Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer Flat Top Can

Pabst Blue Ribbon Flat Top Can

Pabst Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, played a monumental role in the early era of canned beer. Following the initial commercial rollout of canned beer in 1935 via the American Can Company's "Keglined" patent, Pabst became one of the earliest major national brewers to package its flagship Blue Ribbon brand in flat top cans.

The can design showcases the iconic diagonal blue ribbon motif—a visual signature celebrating the brewery’s historic award recognition at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Early versions feature the prominent Keglined insignia alongside mandatory Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) labeling statements.

Several graphic and manufacturing variations exist across different production eras. Notable variations include cans with step-by-step opening instruction panels on the reverse side, custom vanity lids stamped with Pabst advertising slogans, and later clean-panel iterations without opening instructions. During World War II, Pabst manufactured specialized olive-drab flat top cans intended strictly for military rations and overseas troop shipments, marked with export tax-exemption text. Additional variations reflect Pabst's mid-century brewery expansion, listing secondary brewing locations alongside the historic Milwaukee headquarters.