Scotch Buy Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Safeway's Fort Wayne House Label

The Scotch Buy Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can represents a notable chapter in supermarket contract brewing. Produced by the Falstaff Brewing Corporation at its Fort Wayne, Indiana facility—the historic former Berghoff Brewery site—this can was packaged specifically for Safeway Supermarkets as part of their budget-friendly house brand.

Background and Contract Brewing

During the rise of private-label supermarket lines, Safeway deployed the Scotch Buy moniker across a wide range of grocery goods and household staples. Rather than manufacturing its own malt beverages, Safeway contracted established brewing companies across the country to supply regional distribution hubs. Falstaff took on production duties for several markets, utilizing its Fort Wayne canning lines to fill and distribute the generic-styled cans.

Design and Known Variations

The packaging reflects the bold, utilitarian aesthetic characteristic of supermarket store brands:

• Mandatory Text: The side panels feature required brewing and canning notices attributing production to the Falstaff Brewing Corporation and identifying the Fort Wayne, Indiana plant.
• Label Variations: Collectors have identified variations across production runs, showing subtle shifts in typography, differences in the spacing between the primary brand emblem and the word "BEER," and alternate multi-city plant listings along the seam.

This can stands as an interesting piece of retail and breweriana history, highlighting the partnership between a major national supermarket chain and an iconic regional brewing facility.