Old Milwaukee Beer Test Can

Schlitz Old Milwaukee Test Can

The Old Milwaukee Beer Test Can represents an exploratory chapter in packaging development by the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Produced as pre-market prototypes and trial runs, test cans were utilized by Schlitz to evaluate graphic designs, color schemes, labeling formats, and structural configurations before approving designs for wide commercial distribution.

As Jos. Schlitz expanded and modernized the Old Milwaukee brand, the company experimented with various can manufacturing methods and visual layouts. Test cans from this era typically bypassed standard retail distribution channels, originating instead from internal brewery sample runs or can manufacturing plant proofs. Certain examples were printed with experimental inks and modified typography, while others incorporated sample foil or paper labels affixed to evaluate retail shelf appeal.

Because test cans were produced in limited sample quantities and were never meant for general store shelves, they hold significant historical value for breweriana collectors. Collectors have documented variations in mandatory text layouts, city designations, and graphic trim accents across surviving specimens. These artifacts provide direct insight into the branding evolution and packaging decisions made at the Jos. Schlitz Milwaukee facilities.