Rainier Jubilee, The Ultimate in Series Beer Cans
Probably one of the most beautiful series of beer cans ever put on the market by s brewery is the so-called Rainier Jubilee Series by the Rainier Brewing Company, Seattle, Washington.
The cans were placed on the market to commemorate the Diamond Anniversary of the founding of the Company in 1878. Actually there were five parts to the series, which was produced from early 1953 thru the late summer of 1963.
The first issue, called the transition can, was a very short one and was the first Rainier can to use the term “Truly Mild” The can is shown in the book Beer Cans Unlimited as #108/26. Cans were from Sick’s Seattle Brewing and Malting Co. Inc. Seattle, Washington and Sick’s Spokane Brewery, Inc. Spokane Washington.
The second issue was also a single can issue, although a major departure from the old design, introducing bright coloring for the first time. This can was a red and green design of alternating bands over a basic silver can, sometimes called the Christmas Jubilee. This can was only in 12-ounce size by both breweries and is the rarest of the series.
The third series called the Cartoon Series and has six cans and eighteen colors in the set. This series was produced from 1954 to 1957 in both 12-ounce and 12 and 16-ounce by Sick’s Seattle Brewing and Malting Co. which changed it’s name to Sick’s Rainier Brewing Co. midway thru the series.
The cans were also produced in 12-ounce only by Sick’s Spokane Brewery Inc., which also changed its name to Sick’s Rainier Brewery. Inc, at the same time as the Seattle change
The individual cans were called “Outdoor Life,” ” In the Northwest,” “Barbeque,” “Party Surprise,” ” Do it Yourself,” and “Dutchman,” The series also has three variations within the series - a plain gold stripe, a gold stripe across the label with “Rainier for Life” in white, and a gold stripe across the label with ” Brewed in Washington” in black. NOT all colors were used on all designs.
The fourth series is called the Party Series, which had 12 designs and 26 colors. This series also had the same three-stripe variations as the third series. Cans were produced in 11, 12, 15 and 16 ounce sizes at Seattle and l1 1n 12 ounce at Spokane. The Series ran from 1957 thought late 1959.
The cans in the “Party Series” were titled “Parties,” ” Music,” “Hunting Fishing,” Sports,” “Northwest,” Paul Bunyan,” “Drinking Songs,” Geographic,” “Food,” “Toasts,” “Home Entertainment,” and “Diamond Jubilee.” Again, not all colors were used on all designs.
The fifth and last series was called the “Brewery” Series, which had six cans and twelve colors. It was began 1n 1958, overlapping the Party Series to the fasll of 1963 when the jubilees were discontinued in favor of the new “Touch of Old World Flavor” campaign
The can size and production were the same as the Party Series although the Spokane brewery was closed in 1961. After the Spokane brewery was closed Rainier introduced the snap-top lid. using the Seattle plant only for production
The Brewery Series was titled “Naturally Light,” “Naturally Aged,” “More for Life Naturally,” “Choicest Ingredients,” “Special Care,” and “Brewed Naturally,” The nost striking feature about this set was all cans in the set were metallic.
A quick examination of any Jubilee can will tell you which one it is, since the cans match very readily with the names given. Hopefully, if you have one of these cans in your collection, you can date it using the sequence outlined for you.
The information complied herein was taken from Rainier Brewery files in 1980 and since has been lost to history
