Burgermeister Beer 16 Oz Tab Top Can

1970 Burgie! 16 oz Tab Top Can

Dating to 1970, this 16-ounce straight steel tab top container presents one of the classic West Coast designs from the twilight of San Francisco's large-scale brewing era. The front display features the energetic, bold red "Burgie!" moniker across the upper third, positioned above a golden coronet crest and a dark blue shield framing the formal Burgermeister script and "BEER." Along the bottom edge, crisp blue text specifies the one-pint liquid measure. The tall straight-steel cylinder reflects the packaging era around 1970, when breweries produced pint-sized offerings in self-opening formats while still employing traditional seamed steel wall construction.

Burgermeister rose to prominence as the signature label of San Francisco Brewing Corporation. In the mid-1940s, general manager Henry Picard eliminated numerous secondary labels to pour resources entirely into Burgermeister. The strategy paid massive dividends through memorable marketing, most notably a pervasive radio jingle set to the melody of "Oh My Darling, Clementine". Backed by the friendly "Burgie!" nickname and colorful promotional campaigns, the brand became a dominant market leader throughout California and neighboring western states.

The brewery traced its lineage back to the nineteenth-century Milwaukee Brewery of San Francisco. It successfully navigated Prohibition by producing near-beer and cereal beverages, then modernized rapidly following Repeal. Operating out of an expansive plant in San Francisco's South of Market district, the business adopted the name Burgermeister Brewing Corporation during its mid-century heyday. Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company purchased the facility in 1961, but an antitrust challenge by the federal government eventually compelled Schlitz to divest the operation. The brand and plant later passed to Falstaff before local brewing ceased in the 1970s.

For breweriana collectors, sixteen-ounce cans from this period hold significant historical value. The larger half-quart surface area provides an expansive canvas that highlights the graphic contrast between the casual "Burgie!" lettering and the traditional heraldic crest. These cans also preserve a key transitional phase between early steel beverage containers and modern all-aluminum packaging, making them prized centerpieces for regional California beer history collections.