Burgermeister Beer Pint Can

Burgermeister 15 oz Schlitz Can

The Burgermeister Beer 15-ounce container marks a pivotal transition period in West Coast brewing history following the acquisition of the San Francisco Brewing Corporation by the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company. Under Schlitz's management of the San Francisco facility, the heritage brand received updated packaging reflecting its new corporate parentage.

The acquisition itself became the center of landmark antitrust litigation (United States v. Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company). The United States Department of Justice challenged the purchase under Section 7 of the Clayton Act, arguing that Schlitz's control of Burgermeister substantially reduced brewing competition throughout California and the western states. The federal courts ultimately ordered Schlitz to divest both the San Francisco brewery and the Burgermeister label.

The 15-ounce volume represents a distinct regional packaging size that found strong market footing across the Pacific Coast, positioned between standard twelve-ounce packages and full quart containers. For breweriana collectors, the label presents the classic Burgermeister heraldic branding bearing a 1962 copyright notice. Label variations exist from this production era, distinguished by design adjustments such as the absence of a gold band at the top rim alongside differing mandatory brewery credit lines.