Rainier Beer Flat Top Can

Sicks' Seattle Rainier Flat Top

Produced by Sicks' Seattle Brewing & Malting Co. in Seattle, Washington, the Rainier Beer flat top can holds a prominent place in Pacific Northwest breweriana. Issued during Emil Sick's leadership, this can represents an era when the brewery became a regional powerhouse and pioneered engaging can graphic programs.

The Jubilee and Party Graphic Sets

Rather than adhering strictly to a single standardized design, the brewery commissioned decorative pictorial artwork across its canning runs. Often classified by collectors under the Jubilee and Party series, these illustrated cans highlighted regional folklore, mid-century social life, outdoor recreation, festive gatherings, and musical motifs—such as depictions of Paul Bunyan, fishermen, skiers, and campfire sing-alongs. These illustrated scenes were printed against diverse metallic backgrounds, featuring varied accent colors, rim texts, and slogans such as "Rainier for Life".

The Seattle Wind Tunnel Discovery

A landmark event in breweriana history directly associated with this can was the discovery known as the "Seattle Wind Tunnel Find". Decades after distribution, a massive, forgotten cache of Rainier flat top cans was discovered inside an unused industrial wind tunnel facility in Seattle. This find brought an unprecedented assortment of graphic scenes and color combinations to light, revitalizing collector interest and significantly expanding the documentation of Sicks' Seattle issues.

Production Variations

Collectors actively study this can for its manufacturing and aesthetic differences across production runs. Variations exist across metallic color palettes, side-panel mandatory text phrasing, factory canning codes, and side-seam construction. Cans produced by the American Can Company bear the trademark "Keglined" oval near the seam.