Old Milwaukee Beer Flat Top Can

Old Milwaukee Flat Top Beer Can

This flat top can represents an early canned iteration of Old Milwaukee Beer, produced by the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The label design prominently incorporates a central architectural illustration—often referred to by collectors as the schoolhouse or brewery graphic—along with a copyright notice referencing 1934 ("COPYRIGHT J. S. B. CO. 1934") and an internal revenue tax statement. Packaged in a standard 12-ounce volume, the can highlights Schlitz's packaging typography and early can graphic layout before later mid-century redesigns modernized the brand's aesthetic.

Schlitz originally conceived Old Milwaukee in 1934 in the wake of Repeal. Positioned as a value-priced, everyday American lager during the Great Depression, the brand served to expand Schlitz’s reach into budget-conscious markets alongside its flagship premium beer. Although production was temporarily halted during the grain shortages of World War II, the brand made a resurgence in the 1950s and expanded nationwide, eventually becoming widely known for its classic working-class appeal and high-volume sales. Over the subsequent decades, the brand passed through the Stroh Brewery Company portfolio before being acquired by the Pabst Brewing Company.

The brewery traces its lineage back to 1849, when German immigrant August Krug founded a small brewing operation in Milwaukee. Joseph Schlitz took over management following Krug's death and incorporated the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company in 1861. The brewery expanded aggressively, developing extensive rail distribution networks and famously adopting the slogan "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous". Schlitz survived Prohibition by producing soft drinks and malt extract, quickly regaining national prominence and competing intensely with Anheuser-Busch for the position of America’s top-selling brewer. Corporate missteps, recipe reformulations, and labor strikes in the 1970s triggered a steep decline, culminating in Schlitz's acquisition by Stroh in 1982.

For breweriana enthusiasts, early flat tops from Schlitz and its subsidiary brands hold high historical appeal. Cans bearing the 1934 copyright text and early building motif capture a transitional moment in American brewing, when macro brewers began embracing flat top canning technology to market regional and popular-priced lagers.