Elks Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Elks Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Released in 1979, this 12-ounce crimped steel tab top can was produced by the Pittsburgh Brewing Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The face of the container prominently displays the official emblem of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (B.P.O.E.). Set over a crisp white background, the central graphic depicts a sculpted elk bust set against a Roman numeral clock dial. The hands point directly to eleven o'clock—a reverent nod to the order's sacred "Eleven O'Clock Toast" honoring absent members—crowned by a five-pointed star and enclosed in a circular border bearing the fraternal initials.

Elks Beer was not a standard off-the-shelf regional brand, but a specially commissioned private-label brew packaged to celebrate the centennial of Pittsburgh Elks Lodge No. 11 (1879–1979). Fraternal organizations and social clubs in western Pennsylvania maintained strong ties to their communities, and milestone anniversaries were frequently commemorated with custom keepsakes. Filled with the brewery's standard lager, the can was distributed for lodge functions and centennial banquet events before being retired once the anniversary festivities concluded.

The Pittsburgh Brewing Company traces its roots to 1861, when German immigrant Edward Frauenheim founded the Iron City Brewery in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood. Catering to the city's rapidly growing steel and industrial workforce, the firm prospered and in 1899 spearheaded a massive consolidation of twenty-one regional breweries under the Pittsburgh Brewing Company banner. The operation successfully weathered Prohibition by producing soft drinks, near beer, and ice cream, resuming brewing immediately upon repeal in 1933. Known throughout the industry as a packaging pioneer—it had helped introduce the very first self-opening pull tab cans in the early 1960s—the brewery enthusiastically embraced promotional and commemorative releases during the 1970s.

Among breweriana enthusiasts, cans honoring civic organizations and fraternal societies represent a fascinating crossover category. Because it commemorates a specific Pittsburgh chapter's centennial milestone while featuring the iconic B.P.O.E. fraternal iconography, this steel pull tab remains a standout piece of both Pennsylvania brewing history and American lodge heritage.