Rainier Beer Flat Top Can

Rainier Flat Top Can History

The Rainier Beer flat top can produced by Sicks' Seattle Brewing & Malting Co. in Seattle, Washington, represents a memorable chapter in Pacific Northwest breweriana. Following the post-Prohibition era under the leadership of Emil Sick, the brewery actively marketed the Rainier brand across the region, packaging the beverage in boldly lithographed steel flat top cans.

Among breweriana collectors, the flat tops produced under the Sicks' Seattle name are celebrated for their artistic diversity, most notably the illustrated Jubilee and scenic series. These cans featured colorful metallic backgrounds showcasing social gatherings, outdoor activities, drinking songs, and regional folklore such as Paul Bunyan. Because the brewery issued multiple color combinations, graphic scenes, and label text revisions throughout production, collectors recognize an extensive array of variations.

One of the most notable events in collector history centers around these Sicks' Seattle flat top cans: the legendary "wind tunnel find." Stored away inside an old industrial facility in Seattle, a large hoard of Rainier flat top cans was uncovered decades later. This dramatic discovery yielded a wide assortment of scenic variations and color palettes, generating significant excitement across the beer can collecting community and offering an unprecedented look into the regional packaging history of the Pacific Northwest.