Olde Frothingslosh Ale 12 Oz Tab Top Can

The Legend of Olde Frothingslosh

Olde Frothingslosh began not as an authentic commercial beverage, but as an elaborate radio spoof. Pittsburgh radio personality Rege Cordic introduced the concept during his popular morning show on KDKA, pitching fake advertisements for "the pale stale ale with the foam on the bottom," purportedly brewed by Sir Reginald Frothingslosh at Upper-Crudney-on-the-Thames.

The running gag resonated so strongly with regional listeners that the Pittsburgh Brewing Company partnered with Cordic to produce the brand as a limited holiday promotion. Inside the novelty packaging was the brewery's standard Iron City flagship beer, but the irreverent exterior packaging quickly captivated collectors across the nation.

A centerpiece of the can's fame was the introduction of "Miss Olde Frothingslosh"—portrayed by Marsha Phillips, a local entertainer also known as Fatima Yechburgh. Posing in a swimsuit with a tiara and sash, Phillips became one of the earliest real people featured as a personality model on beer packaging. Each release paired her portrait with whimsical backstories highlighting her fictional exploits and comedic local references.

Over the course of its seasonal holiday runs, Pittsburgh Brewing issued the can in an assortment of different background colors, text layouts, and artwork variants. Because of its satirical roots and wide variety of visual treatments, the can remains one of the most recognized and sought-after novelty issues in American breweriana history.