Sicks' Select Beer Flat Top Can

Sicks' Select Flat Top History

Produced by Sicks' Brewing Company in Salem, Oregon, the Sicks' Select Beer flat top can represents a notable era in Pacific Northwest brewing history. The Salem facility was acquired by Canadian brewing magnate Emil Sick, integrating the historic local plant into an expanding regional network that also included operations in Seattle and Spokane.

During its period of operation, the Salem plant packaged the flagship Sicks' Select Beer in cans manufactured primarily by the American Can Company. The design features the recognizable Sicks' heraldic crest alongside bold brand typography.

For collectors of Pacific Northwest breweriana, several variations of the Salem flat top exist. These differences appear across production runs and include changes in mandatory tax markings—such as "Internal Revenue Tax Paid" (IRTP) text versus export notices reading "Withdrawn Free of Internal Revenue Tax"—as well as variations in instructional side panels and lid markings. Because the Salem brewery closed in the 1950s while brewing continued in Seattle, cans carrying the Salem, Oregon mandatory line remain prominent regional artifacts.