Schlitz Beer Test Can

Schlitz Beer Test Prototype

The Schlitz Beer Test Can represents an intriguing phase of packaging development by the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As one of the largest brewing powerhouses in American history, Schlitz invested heavily in market research and graphic refinement before committing new packaging concepts to full-scale commercial manufacturing runs.

These experimental cans were created by container manufacturers and internal brewery design teams to evaluate graphic layouts, lithographic printing methods, metallic finishes, and color treatments. Designers experimented with alternative placements of the brewery's trademark belted rhomboid logo, typography weights, trim lines, and the famous slogan, "The Beer that Made Milwaukee Famous". Such trial runs allowed company executives and marketing panels to review how prospective cans would stand out on retail shelves and under commercial lighting.

Variations exist among collector circles, showcasing differences in mandatory brewery location text, experimental protective coatings, alignment guides, and color shades. Some surviving specimens originated as flat factory proof sheets preserved prior to can formation, while others were assembled as sample mockups for corporate review. These trial pieces frequently bear technical production indicators, such as alignment marks and printer color registration bars along the seams.

Because these prototypes were produced in limited quantities exclusively for internal evaluation and container manufacturing trials rather than general retail distribution, most were discarded once packaging decisions were finalized. Consequently, surviving examples provide valuable insight into industrial graphic design and packaging history.