Schell's Beer 12 Oz Zip/Tab Top Can

Schell's Beer Zip and Tab Top Can

This 12-ounce straight steel can represents Schell's Beer from the mid-20th-century transition to convenience-style openings. Produced for the August Schell Brewing Company of New Ulm, Minnesota, this issue features straight steel construction and was released with a zip top, though variations fitted with standard tab tops are also documented. The design highlights the regional brewer's mid-century promotional slogan, "Pleasure Packed," set along the upper banner beside the iconic leaping buck medallion noting the company's founding date.

The Brand

Schell's Beer served as the flagship American lager for the August Schell Brewing Company through several generations. Frequently referred to simply as "Deer Brand" after the trademark buck emblem inspired by the brewery's onsite deer park, the brand was marketed as an authentic, high-quality regional lager. During the mid-century era, Schell utilized slogans like "Pleasure Packed" to maintain visibility across tavern taps and retail shelves in the Upper Midwest. The Deer Brand recipe and motif remain central to the brewery's legacy, representing one of the longest continuous brand lineages in American brewing history.

The Brewery

German immigrant August Schell founded the August Schell Brewing Company in 1860 alongside partner Jacob Bernhardt on the scenic banks of the Cottonwood River in New Ulm, Minnesota. Schell bought out Bernhardt in 1866, establishing unbroken family management that makes it the second-oldest family-owned brewery in the United States. The plant weathered significant historical trials, including the U.S.–Dakota War of 1862 and national Prohibition, during which the facility survived by producing near-beer and carbonated soft drinks. While hundreds of regional breweries folded during post-war industry consolidation, Schell endured as an independent family operation and later expanded by acquiring the historic Grain Belt brand in 2002.

Collecting Context

For breweriana collectors, this can is an appealing artifact of independent Midwestern brewing heritage. It bridges the gap between traditional flat top steel packaging and modern beverage containers, making it a desirable piece for specialists in Minnesota breweriana and pull-tab era package design.