Rainier Beer Flat Top Can

Rainier Jubilee Games Flat Top

This 12-ounce flat top can was issued in 1957 as part of the celebrated Rainier Jubilee 08 series by Sicks' Rainier Brewing of Seattle, Washington. Rendered in an enamel finish with a rich purple and darker pink palette, this can highlights the "Party/Games" theme. The lower illustration showcases classic leisure activities, featuring a chess knight, bowling pins mid-strike, and a target board. The signature marquee-style red "R" sits prominently across the center, accented by a gold diagonal sash across the upper body displaying the slogan "Rainier for Life."

Rainier Beer traces its roots to 1878, when brewmaster Andrew Hemrich established operations in Washington Territory before statehood. Positioned as a staple of Pacific Northwest culture, Rainier was marketed heavily around regional pride, outdoor living, and festive social gatherings. Over the decades, Rainier maintained a reputation for engaging advertising campaigns, from decorative lifestyle-themed cans in the mid-century to beloved television commercials in later decades. Although production at the original Seattle plant eventually ceased, the brand remains an enduring regional icon under the Pabst Brewing Company banner.

The brewery behind this can was revitalized by entrepreneur Emil Sick. Following the repeal of Prohibition, Sick acquired Seattle's historic Bay View brewery and secured the territorial rights to the Rainier brand name in 1935. Operating as Sicks' Seattle Brewing and Malting Company and later Sicks' Rainier Brewing, the firm dominated the regional beer market and operated an additional production facility in Spokane. Sicks' Rainier remained the defining regional brewer of the Puget Sound area until the company was sold to G. Heileman Brewing in 1977.

The Rainier Jubilee cans represent one of the most celebrated packaging programs in vintage breweriana. Developed in collaboration with the design firm Walter Landor and Associates, the Jubilee line introduced an expansive spectrum of thematic illustrations and distinct color combinations throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. These party-themed cans remain cornerstone artifacts for collectors focused on mid-century commercial art and West Coast brewing heritage.