Man, this old beer can thing kinda fell into my lap. Found a dusty box in the back of my grandpa’s garage last weekend, full of rusty old soda and beer cans. Figured, hey, some might be worth somethin’, right? Waste not, want not. But which ones? No clue. Started Googlin’ like mad.
First Step: Just Look At The Darn Thing
Took a few of the least rusty ones out. Grabbed this ugly brown can first. Looked older than dirt. Noticed some stuff right away:
- The Paint Job: Peelin’ like crazy. The colors looked faded, like cheap wallpaper after fifty summers. Modern cans? They don’t flake like this.
- Logo Vibes: Checked the brand name – something you never see now. Googled that name + “old beer can”. Boom, bunch of nerdy collector sites popped up. Seems it went bust decades ago. That’s clue number one.
- Feel The Rim: Ran my finger around the top where you open it. Most cans today have a smooth, built-in pull tab? This one was just plain metal, smooth rim. Told me it needed a separate opener tool – way older tech.
Getting Deeper: Tiny Details & Secret Codes
Okay, so it’s old. But how old? Needed more evidence. Got out my reading glasses – the cheap dollar store ones. Started scanning every inch under a bright lamp.
- The Bottom Tells Tales: Flipped it over. Bingo! Saw a date code stamped right there in the metal. Something like “PAT PEND 1954”. Didn’t mean it was from 1954, more likely after. But hey, it ain’t from last Tuesday!
- Location, Location, Location: Looked for where it was brewed. Saw “Brewed and Filled in Cincinnati” underneath the brewery name. Quick search: Turns out that specific brewery moved cities in the late 60s. So, pre-move? Must be before then. Piece two of the puzzle.
- Missing Info? Checked the sides for stuff like “Alcohol Content” percentages or “Government Warning” – saw zilch. Laws forcing breweries to add that info came later. Another hint it predates regulations.
The Sneaky Water Ring Test
One trick folks kept talkin’ about online sounded sketchy but kinda clever. The Water Ring Test. Here’s how it went:
- Got a shallow dish of water – lukewarm, not hot.
- Carefully set the bottom of the can right on the water surface. Just let it sit there for maybe 30 seconds.
- Lifted it straight up. Looked underneath. Saw a faint, slightly darker ring right where the water touched it? That’s what they said to watch for.
- Apparently, the modern plastic coating inside water-tight cans stops this. Older cans without that coating? The metal absorbs a teensy bit of water, leaving a mark. This rusty relic left a perfect ring. Meaning… old-school metal, no fancy liner!
Putting It All Together
So, what did this ugly brown can tell me?
- Rusty, peeling paint → Super old.
- Dead brand name → Confirms it’s vintage.
- Smooth rim, no pull tab → Pre-60s/70s.
- “PAT PEND 1954” stamp → Likely 50s/60s.
- “Brewed in Cincinnati” & moved late 60s → Likely 50s/early 60s.
- No alcohol content warning → Pre-80s regulation.
- Positive Water Ring Test → No plastic liner, real old construction.
The verdict? All signs point solidly to the late 1950s or very early 1960s. Not worth a fortune, but cool as heck! Took another from the box – shiny one with a pull tab – and it flunked almost every test. Felt newer. Probably just 80s junk. Still fun to learn!
