Silver Bar Premium Lager Beer Flat Top Can

Tampa's Classic Silver Bar Lager

The Silver Bar Premium Lager Beer flat top can is a prominent artifact of Florida's mid-century brewing landscape, produced by the historic Southern Brewing Company in Tampa, Florida.

Brewery History

Following the repeal of Prohibition, Southern Brewing Company established its downtown Tampa facility on East Zack Street. The brewery was locally famous for its street-level architecture, featuring large glass viewing windows that allowed pedestrians to watch the brewing and canning operations directly from the sidewalk. During its peak operational years, the facility produced tens of thousands of barrels annually, with Silver Bar serving as a cornerstone brand in taverns throughout the region.

In the mid-1950s, Detroit-based conglomerate International Breweries Inc. (IBI) acquired Southern Brewing Company and maintained regional production of the Silver Bar brand. However, the late 1950s and early 1960s brought intense competition as major national brewing powerhouses opened large facilities in Tampa. This influx of national competition saturated the local market and ultimately led to the closure of the East Zack Street plant in 1963.

Collector Notes & Variations

Because independent regional breweries across the American South largely disappeared during mid-century consolidation, Silver Bar containers serve as significant historical records of Florida's commercial brewing industry. Collectors recognize variations across production runs, including different metallic and painted background colorways, distinct manufacturer marks from suppliers like the American Can Company and Crown Cork & Seal, and specialized state tax lid stampings.