Rainier Beer Flat Top Can

1957 Rainier Jubilee Sports Can

Issued in 1957, this 12-ounce flat top can is part of the celebrated Rainier Jubilee Series, cataloged within the eighth Jubilee release. Manufactured with an enamel finish, the label pairs a white upper field with a rich violet-blue lower section. A diagonal gold banner across the body carries the slogan "Rainier for Life," while the mandatory text on the upper band credits Sicks' Rainier Brewing Co. of Seattle, Washington. The front display is anchored by Rainier's script "R" highlighted with marquee-style illuminated dots, set above detailed white graphics of sailboats, a lookout, and a waterskier in tow that capture the "Party/Sports" theme.

The Rainier brand traces its history to 1878 when German brewmaster Andrew Hemrich founded brewing operations in Seattle, naming the label after Mount Rainier. Over the decades, Rainier established itself as an emblematic beverage of the Pacific Northwest, known for its creative marketing campaigns, regional pride, and approachable positioning. Following later corporate consolidations, the brand eventually found a permanent home under the Pabst Brewing Company portfolio.

The brewery that packaged this can came into prominence following the repeal of Prohibition, when Canadian-born brewer Emil Sick established Sicks' Century Brewery in Seattle in 1933. Sick acquired the rights to the Rainier trademark in 1935 and operated the firm under various names, including Sicks' Seattle Brewing & Malting Co. before changing it to Sicks' Rainier Brewing Co. in the mid-1950s. Sick was a prolific promoter who even bought the local minor league baseball team and renamed them the Seattle Rainiers. The brewery operated facilities in Seattle and Spokane until the company was sold to the G. Heileman Brewing Company in 1977.

Within the breweriana hobby, Rainier Jubilee cans represent one of the most ambitious and extensive decorative packaging campaigns of the mid-20th century. With diverse thematic illustrations and varied color pairings issued across the 1950s and 1960s, these flat tops remain a centerpiece for both specialty set collectors and Pacific Northwest enthusiasts.