Ortlieb's Philadelphia's Famous Beer 16 Oz Tab Top Can

Ortlieb's Bicentennial Declaration Can

Issued in the mid-1970s leading up to the 1976 United States Bicentennial, this 16-ounce aluminum tab top can is part of a dedicated commemorative series produced by the Henry F. Ortlieb Brewing Company. To celebrate the nation's 200th anniversary, Ortlieb issued illustrated cans featuring landmark Revolutionary War events and iconic Philadelphia locations. Framed within crisp red and blue borders, this design highlights a detailed black-and-white scene captioned "SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE / PHILA., PA. 1776." Running along the side of the illustration, the mandatory text credits brewing and packaging to Henry F. Ortlieb in Philadelphia. In this printing variation, an earlier typographic mistake where the letter "E" was printed has been corrected to an "A."

Ortlieb’s was positioned as "Philadelphia’s Famous Beer," serving as a ubiquitous hometown staple for generations of local workers. Throughout the 20th century, the brand leaned heavily on its local identity and approachable quality, later featuring candid advertising campaigns starring brewery president Joe Ortlieb. Despite a passionate regional following across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, shifting market dynamics eventually brought an end to independent production of the flagship brew.

The Henry F. Ortlieb Brewing Company had deep roots in Philadelphia, founded by Civil War veteran and German immigrant Trupert Ortlieb in the late 1860s. By 1879, the operation settled in Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties neighborhood, a historic center for traditional lager production. Ortlieb weathered Prohibition by producing near-beer and syrups, re-emerging to become one of the city's premier independent breweries. Through the postwar decades, the company managed to outlast many local competitors by purchasing other regional labels. Mounting competition from massive national shipping brewers eventually took its toll, leading to the brewery's sale to fellow Philadelphia brewer Christian Schmidt Brewing Company in 1981.

Commemorative Bicentennial cans represent a major chapter in breweriana history, coinciding with the height of the mid-1970s can collecting craze. Ortlieb’s 16-ounce series remains widely sought after by collectors of East Coast brewing memorabilia and American historical themes.