Washington Xx Pale Pilsener Beer Cone Top Can

Patriotic Columbus Cone Top

The Washington XX Pale Pilsener Beer cone top can was produced by the Washington Brewing Company (later operating as Washington Breweries, Inc.) in Columbus, Ohio. This container represents a notable piece of mid-twentieth-century American breweriana, closely tied to the social and industrial history of its era.

Wartime Rebranding

Prior to introducing the Washington XX brand, the Columbus brewery marketed a German-style product called Noch Eins. As geopolitical tensions escalated during the World War II era, domestic sentiment prompted the company to retire the German moniker in favor of an overtly patriotic presentation. The resulting Washington XX label was outfitted in a vibrant red, white, and blue palette centered around traditional Americana themes.

Manufacturing and Details

The can was produced using the drawn-steel Crowntainer cone top format manufactured by the Crown Cork & Seal Company. Like many containers of the period, surviving examples reflect federal packaging regulations of the time, including mandatory Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) markings.

Known Variations

Collectors have identified variations across surviving examples of the label. These differences primarily center around statutory alcohol content statements—such as labels bearing specific alcohol percentage declarations by weight versus examples with no alcohol statement printed—as well as minor revisions to patent text formatting.

Collector Significance

Representing the storied brewing history of Columbus, Ohio, the Washington XX Pale Pilsener cone top remains a highly desirable artifact that showcases how global events directly influenced mid-century commercial can design.