Schlitz Lager Beer Cone Top Can

Schlitz Lager Cone Top History

Produced for the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Schlitz Lager Beer cone top stands as a landmark container in American breweriana. Developed alongside the Continental Can Company, this container played an instrumental role during the early canned beer era when major national breweries transitioned away from exclusive glass packaging.

Early releases of this container employed the Flat Bottom Inverted Rib (FBIR) construction developed by Continental Can Company, featuring distinct structural ribs around the spout before later transitions favored concave bottoms to better withstand internal carbonation pressures. The graphic presentation is anchored by the signature Schlitz belted globe logo and the historic slogan, "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous".

Throughout its run, multiple notable variations appeared across the marketplace. Early commercial releases prominently featured "Sunshine Vitamin D" promotional text across the label face, reflecting contemporary health-oriented marketing trends. Other variations display differing tax and regulatory statements, such as mandatory Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) text, subtle shifts in alcohol content declarations, and differing corporate address formatting. Collectors also recognize specialized non-reflective olive drab iterations produced for military distribution during wartime.

Because Continental Can Company engineered these containers to fill on existing bottling lines with minimal adjustments, Schlitz's widespread distribution helped solidify canned beer as a mainstream commercial format. The container remains a cornerstone artifact for collectors of Milwaukee brewing history and early American metal packaging.