Colt 45 Malt Liquor 12 Oz Zip Top Can

Colt 45 Detroit Zip Top Can

Introduced in 1963 by the National Brewing Company, Colt 45 quickly grew into one of the most recognizable malt liquor labels in American brewing history. While the brand originated out of Baltimore, production expanded to regional facilities to satisfy widespread market demand, including the Detroit plant operating as The National Brewing Co. of Michigan.

The Detroit packaging plant had previously served as the home of the historic Tivoli Brewing Company (makers of Altes beer) before National Brewing acquired the property in the 1950s to establish a strong Midwestern footprint. Cans filled at this facility feature the regional "National of Mich." Detroit mandatory brewery lines, making them an important piece of Michigan breweriana.

The visual layout of the can showcases the iconic kicking horse emerging through a horseshoe—a motif chosen to visually represent the beverage's added kick compared to conventional American lagers. Popular brand history also associates the "45" moniker with running back Jerry Hill, who wore jersey number 45 for the Baltimore Colts around the time of the product's debut.

For collectors of mid-century malt liquors, cans from this production period show minor graphic differences, alcohol content disclaimers, and mandatory text variations depending on state tax requirements and distribution points. The Detroit-labeled examples highlight a notable era of regional brewing operations before industry-wide consolidation shifted production to larger national conglomerates.