Colt 45 Malt Lager 12 Oz Zip Top Can

Colt 45 Malt Lager - Detroit, MI

Produced by the National Brewing Company of Michigan in Detroit, this 12-ounce container represents an intriguing chapter in the history of one of America's most recognizable malt beverage brands. The Detroit packaging facility became part of National Brewing's network following its acquisition of the historic Altes Brewing Company plant on Mack Avenue, allowing the Baltimore-based brewer to expand its Midwestern production footprint.

While the brand is widely known as a malt liquor, this particular release features the "Malt Lager" designation. In several jurisdictions during this era, local alcohol beverage control regulations prohibited the term "Malt Liquor" on packaging or mandated specific alcohol classification terminology, resulting in regionally tailored labels.

The label art displays the brand's classic rearing stallion set against a horseshoe emblem. The bold, stylized "Colt 45" typography and clean metallic background highlight the graphic style of the era.

Collectors have identified variations within this Detroit canning run, primarily involving subtle text changes in the mandatory brewery notices, tax statements, and canning plant identification marks.