Pabst Old Tankard Ale Flat Top Can

Peoria Heights Old Tankard Ale

Following the merger that created the Premier-Pabst Corporation, the brewery facility in Peoria Heights, Illinois, served as a key production and packaging hub for the company's specialty ales, including the flagship Old Tankard Ale. Packaged in early American Can Company Keglined containers, this flat top can represents a significant milestone in mid-century canned ale distribution under Pabst's "TapaCan" marketing banner.

The label art features the traditional Old Tankard heraldic shield and drinking vessel motif set against a clean background. The reverse panel is dedicated to early-era opening instructions, providing illustrated step-by-step guidance on piercing the flat lid using a specialized punch can opener.

Among breweriana collectors, known variations from the Peoria Heights plant are distinguished by key graphic and text differences. Variations include differences in the color of the illustrated opener on the instruction panel—most notably between red-opener and black-opener versions—as well as adjustments in the corporate text identifying Premier-Pabst Corp. versus Pabst Brewing Co., and the presence of mandatory Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) statements. Cans bearing the Peoria Heights mandatory statement remain highly prized focal points in vintage beer can collections.