Pabst Old Tankard Ale Flat Top Can

Pabst Old Tankard Ale Overview

Pabst Old Tankard Ale holds a prominent place in American breweriana history as one of the earliest canned ales released in the United States following the repeal of Prohibition. Packaged by the Pabst Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the can was introduced as part of Pabst's early adoption of American Can Company's "Keglined" Tap-a-Can technology.

Design and Collector Details

The graphic layout prominently features a traditional illustrated tavern tankard paired with bold typography and classic Pabst branding elements. The metallic background is accented with distinctive green, gold, and cream tones. Collector examples showcase notable manufacturing markings, including the American Can Company "Keglined" trademark logo alongside Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) labeling found on earlier production runs.

Production Variations

Over the course of its run across Pabst facilities, including Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Peoria Heights, Illinois, the can appeared in several variations. These variations include subtle shifts in mandatory brewery text and city listings, differences in side-panel text layout, and differing can manufacturer plant codes stamped near the seam.

Today, the Pabst Old Tankard Ale flat top remains a highly desirable centerpiece for collectors specializing in early national labels, historic ale brands, and mid-twentieth-century canned breweriana.