Old Milwaukee Beer Flat Top Can

Old Milwaukee Flat Top Can

Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, introduced Old Milwaukee as a popular-priced companion to its flagship label. The Old Milwaukee flat top can stands as an iconic artifact of mid-century American breweriana, reflecting the national distribution power and marketing strategies of Schlitz during the height of the industrial canning era.

Design and Collector Significance

The can features the traditional Old Milwaukee heraldry and bold typography, styled to distinguish the brand from the primary Schlitz line. Lithographed on tin-plated steel, the cans were produced by major packaging manufacturers of the era, such as the American Can Company and Continental Can Company, with maker marks typically visible along the seam lines.

Label and Canning Variations

Collectors track multiple variations of the Old Milwaukee flat top can. These differences include differing brewery location lines as Schlitz added regional manufacturing plants outside Milwaukee, adjustments to mandatory government text and volume markings, and subtle shifts in ink shades across production runs. Certain releases also included stamped vanity lids displaying factory-applied brand slogans directly on the top lid.

As Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company was one of the dominant brewing powerhouses in the country, this flat top remains a central piece for breweriana historians documenting mid-century Milwaukee brewing history.