Rainier Beer Flat Top Can

Rainier Jubilee Party and Games Can

Issued between 1953 and 1954 by Sicks' Seattle Brewing & Malting Co. of Seattle, Washington, this twelve-ounce flat top can belongs to the celebrated Rainier Jubilee 01 set. Finished in an enamel palette of purple and pink, the can displays the prominent dotted script "R" trademark crafted by the industrial design firm Walter Landor and Associates, framing an engraved illustration of Mount Rainier. Diagonal gold banding frames the white upper section accented with ghosted hop vine foliage and the descriptor "Truly mild." The lower panel features a lively "Party/Games" montage reflecting mid-century indoor recreation, including a chess knight, bowling pins struck by a ball, a dartboard target, and game board pieces.

Rainier Beer traces its origins to 1878, when it was introduced in Washington Territory prior to statehood by brewmaster Andrew Hemrich. Named in tribute to the Pacific Northwest's iconic volcanic mountain, the brand was marketed as an approachable, high-quality lager suited for everyday leisure. Rainier emphasized cheer and drinkability in its mid-century marketing, using slogans that highlighted mildness and refreshment. Over decades of operation and memorable regional advertising, the brand established itself as a cultural fixture of the Pacific Northwest.

The brewery itself stemmed from the Seattle Brewing & Malting Company, formed in 1893 through the merger of several local breweries. When Washington enacted statewide Prohibition in 1916—four years before national legislation—the owners shifted brewing operations to California and produced non-alcoholic products locally to stay afloat. Following repeal, Canadian brewing entrepreneur Emil Sick purchased the historic Seattle plant and secured rights to the Rainier brand in 1935, establishing Sicks' Seattle Brewing & Malting Co. The company expanded significantly across the region before undergoing corporate reorganizations and eventual sale to G. Heileman Brewing in 1977.

The Rainier Jubilee releases hold a revered place among breweriana enthusiasts as one of the most ambitious decorative packaging programs in American brewing history. Rather than adhering to conventional static cans, Sicks rotated numerous graphic vignettes across an array of vibrant color combinations, turning everyday beverage cans into captivating collectible art.