Dating old cans old milwaukee

How to Date Beer Cans

The First Beer Can was produced by the G. Krueger Brewing Co. of Newark, NJ, on January 24, 1935. The Krueger's Ale beer can was sent to a test market area in Richmond, VA. The American Can Company produced the cans and was soon overwhelmed with requests from other breweries. It didn't take look for competing breweries and can makers to enter the market. In September of 1935 the Continental Can Company produced the first cone top beer cans for the Schlitz Brewing Co. of Milwaukee, WI.

Flat top and cone top beer cans were produced through the 1950's. The pull tab beer can was not introduced until 1962. The introduction of the pulltab beer can, as well as aluminum beer cans, changed the beer can industry forever. The cans of beer we drink today are a distant relative of the heavy steel beer cans that once dominated the market. Below is a guide to help you date beer your beer can. All cans will fall into one of the following three categories.

Types of Beer Cans

• 1) Flat Tops : produced from 1935 to 1970
• 2) Cone Tops : produced from 1935 to 1960
• 3) Pull Tabs : produced from 1962 to present

Flat Top Beer Cans

Instructionals (1935 to 1950)

• Full Length Openers
  were displayed on the side panel from 1935 through 1937 only
• Multi Panel Instructions
  were used mostly from 1938 to 1945
• Single Panel Instructions
  are found mostly on cans filled between 1940 and 1950

IRTP cans (1935 to 1950)

• Internal Revenue Tax Paid
  this statement was present in many different forms on every beer can produced between 1935 and 1950
• Withdrawn Free of IRTP for Exportation
  cans displaying this phrase were designated for U.S. military installations between 1942 and 1945

non-IRTP cans (1950 to 1970)

Pull Tab Beer Cans