Schlitz Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Schlitz 12 Oz Tab Top History

The Schlitz Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can represents a defining milestone in American breweriana packaging, produced by the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Known historically by the famous tagline "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous," Schlitz was an early national pioneer in adopting and aggressively marketing tab-top can packaging. Following early regional introductions of easy-open lids, Schlitz launched a nationwide promotional push highlighting the convenient container format, accelerating an industry-wide transition across major American breweries.

Branding and Graphics

The can design prominently highlights Schlitz's classic visual identity, centered on the cursive script logo and the historic belted globe insignia. The layout commonly positions the script across a bold rhombus or diamond motif, accented with rich crimson, metallic gold, and white highlights. Side panels feature federal and state mandatory brewery disclosures, net contents, and regional brewery rosters.

Packaging Facilities and Variations

As Schlitz expanded its national footprint, the company packaged beer across a network of regional plants, including Milwaukee, Tampa, Longview, Los Angeles, Winston-Salem, and Memphis. To identify the packaging origin without redesigning the entire label artwork, the brewery used small indicator dots or subtle markings beside specific city names in the plant roster.

For breweriana enthusiasts, multiple variations exist across production runs. These variations display subtle differences in city list arrangements, mandatory text layouts, container manufacturer stamps along the seam, and the evolution of can body metallurgy from crimped steel to aluminum.