Point View Hotel Lager Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Point View Hotel Lager Beer

Issued in crimped steel with a tab top in the late 1970s, this 12-ounce can stands out among commemorative regional releases for a subtle graphic detail. This specific variation is identified by the artist's initials printed directly within the lower edge of the presidential portrait medallions, showcased here in the magnified inset.

Pittsburgh Brewing Company introduced Point View Hotel Lager Beer to celebrate a storied western Pennsylvania landmark. Situated along the historic Brownsville Road south of Pittsburgh, the Point View Hotel earned widespread fame as the "Inn of Presidents," hosting Andrew Jackson, Zachary Taylor, and James Buchanan during their campaign travels. Beyond its political pedigree, the label documents the hotel's role as a clandestine sanctuary on the Underground Railroad, sheltering freedom seekers journeying north from Maryland and Virginia toward Allegheny City. Pittsburgh Brewing used narrative panel text alongside portraits of the three presidents to position the brand as a tangible piece of regional folk history rather than just a conventional beverage, concluding the label run once the historic promotion ended.

The brewery responsible for the package was the Pittsburgh Brewing Company, an enduring institution in western Pennsylvania brewing history. Founded in 1861 by German immigrant Edward Frauenheim, the business eventually anchored the massive 1899 amalgamation that united twenty-one regional breweries into a single enterprise. Pittsburgh Brewing weathered Prohibition by producing soft drinks, near-beer, and ice cream, reemerging after Repeal to regain its dominant market position in the region. Always packaging-forward, the company famously partnered with Alcoa in 1962 to debut the nation’s first commercial pull-tab can. Amid ferocious competition from national macro-brewers during the 1970s, the company relied on creative packaging concepts—including sports salutes, novelty designs, and regional history releases—to cement its neighborhood following.

Within the breweriana community, this can holds appeal for collectors of 1970s tab tops, regional Pennsylvania breweriana, and historical or presidential crossover items. The presence or absence of minute illustrator markings in the portrait borders creates a rewarding hunt for specialists dedicated to assembling comprehensive runs of Pittsburgh Brewing's commemorative issues.