Old Tankard Ale Flat Top Can

Old Tankard Ale Flat Top History

The Old Tankard Ale flat top can, produced for the Premier-Pabst Corporation of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, represents a prominent piece of early canned brewing history. Following the introduction of the American Can Company's "Keglined" metal container technology, Pabst was among the earliest major American brewing companies to embrace the format, packaging Old Tankard Ale for broad distribution alongside its flagship lager brands.

Design and Visual Appeal

Among breweriana collectors, the can is recognized for its central graphic: an overflowing, frothy metal tankard placed prominently on the front label. Paired with bold, traditional lettering declaring the brand name, the visual composition was designed to convey classic tavern heritage on a modern steel can. The side panels feature the American Can Company Keglined emblem along with manufacturer patent notices and instructional panels.

Known Variations

Collectors recognize several variations of the Old Tankard Ale can across its manufacturing lifespan. Early versions feature the mandatory brewery statement designating the "Premier-Pabst Corp." prior to corporate name adjustments that returned the company name to Pabst Brewing Company. Additional differences across production runs include typeface shifts between block lettering and serif fonts, side panel copyright text alterations, variations between "Patents Pending" and finalized patent stamps, and slight modifications to the side instruction panels. While variations also reflect different manufacturing plants operated by the company, the Milwaukee, Wisconsin cans remain central to the label's history.

As one of the earliest specialty ales marketed in steel flat top packaging, this can remains a staple item in historic American breweriana collections.