Ortlieb's Philadelphia's Famous Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Ortlieb's Boston Tea Party Can

Produced by the Henry F. Ortlieb Brewing Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this commemorative container was issued as part of the brewery's acclaimed Bicentennial Collector's Series leading up to the 1976 celebration of American independence.

The can features detailed commemorative artwork and text depicting the historic Boston Tea Party, which took place in Boston Harbor on December 16, 1773. Against an aluminum body, the illustration pays tribute to the American colonists' protest against British taxation, serving as a prominent installment in Ortlieb's line of early American historical scenes.

During the mid-1970s, the Northern Liberties-based Ortlieb brewery stood as one of Philadelphia's leading independent brewing institutions. To engage local pride and tap into nationwide anticipation for the Bicentennial, Ortlieb rolled out a sequential series of collectible cans honoring landmark events, figures, and sites of the Revolutionary era. The marketing initiative was a significant success among regional breweriana enthusiasts and prompted competing local breweries to issue historical commemorative sets of their own.

Across the production run of this commemorative series, variations are known to exist involving differing can manufacturer markings and minor text formatting differences. For collectors of Pennsylvania breweriana and Bicentennial-era beverage packaging, the Boston Tea Party issue remains a standout release from a historic Philadelphia brewer.