became the industry standard. The front face features the brewery's heraldic crest—a crowned shield bearing a rampant lion—positioned beneath the phrase "SUPERIOR QUALITY" and directly above the company's trademark blackletter brand lettering and cursive slogan, "that is beer."

Walter's Pilsener was the flagship product of the Walter family's Midwestern brewing operations. Marketed across western Wisconsin and the Chippewa Valley, the brand emphasized traditional Old World brewing standards and everyday drinkability. The memorable promotional tagline "that is beer" served as the centerpiece for local radio, print, and tavern advertising campaigns, solidifying the brew's status as a regional staple for decades.

The Walter Brewing Company was founded by German immigrant Johannes Walter, who first began brewing in Spencer, Wisconsin, before relocating the business to Elm Street in Eau Claire following a fire in the late nineteenth century. Over the decades, the extended Walter family established a formidable brewing network with additional operations across Wisconsin and in Colorado. Following the repeal of Prohibition, the Eau Claire plant resumed production under the leadership of Johannes's nephews. The facility maintained an active presence in the regional market for decades, resisting national consolidation pressure before finally ceasing operations in the late 1980s.

For breweriana collectors, Wisconsin regional cone tops hold significant appeal as historical artifacts of the state's vibrant independent brewing past. Containers from this era capture the intersection of mid-century heraldic package design and the twilight years of the cone top format.