Schlitz Light Special Lager Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Schlitz Light Special Lager Can

The Schlitz Light Special Lager 12-ounce tab top can represents a pivotal moment in the American brewing landscape, capturing the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company's high-stakes entry into the emerging light beer category during the mid-1970s. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Schlitz was one of the largest brewing operations in the United States and developed Schlitz Light to compete against the rapid rise of rival low-calorie offerings.

The can design features the distinguished blue, white, and cream color palette associated with the brand's light line, accented by the famous Schlitz belted globe insignia and a sunburst motif that defined its advertising aesthetic. Emblazoned with the label "Special Lager," the can was supported by an aggressive national marketing push featuring actor James Coburn and the promotional slogan, "It took Schlitz to bring the taste to light".

For breweriana collectors, this can is intertwined with a landmark legal precedent. Miller Brewing Company filed trademark lawsuits over the use of the word "Light," initiating a battle in federal court. The courts ultimately determined that the term was a generic descriptive word rather than an exclusive trademark, allowing Schlitz and other major brewers to continue using the name on their packaging.

Collectors also take interest in the various mandatory text variations created across the company's network of regional facilities, which included plants in Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Tampa, Longview, and Memphis. Depending on the specific canning run, examples feature differences in city lists, mandatory alcohol disclosures, and manufacturer marks. As an artifact of the 1970s light beer wars, this can remains an important chapter in Milwaukee brewing history.