Schaefer Beer Flat Top Can

Mid-Century Schaefer Flat Top Can

This 12-ounce flat top can from the early 1960s showcases a repeating geometric layout representative of mid-century packaging design. Printed on a clean white background, the body features an alternating pattern of red brand badges and solid gold circular medallions. The graphic arrangement incorporates two alternating slogans set in script within the gold circles: "America's Oldest Lager Beer" and "Established 1842", flanked by stylized ears of grain. The bottom rim bears the mandatory statement crediting The F. & M. Schaefer Brewing Co. of New York, N.Y.

Schaefer built its brand identity around its foundational status in American brewing history, having introduced German-style lager to New York City in 1842. During the mid-20th century, the label dominated the Northeastern market through prolific marketing campaigns. Beyond advertising its status as the nation's oldest lager brewer, Schaefer popularized enduring taglines such as "Our hand has never lost its skill" and the iconic 1960s slogan "Schaefer is the one beer to have when you're having more than one". In 1981, the brand was acquired by the Stroh Brewery Company and later became part of the Pabst Brewing Company portfolio.

The F. & M. Schaefer Brewing Company was established in Manhattan by German immigrant brothers Frederick and Maximilian Schaefer. In 1916, the company moved operations to a large, modern facility along the East River in Brooklyn. The brewery weathered the Prohibition era by manufacturing near-beer, cereal beverages, and artificial ice. Following the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment, Schaefer expanded aggressively to meet booming post-war demand, acquiring additional facilities in Albany, New York, and Baltimore, Maryland, and constructing a state-of-the-art plant in Pennsylvania.

Mid-century flat tops from F. & M. Schaefer are essential centerpieces of East Coast breweriana. The dual-slogan medallion design highlights a memorable era of graphic experimentation before pull tabs became the industry standard, making this variation a favorite among collectors of historic New York brewing memorabilia.