The Highs & Lows: I (Collectible Beer Can 6-Pack)

THE MIDWEST / MID-ATLANTIC. 

Back before the modern appearance of high ABV brewskis, malt liquor was the best bang for the buck. That said, such bang often came with the consequences of, well, drinking too much high alcohol malt liquor. And so, there was near beer: beers brewed with low alcohol content for those who wanted the taste without the buzz. Both still exist today, but back "in the day" these two represented the average extremes of the market: the highs and the lows. This collection runs a wide gamut, mostly midwest breweries: Big Cat, put out by Pabst, was one of the more popular malt liquors mid-late 20th century; this rare Miller malt liquor tall boy was in too good of shape (rare for the original run of aluminum cans) not to include; while Zodiac from Chicago's Peter Hand is probably our favorite of the malt liquor cans; of the near / non-beers, Metbrew represents one of a long line of near + nonalcoholic brews put out by Trenton New Jersey's Metropolis, who specialized in the kind; Schmidt's Select, the same brewery that put out the imminently collectible Great Northwest series, was a near beer constant in the 70s; and we'd be remiss not to include the most fun can of the bunch, G. Heileman's standard: Zing! 

Zodiac Malt Liquor
Peter Hand Brewing Co. / Chicago, IL
1970s, 12 oz, Steel 3-Piece, Pull Tab
Used Very Good

Big Cat Malt Liquor
Pabst Brewing Co. / Milwaukee, WI
1970s, 12 oz, Steel 3-Piece, Pull Tab
Used Very Good

Miller Malt Liquor
Miller Brewing Co. / Milwaukee, WI
1970s, 16 oz, Aluminum 2-Piece, Pull Tab
Used Very Good

Metbrew Near Beer
Metropolis Brewery / Trenton, NJ
1970s, 12 oz, Steel 3-Piece, Pull Tab
Used Very Good

Schmidt Select Near Bear
Associated Brewing Co. / Evansville, IN
1970s, 12 oz, Steel 3-Piece, Pull Tab (Open Top)
Used Very Good

Zing Nonalcoholic Beverage
G. Heileman Brewing Co. / Chicago, IL
1970s, 12 oz, Aluminum 2-Piece, Pull Tab
Used Very Good

* (6-pack holder not included)