North Star XXX Beer 12 Oz Zip Top Can

North Star XXX Straight Steel Can

Produced during the mid-1960s pull-tab era, this straight steel twelve-ounce can features the mandatory caption "BREWED AND PACKED BY..." on its side panel. The design was distributed with zip tops, though tab-top versions are also recognized in catalog documentation. The front visual composition showcases a bright multi-pointed celestial star with radiating beams set against a dark, star-filled night sky motif, positioned directly above three white "X" marks and bold lettering.

The North Star name holds longstanding significance in Minnesota brewing history, drawing its inspiration from the region's official identity as the North Star State. The "XXX" marking pays homage to traditional brewing conventions where triple-X notations denoted strength and quality. Positioned as an accessible regional lager, North Star provided drinkers across the Upper Midwest with a brand identity deeply tied to local heritage.

This can originated under the Associated Brewing Company, doing business as the Jacob Schmidt Brewing Company in St. Paul, Minnesota. The brewery's roots trace back to 1855 and the historic Cave Brewery on West Seventh Street. Bavarian-born brewmaster Jacob Schmidt had previously operated St. Paul's original North Star Brewery before fire damage prompted him to purchase the West Seventh Street facility in 1900, building it into a landmark castle-style brewing complex. The Schmidt brewery prospered through regional distribution, survived Prohibition with non-alcoholic malt beverages, and re-emerged strongly after Repeal. In 1954, Detroit-based Pfeiffer Brewing Company purchased Schmidt, later renaming the consolidated corporate entity the Associated Brewing Company in 1962. Associated continued packaging regional favorites under the Schmidt division until selling its brewing assets to G. Heileman in 1972.

For breweriana enthusiasts, this can serves as an enduring artifact of Upper Midwest brewing history. It links the pioneering nineteenth-century brewing heritage of St. Paul with the major corporate consolidation era of the 1960s, making it a key piece for collectors of Minnesota labels and early self-opening beverage containers.