O M Genuine Dark Lager Beer Test Can

Schlitz O M Genuine Dark Test Can

Produced during an era of extensive product and package testing by the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company, this aluminum tab top can represents a prototype concept for an "O M" Genuine Dark Lager. Fabricated in a tall format, the can utilizes an applied foil label mock-up rather than traditional direct-to-metal lithography. The graphic layout is centered on a prominent heraldic eagle crest framing an "om" shield above bold, stylized "GENUINE DARK LAGER" typography. The lower rim displays a multi-city brewery mandatory statement listing six production locations, representing the expansive manufacturing network Schlitz operated, including facilities in Longview, Texas; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Tampa, Florida; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and Memphis, Tennessee.

The O M designation ties directly to Old Milwaukee, a foundational brand in the Schlitz portfolio. Initially created in the late nineteenth century and reintroduced in 1955 as a high-volume, popular-priced brew, Old Milwaukee became a cornerstone of the company's national sales strategy, supported by famous advertising campaigns celebrating working-class sensibilities. As major American brewing houses in the 1970s explored dark lagers and alternative brand extensions to capture emerging consumer preferences, designers created conceptual packaging under the abbreviated OM branding to evaluate potential market positioning.

The brewery traces its roots to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where bookkeeper Joseph Schlitz took over August Krug's operation in 1858. Schlitz became an industrial titan, gaining nationwide acclaim after shipping beer to Chicago during the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and promoting itself as "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous." The company weathered Prohibition by manufacturing malt syrups and non-alcoholic beverages, rebounding in the post-repeal era to build a coast-to-coast network of modern brewing plants. By the mid-twentieth century, Schlitz was battling for the top production ranking in the United States before facing intense market pressure and eventual acquisition by the Stroh Brewery Company in 1982.

Test cans and mock-ups hold significant appeal for breweriana collectors. Because foil-labeled prototypes were created strictly for corporate evaluation, market research, or internal sales presentations, they offer a tangible glimpse into experimental brand developments that never saw full-scale commercial release.