Iron City Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

The First Snap Top Beer Can

The Iron City Beer 12 oz tab top can holds a milestone position in brewing and packaging history as the container that launched the self-opening beverage revolution. Produced by the Pittsburgh Brewing Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this can was the first commercial beer can in the world to feature a pull-tab lid.

Packaging Innovation and Market Impact

In 1962, Pittsburgh Brewing Company collaborated with Ohio inventor Ermal Fraze and Pittsburgh-based aluminum manufacturer Alcoa to bring the self-opening can to market. Iron City Beer was test-marketed in Staunton, Virginia, where consumer response was immediate. Sales in the test area doubled within two months, prompting the brewery to convert its canning lines to the format and leading to a tripling of canned beer sales in the following year.

Label Graphics and Text Variations

Capitalizing on its success, Pittsburgh Brewing updated the can graphics to highlight the convenience of the design. Known variations of the label incorporate different promotional slogans, including banners that announce the "New Easy Open Snap Top" and later versions declaring the brand "No. 1 with the Snap Top". The visual layout showcases the traditional Iron City shield emblem set against the brewery's standard red, white, and gold aesthetic.

Industry Legacy and Legal Disputes

The breakthrough transformed beverage packaging nationwide as competitors rushed to adopt similar tab-opening designs. Pittsburgh Brewing aggressively protected the branding surrounding its breakthrough; in May 1963, the company filed a $150,000 trademark lawsuit against its cross-town rival, Duquesne Brewing, over the unauthorized use of the term "Snap Top". Today, the can remains one of the most historically significant artifacts in breweriana collecting.