Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer Flat Top Can

Pabst Blue Ribbon 97 Years Flat Top

This flat top can represents a distinctive chapter in pre-World War II brewing design. Dating to 1941, the can displays the mandatory "Internal Revenue Tax Paid" statement along the bottom edge, dating it squarely to the IRTP era. The side panel features a light gray informational column detailing Pabst's prominent marketing claim that "33 separate brews are scientifically blended" for uniform flavor. Notably, the copy highlights that the beer is backed by "97 years of brewing experience"—an annual milestone marker counting from the company's 1844 founding. The bottom of the panel lists two production locations: the primary facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and an additional plant in Peoria Heights, Illinois.

Originally launched in the late nineteenth century as Best Select, the flagship lager earned top honors at major competitions, leading the brewery to hand-tie blue silk ribbons around each bottle neck. Due to customer demand for the "blue ribbon beer," Pabst officially adopted the name Pabst Blue Ribbon in 1898. In the early 1940s, Pabst launched its ambitious "33 to 1" and "33 Fine Brews Blended into One Great Beer" campaigns across print, radio, and retail packaging, promoting the consistency of their blending method. Over the decades, PBR evolved into a quintessential mid-century staple and later enjoyed a notable cultural renaissance among American lagers.

The brewery began in 1844 when Jacob Best founded the Empire Brewery in Milwaukee. After Best's son-in-law, Captain Frederick Pabst, took leadership, the firm adopted the Pabst name and rapidly expanded through nationwide distribution. Pabst survived Prohibition by manufacturing malt syrup, soft drinks, and processed cheese before aggressively re-entering the brewing industry upon Repeal in 1933 by acquiring the Premier-Pabst facility in Peoria Heights.

For breweriana collectors, this can serves as an appealing artifact from the transition into the wartime era. Pabst regularly adjusted the number of brewing years printed on their cans during this era, turning each subtle design revision into a clear chronological snapshot of the company's mid-twentieth-century growth.