Acme Beer Flat Top Can

San Francisco's Acme Flat Top Can

The Acme Beer flat top can, produced for Acme in San Francisco, California, represents an iconic chapter in West Coast brewing history. Following the repeal of Prohibition, Acme Breweries expanded rapidly to become one of the premier brewing powerhouses in California, making its canned offerings central to regional breweriana collections.

Pacific Can Company and the "Keglet"

To package its beer, Acme partnered with the Pacific Can Company. Early production runs featured Pacific Can's trademarked "Keglet" moniker prominently on the side panel, accompanied by advertising text asserting exclusive rights to the container style. One of the most fascinating manufacturing aspects of early releases was the use of grooved "soup can" end lids. Because Pacific Can had not yet manufactured dedicated beverage can lids when canning operations began, standard soup can ends with a distinct inner pressure bead were pressed into service on the canning line.

Regulatory Changes and Marketing Slogans

Acme was renowned for aggressive and creative marketing across the West Coast, spanning neon displays, radio spots, and bold on-can slogans. Among the most notable label details was the inclusion of the phrase "Dietetically Non-Fattening" across the front face. This daring health-oriented marketing claim quickly caught the attention of federal regulatory authorities, who required the brewery to remove the statement from subsequent production runs.

Label Variations

Collectors recognize multiple variations of the San Francisco Acme flat top. Early iterations bear mandatory Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) statements along the seam. The graphic design also evolved through several visual phases, shifting between striking two-tone red-and-black motifs and solid black background panels, along with later iterations depicting glassware graphics and transitions toward Gold Label branding. In addition, seam text displays differing corporate nomenclature, including Acme Brewing Association and Acme Breweries.