Iron City Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

The First Tab Top Beer Can

The Iron City Beer 12 oz tab top can holds a monumental place in breweriana and packaging history. In 1962, Pittsburgh Brewing Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, partnered with the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) to commercialize the self-opening lid design developed by inventor Ermal Fraze. This milestone made Iron City the first commercial beer brand in the world to be packaged in tab top cans.

Pittsburgh Brewing first test-marketed the format in Staunton, Virginia, in September 1962. The test proved to be an immediate commercial sensation, causing regional sales to more than double in a two-month span. Following this success, the brewery converted its canned beer production to tab tops. The rapid adoption of the format triggered an industry-wide transition, pushing rival breweries across the United States to modernize their own canning operations.

Pittsburgh Brewing aggressively promoted its packaging breakthrough and strictly guarded its branding. Early production runs featured promotional banners reading "New Easy Open Snap Top," which were later updated to proclaim "No. 1 With The Snap Top" after competitors entered the market. The brewery was so protective of the phrase that in May 1963, it filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against crosstown rival Duquesne Brewing over the use of the "Snap Top" moniker.

For collectors, this can stands as a cornerstone piece representing a major turning point in container history. Variations exist across production runs, featuring differences in front-panel advertising slogans, mandatory markings, and lid stampings.