Schlitz Amber Beer Test Can

Schlitz Amber Beer Test Can

The Schlitz Amber Beer Test Can dates to 1976 and represents an experimental packaging run by the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company. Constructed from straight steel with a tab top, this 12-ounce container features an applied foil label rather than direct-printed metal. A notable visual feature is the upper label text, which outlines the intended concept: "Schlitz Amber Beer combines the heartier flavor of Old World lagers with a mild, mellow body that is consistent with today's beer preference." Below the classic Schlitz globe logo and bold lettering, a heraldic crest displays a winged griffin above a banner reading "Special Lager."

During the mid-1970s, major American brewing companies faced evolving consumer preferences and intensified competition, leading to experimentation with new product lines. Schlitz developed Amber Beer as a specialty extension designed to bridge the gap between rich European-style beers and the lighter profiles favored by contemporary American drinkers. Packaged for evaluation and market trial runs, the brand remained an experimental venture and did not achieve long-term national distribution.

The Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, traceably back to 1849 when August Krug established a local brewery. Following Krug's death, bookkeeper Joseph Schlitz took over operations and formally organized the company under his own name in 1858. The brewery achieved national prominence after sending shipments to Chicago following the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, popularizing the famous slogan, "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous." Schlitz successfully navigated Prohibition by producing malt extract and near-beer, eventually growing into one of the largest brewing operations in the world. However, quality issues stemming from reformulated brewing processes in the 1970s led to severe market losses, culminating in the company's sale to Stroh Brewery Company in 1982.

In the realm of breweriana, test cans and prototype containers occupy a fascinating niche. Foil-label test cans from major national brewers document transitional concepts, regional test markets, and branding efforts that never transitioned into standard assembly-line production.