Western Style Pilsner (hart'z) Beer Flat Top Can

Hartz Western Style Pilsener Flat Top

This 11-ounce flat top was produced for the Silver Springs Brewing Co. of Tacoma, Washington. Manufactured with an enamel finish, the can bears the American Can Company's "Keglined" trademark near the bottom seam. Instead of the standard twelve-ounce capacity, it was packaged in the regional eleven-ounce volume that was popular across Pacific Northwest and West Coast markets during the mid-20th century. The label artwork is distinguished by line-drawn Pacific Northwest totem poles set against the white body, accompanied by the slogan "Brewed for Westerners."

Introduced in the 1950s, Hartz Western Style Pilsener replaced the company's older, standard Hartz label. The brand leaned directly into regional pride, using its Western styling and regional iconography to appeal to local consumers who favored homegrown beers over emerging national macro brands. Hartz Western Style was distributed across Washington and neighboring markets in bottles and flat top cans throughout the decade and into the 1960s.

Silver Springs Brewing Co. was established in Port Orchard, Washington, shortly after the repeal of Prohibition. In 1950, the Williams family moved the brewing operations to Tacoma, taking over the former Northwest Brewing Company facility. The brewery maintained a diverse portfolio of regional offerings, including Hartz, Gold Seal, Oldstyle, and Pioneer, and later expanded with acquired labels such as Köl and Durst. Like many regional independent breweries of the era, Silver Springs faced severe market pressure from national brewing conglomerates, ultimately closing its doors for good in 1967. The Tacoma brewery structure sat vacant until 1986, when it was demolished for the construction of Interstate 705.

Among breweriana enthusiasts, this can is a recognized piece of Pacific Northwest brewing history. Its regional eleven-ounce size and distinctive totem pole graphics make it a popular addition to collections dedicated to Washington breweries and mid-century graphic themes.