Schlitz Beer Flat Top Can

Jos. Schlitz Flat Top Heritage

The Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was a powerhouse in American brewing history, famously recognized by its slogan, "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous." When canning technology reshaped the industry, Schlitz stood at the forefront of mass-scale beverage container packaging, distributing its flagship lager across the country in flat top cans.

The can design prominently features the belted globe emblem and cursive script set against a rich crimson, metallic gold, and white lithographed background. Manufactured through partnerships with major packaging suppliers such as the American Can Company and Continental Can Company, these cans were produced in high volume to meet nationwide distribution. Schlitz also expanded beyond standard packaging, helping popularize larger flat top container formats in the brewing industry.

During periods of wartime material rationing, Schlitz contributed to military supply efforts by manufacturing flat top cans in a matte olive drab finish without commercial branding for service members overseas. In commercial runs, several variations exist across production cycles. Collectors catalog variations based on factors such as statutory Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) markings versus non-IRTP side panels, mandatory brewery location text adjustments, and seam notations. The brewery also utilized aluminum soft-top lids on flat steel bodies as packaging technology evolved.

Today, the Schlitz flat top can stands as a cornerstone piece for breweriana collections, representing the era of mid-century industrial lithography and Milwaukee brewing heritage.