Schlitz Beer 16 Oz Tab Top Can

Schlitz 16 Oz Tab Top Can

The Schlitz Beer 16 Oz Tab Top Can represents an era when the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin was competing as one of the largest brewing titans in the United States. Produced in the classic pint format—commonly referred to by collectors as a "tall boy" or "half quart"—this can provided an expanded surface area for the brewery's famous branding and iconic slogan, "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous."

Design & Graphic Identity

The face of the can features the traditional Schlitz script centered within the belted rhombus emblem. Flanked by clean metallic accents and crisp typography, the design displays mandatory volume statements identifying the contents as "One Pint" or "16 Fluid Ounces." The large layout allowed the company's trademark red, white, and metallic color scheme to stand out on retail shelves.

Packaging Variations and History

During the height of its distribution network, the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company operated multiple packaging facilities across the country. Because the company utilized regional facilities to service surrounding markets, collectors find variations featuring differing city mandatory statements along the side panels. These lines include references to production centers such as Tampa, Longview, Los Angeles, Winston-Salem, and Memphis, alongside the primary Milwaukee headquarters.

Additional variations among these pint cans include slight differences in seam construction, metal composition transitioning between straight steel and lightweight aluminum bodies, and factory-specific lid stampings. In packaging history, Schlitz was notable for being among the earliest major national breweries to aggressively adopt self-opening can technology across all its volume formats, making these pint-sized cans an essential piece in the evolution of American breweriana.