West Virginia Pilsner Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

West Virginia Pilsner Tab Top

This straight steel tab top container represents the late 1960s to early 1970s packaging for West Virginia Pilsner Beer. The design features bold red lettering for the state name outlined in gold, set above an ornate navy blue scrollwork ribbon that cradles the cursive script designation "Pilsner" and block-lettered "BEER." Positioned centrally above the ribbon is a golden bell emblem bearing the initials "LSB" beneath a Swiss cross, reflecting the identity of the Little Switzerland Brewing Company. Running across the lower gold trim band, the liquid contents are noted as twelve fluid ounces.

The "West Virginia" brand had deep roots in the state, originally introduced following the repeal of Prohibition as the flagship label for Huntington's local brewery. Promoted for decades with the enduring slogan "West Virginia, That'll Win Ya," the brew was closely tied to regional pride and Mountain State loyalty. When Little Switzerland took over production in 1968, the new proprietors retained the recognizable regional moniker while refreshing the label graphics and updating the tagline to "West Virginia, Brewed To Win Ya" before canning operations ended in 1971.

Little Switzerland brewed this beer in Huntington's Central City neighborhood. The brewery grounds dated back to 1899, when the Fesenmeier family acquired a defunct facility and founded the West Virginia Brewing Company. When statewide prohibition took effect in 1914, the plant survived by converting into cold storage and ice manufacturing before reopening as the Fesenmeier Brewing Company in 1934. After decades of fighting intensifying consolidation from national brewing conglomerates, the family sold the enterprise in 1968 to local businessmen who established the Little Switzerland Brewing Company. The new management attempted to revitalize interest by redesigning the complex with a Swiss chalet motif and welcoming tourists, but the brewery was acquired by August Wagner of Columbus, Ohio, in 1970 and closed permanently in 1971.

For breweriana collectors, this can holds a significant place in regional history. Emerging from the brief operating window of Little Switzerland and marking the end of the state's twentieth-century commercial brewing heritage, it remains a standout favorite among Appalachian beer can enthusiasts.