One of America’s most storied lagers is pouring its final pint — and a Wisconsin brewer wants to send it off right.
MILWAUKEE — After 177 years, it’s last call for one of America’s oldest beer brands.
Pabst Brewing Co. confirmed that it is discontinuing Schlitz, “the beer that made Milwaukee famous.”
Wisconsin Brewing Co. announced it will brew the last batch at its facility in Verona, Wis., on May 23. The final batch is scheduled for a limited release June 27, along with a larger celebration event at the brewery.
“Unfortunately, we have seen continued increases in our costs to store and ship certain products and have had to make the tough choice to place Schlitz Premium on hiatus,” Zac Nadile, Pabst’s head of brand strategy, said in a statement to Milwaukee Magazine.
Pabst said the brand might return one day.
“Any brand or packaging configuration that is put on hiatus is still a cherished part of our history and hopefully our future,” Nadile said. “We continually look for opportunities to bring back beloved brands, and customer feedback is important in shaping those discussions.”
Schlitz was, at one time, one of the world’s biggest beer brands and was the country’s largest brewery until it was surpassed by Anheuser-Busch in the late 1950s. At its peak, it was a cultural institution in the upper Midwest.
Schlitz began losing popularity in the 1970s after cost-cutting changes altered the beer’s flavor. Sales fell, and the brand was sold to Stroh Brewing in 1982, before Pabst acquired it in 1999.
Wisconsin Brewing plans to re-create a version inspired by Schlitz’s “golden era” by using archived brewing records from the Milwaukee brewery. The recipe will include six-row malted barley, yellow corn grits, German Hallertau Mittelfruh hops and Washington Cluster hops.
“Things change, but Schlitz deserves better than just to be swept under the rug,” brewmaster Kirby Nelson told Milwaukee Magazine. “It really needs to go out with dignity and respect.”
Preorders for the final batch will begin May 23 on Wisconsin Brewing’s website.