Eastside Lager Beer 16 Oz Zip/Tab Top Can

Pabst's 16-Ounce Eastside Lager Can

This 16-ounce straight-steel can represents the self-opening packaging era of the 1960s, prominently heralding convenience with an arched ribbon banner reading "NO OPENER NEEDED" above the fluid ounce designation. As breweries phased out flat tops that required churchkeys, early pull-tab iterations often carried prominent banners to reassure consumers of their ease of use. The half-quart format gave drinkers a larger serving, prominently announced as "Half Quart" in script across the lower portion of the can. In collector reference documentation, the design is cataloged with a tab top, while a zip top version is noted as an undocumented variation. Beneath the spread-winged eagle emblem sits a vibrant red central shield framing the brand name, with Pabst Brewing Company credited along the bottom rim.

Eastside originated in 1907 when Bavarian brewmaster George Zobelein acquired the Los Angeles Brewing Company and named his flagship beer after the facility's location east of the Los Angeles River. Positioned as a dependable staple for working-class Angelenos, Eastside became one of Southern California's dominant regional labels. During Prohibition, the brand persevered by producing near-beer, tonics, and malt extracts. Following Repeal in 1933, the brewery celebrated its return with a famous midnight rollout where Hollywood actress Jean Harlow christened the first delivery truck by smashing a bottle across its bumper. Under Pabst's eventual stewardship, Eastside was repositioned as a popular-priced regional value brand.

The Los Angeles plant along Main Street first opened in 1897 as the Los Angeles Brewing Company. After Zobelein built it into a regional powerhouse, Milwaukee-based Pabst acquired the facility in 1948, making Pabst the first national brewing giant to secure a manufacturing presence on the West Coast. Pabst expanded and modernized the property in the 1950s, producing both Pabst Blue Ribbon and legacy local labels. Operations continued until 1979 when Pabst closed the facility, and the historic complex was later repurposed as the Brewery Arts Complex.

Sixteen-ounce cans occupy a celebrated niche among breweriana enthusiasts due to their impressive size and visual presence. Half-quarts bearing transitional opening-instruction banners capture an important moment of packaging innovation, making this can a compelling artifact for West Coast breweriana collectors.