Old Milwaukee Genuine Draft Test Can

1968 Old Milwaukee Test Can

During the late 1960s, the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, experimented extensively with packaging and branding concepts for its popular value-priced label, Old Milwaukee. Among the trial concepts developed during this era was the Old Milwaukee Genuine Draft test design, bearing a 1968 copyright date on the label.

Schlitz introduced various test marketing cans in straight steel formats featuring tab tops to evaluate consumer reception before committing to broader regional or national rollouts. While Old Milwaukee was widely distributed across the country in standard formulations, draft-style canned beers were gaining popularity across the brewing industry during this period, prompting Schlitz to explore dedicated "Genuine Draft" branding across different packaging mockups and test runs.

Among breweriana collectors, test cans from the Jos. Schlitz brewery are highly prized artifacts of mid-century corporate marketing and can design experimentation. Several variations exist representing differing text placements, mandatory brewery listings, and trial color treatments produced across Schlitz packaging facilities. The 12-ounce straight steel 1968 Milwaukee test can remains a sought-after piece representing a distinct chapter in the history of the Old Milwaukee brand.