Colt 45 Malt Liquor 12 Oz Zip/Tab Top Can

Colt 45 Malt Liquor Can History

Introduced by the National Brewing Company of Baltimore, Maryland, Colt 45 quickly established a commanding presence in the American malt liquor market. The can's graphic design features the brand's signature rearing stallion silhouette framed by a horseshoe, visually reinforcing the beverage's bold branding.

Popular lore links the brand's name to Baltimore Colts running back Jerry Hill, who wore jersey number 45 for the local team, while also playing on the punchy connotation of the .45 caliber round. During this era, National Brewing Company launched aggressive marketing campaigns that turned the label into an enduring cultural icon.

For breweriana collectors, cans bearing the original National Brewing Company Baltimore, Maryland mandatory text represent the foundational era of the label prior to corporate mergers with Carling and later Pabst. Variations of this can exist across manufacturing runs, featuring differences in text layout, copyright markings, and subtle shifts in metallic background tones. Cans from the Baltimore plant remain particularly sought after by collectors specializing in Maryland brewing heritage and sports-adjacent breweriana.