Old Export Premium Beer Test Can

Pittsburgh's Old Export Test Can

This drawn and ironed 12-ounce tall can represents a test issue for Old Export Premium Beer, produced for the Pittsburgh Brewing Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Fitted with a tab top, the can features a distinctively slender, elongated profile compared to standard cylindrical containers of its era. Test cans like this were produced in limited trial runs to evaluate new manufacturing techniques, container proportions, and updated graphic layouts before committing to full-scale commercial packaging lines. The design centers on a crisp white shield emblazoned with bold, pinstriped typography flanked by pairs of red stars, while retaining the brand's classic crest and slogans: "Mountain Water Makes the Difference" arched across the top and "From the Land of Mountain Water" in script along the base.

Old Export originated in Cumberland, Maryland, where it served for decades as a flagship label for the Cumberland Brewing Company. The brand built its identity around the pure Appalachian spring water sourced for the brewing process, heavily reinforcing that mountain heritage through widespread mid-century advertising. When Cumberland's brewing operations and successor Queen City Brewing ceased production in the mid-1970s, Pittsburgh Brewing Company acquired the rights to Old Export alongside several other regional labels, integrating the established brand into its own production roster.

Pittsburgh Brewing Company traces its origins back to 1861 in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood. The business grew substantially through the late nineteenth century, ultimately merging with dozens of local competitors in 1899 to consolidate as a regional brewing powerhouse. The company navigated Prohibition by pivoting to soft drinks, near beer, and commercial ice, emerging ready to modernize during the post-repeal era. Long recognized as an industry pioneer in packaging development, Pittsburgh Brewing frequently experimented with cutting-edge canning methods and container formats.

For breweriana enthusiasts, test cans occupy an esteemed niche. Because they were created for internal brewery evaluation and production trials rather than standard retail distribution, they provide a fascinating window into the design experimentation and technical evolution of historic American breweries.