Rainier Beer Flat Top Can

1954 Rainier Jubilee Hunting & Fishing

Issued in 1954 by Sicks' Seattle Brewing & Malting Co. in Seattle, Washington, this 12-ounce flat top can belongs to the celebrated Rainier Jubilee 04 set. Designated under the "Party/Hunting & Fishing" motif, the can features a brilliant metallic finish split by a diagonal gold sash carrying the cursive slogan "Rainier for Life". The upper portion showcases the iconic dotted red script "R" framing an illustration of Mount Rainier within its loop, flanked by a "Truly mild" script notation and silver line art of hops and barley. Below the sash, the metallic middle-blue panel displays outdoor imagery, including a hooked game fish leaping through water and deer standing among evergreen trees.

The Rainier brand originated in Seattle in 1878, named after the prominent Pacific Northwest peak that overlooks Puget Sound. Developed by Andrew Hemrich and later consolidated under the Seattle Brewing & Malting Company, Rainier grew into one of the West Coast's dominant regional beers. In the mid-twentieth century, marketing leaned heavily into Northwest outdoor heritage, recreation, and local pride, emphasizing approachable, mild drinkability alongside regional scenery.

The brewery's mid-century era took shape after the repeal of Prohibition when Canadian brewing executive Emil Sick re-established brewing at the historic Bay View facility in Seattle. Sick repurchased the rights to the Rainier trademark in 1935, operating as Sicks' Seattle Brewing & Malting Co. Sick was an energetic civic booster who even purchased the city's baseball franchise and rechristened them the Seattle Rainiers. Sicks' Seattle facility anchored regional production for decades until the company was ultimately sold to the G. Heileman Brewing Company in 1977.

Rainier's Jubilee series represents one of the most ambitious decorative packaging campaigns in American brewing history. Beginning as a seasonal holiday promotion, the Jubilee concept quickly expanded into vibrant multi-subject sets highlighting sports, wildlife, food, and social gatherings across numerous metallic color palettes. Today, Jubilee cans hold a treasured place in breweriana, admired by collectors for their distinctive mid-century commercial art and enduring Pacific Northwest identity.