If it feels like Schlitz has always been around, it might be because — well, it kind of has.
It has been brewed for 177 years, but it looks like there won’t be a 178th year for “the beer that made Milwaukee famous.”
The Daily Pour reported that Pabst Brewing Co. has made the decision to discontinue the brew, and that Wisconsin Brewing Co. made the official announcement.
It is terrible news for the folks who still love Schlitz, but it does come with at least a bit of a silver lining. That bit of good news? Well, Wisconsin Brewing Co. said that it will make a final batch of Schlitz, based on a recipe from 1948. The Daily Pour reported those cold ones will hit shelves on June 27.
Schlitz fans better stock up.
“Since Schlitz is ‘The Beer that made Milwaukee Famous,’ I decided to brew a beer that would be representative of the time Schlitz was on top of the brewing world,” Wisconsin Brewing Co. brewmaster Kirby Nelson said. “This brew will represent The Golden Age of Schlitz.”
The Daily Pour reported that the first Schlitz was made in 1849 by Austin Krug, a German immigrant.
The outlet reported that Schlitz was once the largest brewer in the country, but a recipe change in 1970 sent sales tumbling.
Pabst bought Schlitz in 1999.
There still might be hope for the beer despite the news. There is a Change.Org petition encouraging Pabst to continue making the beer.
“It’s more than just a drink; it’s a tradition that ties us back to an era when simplicity and quality were the hallmarks of a good beer,” the petition states.
Unfortunately, that petition currently has just 101 signatures.
