Old Milwaukee Genuine Draft Test Can

Old Milwaukee Draft Prototype Can

During the late 1960s, the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company experimented extensively with new product formulations and packaging concepts for its growing portfolio. This twelve-ounce straight steel flat top represents an applied paper-label test can produced to evaluate a proposed "Genuine Draft" iteration for the Old Milwaukee brand. The trial label design features an enlarged "OM" monogram positioned over a red field patterned with vertical pinstripes, anchored by a lower band reading "Old Milwaukee Genuine Draft Beer" and mandatory text listing four brewing cities. As an experimental packaging mock-up, it reflects the brewery's exploratory efforts as draft-style canned beers began gaining attention throughout the American brewing industry.

The Old Milwaukee brand was initially introduced by Schlitz in 1890 as a premium offering before being temporarily retired. In 1955, Schlitz revived the nameplate as a value-priced brand positioned to compete with regional budget lagers. Old Milwaukee expanded into one of the country's most recognizable economy labels, supported by memorable marketing campaigns and slogans such as "Taste As Great As Its Name" and "It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This." Throughout its lifespan, the brand underwent various packaging redesigns and trial concepts to protect its market share against emerging competitors.

The Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company originated in 1849 when German immigrant August Krug founded a modest brewing operation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Joseph Schlitz assumed control of the business in 1858 following Krug's death. The brewery gained nationwide fame after shipping substantial beer supplies to Chicago in the wake of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, establishing its long-running motto as "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous." Schlitz successfully endured Prohibition by producing non-alcoholic beverages and malt extract, eventually expanding into one of the largest brewing enterprises in the United States during the mid-twentieth century. Cost-cutting recipe alterations and labor strikes in the 1970s precipitated a sharp decline, leading to the brewery's acquisition by the Stroh Brewery Company in 1982, with brand ownership later moving to the Pabst Brewing Company.

Within the breweriana hobby, paper-label test cans serve as essential historical artifacts. Because they represent pre-production proposals and internal packaging evaluations that never entered standard commercial distribution, these items provide valuable insight into mid-century corporate design and brand development.