Schlitz Beer Test Can

1972 Schlitz Beer Test Can

This straight steel tab top test can dates to 1972 and was produced for the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company. Sample and test cans from this era were manufactured by container companies to evaluate color balances, print registrations, and design adjustments prior to large-scale production runs. The face of the can features the classic Schlitz rhomboid badge set against an off-white background, flanked by decorative filigree and the belted globe trademark at the top. Below the central emblem, the can displays the time-honored slogan "The Beer that made Milwaukee Famous," the volume statement "CONTENTS 12 FLUID OZ.", and a multi-city brewery mandatory line along the bottom rim.

Schlitz was introduced in the nineteenth century and expanded rapidly to become one of the most recognized lager brands in the United States. Aggressively marketed across print, radio, and television, it was positioned as a dependable, classic American brew. Slogans like "The Beer that made Milwaukee Famous" and later "When you're out of Schlitz, you're out of beer" made the label a household name throughout the twentieth century. While recipe shifts in the 1970s disrupted consumer loyalty, the brand survived through corporate transitions and was later acquired by the Pabst Brewing Company portfolio.

The Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company traces its origins to 1849, when August Krug established a small brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Following Krug's death, bookkeeper Joseph Schlitz took over operations in 1858. The company’s national fortunes rose dramatically following the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, when Schlitz sent hundreds of barrels of beer to the city, creating an enduring reputation and opening new regional markets. Jos. Schlitz survived Prohibition by manufacturing malt extract, non-alcoholic beverages, and bakery goods, emerging in 1933 to rival Anheuser-Busch for dominance as the nation's largest brewing enterprise. After decades of expansion across facilities nationwide, the company faced mounting difficulties and was sold to the Stroh Brewery Company in 1982.

Test cans from major national brewers hold special interest in breweriana collecting. Because they were created for packaging trials and technical evaluations rather than regular retail distribution, these cans provide a fascinating look into container manufacturing history and graphic prototyping during the 1970s.