Buckhorn Special Lager Beer Flat Top Can

Buckhorn Special Lager 11 oz Can

The Buckhorn Special Lager Beer flat top can represents an intriguing phase in mid-century beverage packaging. Produced in an 11-ounce capacity—a regional volume format predominantly distributed across West Coast markets—this can features an all-aluminum construction with a seamless body manufactured without a conventional top chime crimp. Dating from the early 1960s, the design pairs fine script reading "Special Lager Beer" with a high-contrast oval graphic displaying a stylized buck head set against a rich red background.

Buckhorn was positioned as an approachable, popular-priced companion label. Designed to appeal to cost-conscious consumers while tapping into the postwar popularity of rugged, outdoor-themed branding, the line highlighted wildlife iconography to establish brand loyalty. As industry dynamics evolved over subsequent decades, the Buckhorn brand name traveled through various brewing operations—including Theodore Hamm, Olympia, and later Pabst—retaining its identity as an unpretentious value brand before eventually disappearing from market shelves.

Production in San Francisco was linked to the major westward expansion of the Theodore Hamm Brewing Company. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, Hamm's sought a direct West Coast footprint during the postwar beer boom, acquiring the former Rainier Brewing facility in San Francisco in the mid-1950s. Operating out of this California plant allowed the company to distribute efficiently across Pacific markets, packaging its core brands alongside economical regional offerings under affiliated subsidiary names like Buckhorn Brewing.

Among breweriana collectors, this flat top can attracts interest because of its specific technical format and regional packaging roots. The 11-ounce size reflects a distinct West Coast distribution trend, while the crimpless aluminum structure captures the brewing sector's technological shift away from three-piece soldered steel containers toward modern two-piece aluminum designs.