Schlitz Beer Cone Top Can

Schlitz Export Cone Top Beer Can

Dating to the mid-1940s, this 12-ounce Schlitz Beer cone top can represents an export-designated release from the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Bearing a visible copyright date of 1945 along the bottom edge, the container features the vertical mandatory text "WITHDRAWN FREE OF INTERNAL REVENUE TAX FOR EXPORTATION" along its left side. This tax-exempt designation was applied to cans produced for overseas consumption, including wartime and post-World War II military allocations as well as foreign civilian distribution. The front display showcases the brewery's trademark slanted crimson banner with flowing Schlitz script, the circular globe logo inscribed with "ESTABLISHED 1849," and the enduring slogan, "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous."

Schlitz built a towering presence as one of the premier national lager brands in the United States. Its famous slogan took root in the wake of the 1871 Great Chicago Fire, when the brewery sent hundreds of barrels of fresh drinking water and beer to the devastated city, generating widespread public goodwill and fueling nationwide expansion. Throughout the mid-twentieth century, Schlitz reinforced its market positioning through extensive national advertising campaigns centered on craftsmanship and heritage. Although the brand led domestic beer sales for decades, ill-advised production and recipe adjustments alongside labor disputes during the 1970s severely eroded brand loyalty, leading to its eventual repositioning as a heritage label.

The Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company originated in 1849 when August Krug established a small brewery in Milwaukee. Following Krug's passing, bookkeeper Joseph Schlitz took charge of operations, subsequently renaming the enterprise. Schlitz survived national Prohibition by pivoting to baker's yeast, malt syrup, and near-beer. After Repeal, aggressive expansion and modernization allowed Schlitz to battle for the top spot among American brewers. In 1982, after years of declining sales, the company was acquired by the Stroh Brewery Company, with the brand eventually joining the Pabst Brewing Company portfolio.

Among breweriana collectors, mid-century cans bearing export tax statements are especially prized for their historical connection to international supply logistics and wartime military distribution. Combined with the classic graphic identity of a legendary brewing city, this piece remains a quintessential artifact of twentieth-century American packaging history.