Schmidt's Bock 12 Oz Zip/Tab Top Can

Schmidt's Bock Zip Top History

Produced by C. Schmidt & Sons of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Schmidt's Bock 12-ounce zip and tab top can represents a classic seasonal offering from one of the Mid-Atlantic’s historic brewing powerhouses. Established in 1860 by German immigrant Christian Schmidt, the Christian Schmidt Brewing Company grew to become the largest brewing enterprise in Philadelphia history, dominating regional retail shelves and taverns for generations.

Bock beer held a distinguished place in traditional German-American brewing calendars, released as a rich seasonal specialty. Schmidt's packaged this seasonal brew in straight-steel cans sporting the brand's distinguished heraldic styling alongside traditional goat imagery long associated with the bock style. Manufactured primarily with American Can Company "Keglined" straight-steel construction, these cans were distributed across Schmidt’s core markets spanning Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and neighboring states.

Among breweriana enthusiasts, Schmidt's Bock cans from this era are sought after because their seasonal nature resulted in significantly smaller production batches than the brewery's flagship year-round lagers. Variations exist across production runs, featuring differences in canning company hallmarks, mandatory brewery statements, and tax lid stampings. The can remains a celebrated artifact of Philadelphia's rich industrial brewing heritage before the historic facility ceased operations in 1987.