Schaefer Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Schaefer Lehigh Valley Tab Top

The Schaefer Beer 12 oz tab top can from Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, represents a pivotal chapter in the history of the F. & M. Schaefer Brewing Company. Established in 1842 by German immigrant brothers Frederick and Maximilian Schaefer in New York, the company built much of its identity around producing "America's Oldest Lager Beer".

To modernize production and fend off national competitors, Schaefer constructed a massive, automated packaging and brewing facility in the Lehigh Valley near Allentown, Pennsylvania. The facility quickly became the company's primary operational hub, leading to the eventual centralization of production and the phaseout of older urban breweries, including the historic Brooklyn plant. Cans bearing the Lehigh Valley mandatory line directly document this era of Pennsylvania brewing prior to the brand's acquisition by the Stroh Brewery Company.

The label display highlights Schaefer's established red and white heraldic crest, bold script, and the enduring company motto, "Our Hand Has Never Lost Its Skill". The mandatory text along the seam explicitly identifies The F. & M. Schaefer Brewing Co. of Lehigh Valley, PA. For breweriana collectors, several variations exist across production runs, featuring slight differences in mandatory text formatting, seam markings, and metal compositions.