Last week, Pabst Brewing Company announced its plan to discontinue Schlitz, a once-beloved brand known as “the beer that made Milwaukee famous.” Pabst cited rising storage and shipping costs as the reasons for the decision to shut down the historic brand. Wisconsin Brewing Co. — which has brewed Pabst products in the past — will brew the last batch of Schlitz on May 23, Milwaukee Magazine reports.
Schlitz launched in Milwaukee, Wis., in 1849 as the flagship beer of Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company, which reigned as the country’s largest brewery until Anheuser-Busch ousted it from that spot in the late 1950s. A series of production shortcuts and questionable ad campaigns for the American-style lager initiated the brand’s fall from grace in the second half of the century. Schlitz closed its home brewery in 1981, and Stroh Brewery Company purchased it the following year. Pabst then scooped it up in 1999.
Wisconsin Brewing’s brewmaster Kirby Nelson will lead the last production of Schlitz. The final batch is slated for a limited release on June 27, accompanied by a celebration of the brand at the Verona, Wis., brewery. Wisconsin Brewing’s website will open preorders on May 23.
For the final allotment of Schlitz, Nelson is looking to archived recipes from the original Milwaukee brewery. The mash, inspired by a number of specs from Schlitz’s heyday, will include malted barley, yellow corn, and German and Washington State hops.
Zac Nadile, head of brand strategy at Pabst, tells Milwaukee Magazine that the parent company hopes Schlitz will reemerge in the future. “We continually look for opportunities to bring back beloved brands, and customer feedback is important in shaping those discussions,” Nadile says. At this time, there are no rumors of parties interested in buying the brand from Pabst.
