Schlitz Beer Test Can

1973 Schlitz Inverted Face Test Can

This 12-ounce straight steel tab top container dates to 1973 and represents an experimental test can produced for the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company. Distinct from standard production runs of the era, the can was fabricated with an opposing label layout where one display face is oriented right-side up while the other panel is printed upside down. The primary display presents the classic slanted red rectangular Schlitz banner beneath the familiar blue globe logo, accompanied by the script slogan "The Beer that made Milwaukee Famous" and mandatory multi-plant brewery listings positioned along the rims.

Schlitz was established as one of the quintessential American lagers. The brand surged in popularity following the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, when the company sent shipments of beer to the devastated city, prompting the enduring marketing tagline "The Beer that made Milwaukee Famous". Throughout the mid-twentieth century, extensive distribution and memorable advertising—such as the famous 1960s slogan "When you're out of Schlitz, you're out of beer"—solidified the brand as a dominant household staple across the United States.

The Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, developing out of a small tavern brewery founded by August Krug in 1849. Following Krug's death, bookkeeper Joseph Schlitz took over management in 1856 and renamed the enterprise in 1858. The business expanded substantially through the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, surviving Prohibition by producing malt syrups and soft drinks before roaring back after repeal. For several decades, Schlitz traded places with Anheuser-Busch as America's top-selling brewer. A series of ill-fated recipe adjustments and packaging changes in the 1970s eroded customer loyalty, leading to a steep decline and the company's eventual buyout by Stroh in 1982, with the brand later moving under Pabst.

Test cans and factory proof press sheets hold a distinctive niche among breweriana enthusiasts. Specimens showcasing inverted text or experimental orientations illustrate the mechanical and design trials conducted by major breweries and can manufacturers during the pull-tab era.