Schaefer Beer Flat Top Can

Schaefer New York World's Fair Can

Issued in conjunction with the 1964–1965 New York World's Fair held at Flushing Meadows, this 12-ounce flat top can represents one of the most recognizable mid-century promotional designs. The exterior features Schaefer's repeating geometric circle-and-oval motif, adapted from their mid-century packaging identity. The golden and red medallions showcase the brewery's heritage and marketing slogans, including "America's Oldest Lager Beer," "Our hand has never lost its skill," "Established in the United States 1842," and "A Family Tradition for Two Centuries." On this commemorative release, one of the circular panels invites patrons to visit the Schaefer Center pavilion at the exposition.

The Brand

Schaefer was marketed as America's heritage lager, anchoring its brand identity in its 1842 founding to communicate craft pedigree and consistency. In the mid-20th century, Schaefer deployed several of the most famous slogans in American advertising history. Alongside "Our hand has never lost its skill," campaigns asked "What do you hear in the best of circles? Schaefer, all around!"—a direct tie-in to the circle graphics on the packaging. Later, the iconic jingle "Schaefer is the one beer to have when you're having more than one" further solidified its popularity. Throughout the 1950s and into the 1970s, it remained one of the best-selling beers in the country before industry consolidation diminished regional powerhouses.

The Brewery

The F. & M. Schaefer Brewing Company was founded in New York City in 1842 by German immigrant brothers Frederick and Maximilian Schaefer. After starting in Manhattan, the business expanded into a massive facility on Kent Avenue in Brooklyn. Schaefer survived the Prohibition era by manufacturing near-beer, carbonated beverages, and ice, allowing the firm to rapidly ramp up full-strength brewing upon Repeal. As national mega-brewers dominated retail distribution in the 1970s, the family-led company eventually agreed to an acquisition by the Stroh Brewery Company in 1981.

Collecting Context

Cans tied directly to international expositions occupy a crossover space appealing to breweriana enthusiasts and World's Fair memorabilia collectors alike. Because Schaefer operated a major pavilion featuring a large restaurant and beer garden at the 1964–1965 event, this can stands as a celebrated artifact of 1960s New York history.