Old Milwaukee Genuine Draft 12 Oz Tab Top Can

1969 Old Milwaukee Genuine Draft

Dating to 1969, this twelve-ounce Old Milwaukee Genuine Draft can represents the height of the pull-tab era for the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company. Manufactured with crimped steel construction and a tab top, the can features the prominent "GENUINE DRAFT BEER" banner set across the upper panel above the distinctive red Old Milwaukee nameplate and the brand's heraldic crest. A key detail of this specific release is the mandatory statement printed along the bottom rim, which lists eight brewing cities—including Longview, Texas; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Tampa, Florida; and Winston-Salem, North Carolina—reflecting the vast nationwide network of production facilities Schlitz operated at the end of the 1960s.

Schlitz originally introduced the Old Milwaukee name in 1890, but revived and repositioned the brand in 1955 as a budget-friendly alternative to compete against regional discount lagers and major rival value offerings. In the late 1960s, the brand incorporated "Genuine Draft" branding to promote packaged beer that delivered fresh-from-the-tap character. Supported by prominent marketing efforts and later celebrated by the enduring catchphrase, "It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This!", Old Milwaukee grew into one of the country's best-selling economy brands and remains active today under the Pabst Brewing Company umbrella.

The Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company began in 1849 when August Krug founded a small brewing enterprise in Milwaukee. Bookkeeper Joseph Schlitz took over management following Krug's death and gave the brewery his name in 1858. The company gained national acclaim after sending thousands of barrels of beer to relief efforts during the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, establishing its legendary reputation as "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous." Schlitz remained an industry powerhouse through the mid-20th century until declining sales in the late 1970s led to its acquisition by Stroh in 1982.

For breweriana hobbyists, late-1960s crimped steel tab tops capture an essential phase of American canning history. The can holds particular appeal for collectors focused on Schlitz history and multi-plant mandatory variations, serving as a clean snapshot of mid-century industrial brewing expansion.