Schlitz Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Schlitz 12 Oz Tab Top Can

The Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, played a central role in canning history as one of the major national breweries to widely implement self-opening tab top cans on a mass scale. Schlitz prominently featured slogans on these containers such as "Some day all beer cans will open this easy!" during promotional campaigns, cementing the packaging shift into the mainstream American market.

Graphic Identity and Slogans

This 12-ounce can displays the classic graphic presentation associated with the Milwaukee brewing titan. The face prominently displays the distinctive italicized Schlitz script logotype set against the brand's traditional color palette, complemented by the company's trademark belted globe emblem. Emblazoned alongside the branding is the iconic motto, "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous," which had long served as the centerpiece of the company's identity.

Manufacturing and Regional Variations

Because Jos. Schlitz operated several brewing and packaging facilities throughout the country to satisfy nationwide demand, collectors encounter diverse text and structural variations across production runs. Mandatory side-panel markings vary depending on the canning plant, with examples listing the primary Milwaukee headquarters alongside regional facilities like Tampa, Los Angeles, Longview, and Memphis.

Other variations between production runs involve shifts in can construction materials, encompassing both steel-bodied containers with aluminum lids and all-aluminum examples. Differences also appear in the layout of mandatory warning labels, tax notices, slogan placements, and lid stampings. Together, these elements make the can a core staple among breweriana collectors interested in American packaging history.