Beer Flat Top Can (Propeller)

The Schlitz Propeller Flat Top

The Jos. Schlitz "Propeller" flat top is one of the most celebrated wartime military cans in breweriana collecting. Produced during World War II under government contracts for armed forces personnel stationed overseas, the can features a patriotic graphic scheme highlighted by an airplane propeller set across a bold "V" for Victory symbol. Rather than bearing the traditional commercial Schlitz branding prominently across the front, the primary face is designated simply with the bold title "BEER," with the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company name and Milwaukee, Wisconsin location printed along the mandatory text.

Because these cans were packaged for military consumption and overseas shipment, they carry wartime tax notices, such as "Withdrawn Free of Internal Revenue Tax for Exportation" or military-era internal revenue declarations. Containers shipped directly to troops serving in overseas theaters were exempt from domestic beverage taxes, leading to specialized regulatory labeling that sets military issues apart from standard civilian releases.

Collectors recognize several variations of the Schlitz Propeller design, which feature subtle differences in mandatory text arrangement, patent notices, tax statements, and background coloration. Given that the vast majority were shipped to active theaters of conflict around the globe, surviving specimens represent significant historical artifacts of the wartime canning era. The blend of Allied aviation iconography and historical provenance makes the Jos. Schlitz Propeller flat top a true centerpiece of twentieth-century military breweriana.