Miller Select High Life Beer Flat Top Can

Pre-War Miller High Life Flat Top Can

This 12-ounce flat top can represents an early era of canned beer packaging from the late 1930s. Cataloged in opening instruction references under entry L535, the container features opening wording alongside classic pre-war graphic design. The face of the can showcases the signature slanted Miller script above the phrase "THE BEST MILWAUKEE BEER." Centered on the label is a circular emblem featuring the famed "Girl in the Moon" illustration set against a starry night sky, flanked by "HIGH" on the left and "LIFE" on the right across horizontal accent stripes. The lower section displays bold block lettering for "SELECT BEER" above the instruction "COOL BEFORE SERVING."

Miller High Life was originally introduced by the brewery in 1903. Marketed as a sparkling, premium lager, it quickly adopted the famous slogan "The Champagne of Bottle Beer" to reflect its effervescence and upscale presentation in clear bottles. Around 1907, the company introduced the "Girl in the Moon" emblem, featuring a woman in a pointed hat holding aloft a glass of beer while seated on a crescent moon. In the post-Prohibition years, the brewery frequently combined the "Select" designation with the High Life name on its canned and bottled offerings.

The Miller Brewing Company traces its origins to 1855, when German immigrant Frederick Miller purchased the suburban Plank Road Brewery in the Menomonee Valley of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Miller utilized subterranean caves for lagering beer and steadily grew the business into one of Milwaukee's brewing pillars alongside competitors like Pabst, Blatz, and Schlitz. During Prohibition, the company survived by manufacturing malt tonics, near-beer, and soft drinks. Following repeal in 1933, Miller modernized its facilities and expanded distribution nationwide.

Pre-World War II instructional flat tops from major national breweries are central pieces in the hobby of breweriana collecting. Because this can bridges the "Select" and "High Life" branding while showcasing the classic Girl in the Moon motif, it remains a standout example of early canned beer history.