Schlitz Beer Test Can

Schlitz 1962 Aluminum Test Can

Produced in 1962, this twelve-ounce Schlitz Beer test can represents an experimental phase in mid-century brewing packaging. Fabricated from three-piece aluminum rather than conventional tin-plated steel, the sample flat top features a silver panel on its right side alongside the company's classic belted rhomboid graphic. Prominently displayed is the hemispherical globe trademark and the iconic slogan "The Beer that made Milwaukee Famous" scripted across the lower portion of the label. These trial containers were produced in small batches by can manufacturers and brewery design teams to evaluate experimental metal forming, lacquer finishes, and shelf-display aesthetics before committing to high-speed commercial production.

Schlitz traces its roots to 1849, when August Krug established a small brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Following Krug's death, brewery bookkeeper Joseph Schlitz took over operations in 1858 and incorporated the firm under his own name in 1874. The brand gained nationwide prominence after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, when Schlitz sent hundreds of barrels of fresh drinking water and beer southward to the stricken city. Capitalizing on this goodwill and rapid railway distribution, Schlitz adopted its enduring "Milwaukee Famous" slogan in the 1890s and became the nation's leading brewer for several intervals throughout the twentieth century. Although cost-cutting measures and altered brewing processes triggered a steep sales decline in the late 1970s—ultimately leading to an acquisition by the Stroh Brewery Company in 1982—the classic Schlitz brand was later revived under the Pabst Brewing Company portfolio.

During the early 1960s, the brewing industry stood on the precipice of a major packaging transition, shifting away from standard heavy steel towards lightweight aluminum and emerging easy-open lids. Test cans from this pivotal era are prized within breweriana collecting circles because they provide direct insight into commercial graphic design workflows and industrial experimentation. Surviving mockups offer collectors an uncommon look into the developmental process behind one of America's most recognizable legacy beer brands.