Old Milwaukee Genuine Draft 12 Oz Tab Top Can

1971 Old Milwaukee Longview Tab Top

This 12-ounce straight steel tab top container dates to 1971 and represents production for the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company facility in Longview, Texas. A defining characteristic of this issue is the mandatory legal text running along the lower rim, which designates eight production cities led by Longview alongside Milwaukee and Tampa. Visually, the can features the prominent "Genuine Draft Beer" banner across the top over a crimson damask pattern block, accompanied by the Jos. Schlitz eagle crest emblem and pinstriped background.

Jos. Schlitz first introduced Old Milwaukee in 1934 to give consumers a quality, value-priced lager following the repeal of Prohibition. Production was temporarily paused during World War II due to resource restrictions, but Schlitz revived and expanded the label during the late 1950s. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Old Milwaukee was built into a high-volume national staple, positioned as an accessible, refreshing brew delivering draft character in retail packaging. It became celebrated through prominent broadcast advertising campaigns before the brand transitioned to the Stroh Brewery Company in 1982 and subsequently to the Pabst Brewing Company portfolio.

The Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company traces its origins to 1849 in Milwaukee when August Krug founded the enterprise that bookkeeper Joseph Schlitz later assumed. Schlitz rose to national prominence after shipping substantial relief beer supplies during the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, cementing its status as "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous". Through much of the twentieth century, Schlitz stood among the largest brewing enterprises in the world. To meet nationwide demand, the company established satellite facilities across the country, including opening the Longview, Texas plant in 1966. Subsequent market pressures and corporate challenges in the late 1970s eventually led to its acquisition in 1982.

Among breweriana collectors, straight steel pull tabs from the early 1970s capture a vital chapter in American canning history. Packaging variations displaying multi-city mandatory legends and specific branch facilities like Longview offer enthusiasts tangible documentation of the major brewing networks of the era.