Silver Bar Premium Ale Flat Top Can

Silver Bar Premium Ale Flat Top

Produced by the Southern Brewing Company of Tampa, Florida, the Silver Bar Premium Ale Flat Top Can represents a notable mid-century release from one of the state's prominent post-Prohibition regional breweries. Established in 1934 at the corner of Zack and Pierce Streets, Southern Brewing Company quickly built the Silver Bar label into a recognizable name throughout the region.

The brewery itself held an interesting place in Florida's industrial heritage. Its brewing operations were visible from the street through expansive glass windows, and the facility was an early local pioneer of brewery tours and hospitality rooms for the public. The Silver Bar brand served as the brewery's primary product line alongside its SB Beer label.

For collectors of regional breweriana, the Silver Bar Premium Ale can features notable production differences across its manufacturing lifespan. Variations exist featuring metallic or enamel finishes, subtle alterations in lettering colors, and different can-maker marks such as those from the American Can Company and Crown Cork & Seal. Examples also frequently feature state-specific tax stamped lids, including the Florida tax lid designation.

Southern Brewing Company operated independently until being acquired by Detroit-based International Breweries Inc. (IBI). With the subsequent arrival of massive national brewing facilities in the Tampa market, the downtown plant eventually closed in the 1960s, leaving cans bearing the original Southern Brewing Company imprint as prized relics of Florida's brewing history.