Iconic American beer brand fizzling out after nearly 200 years of brews
After more than 175 years, Schlitz Premium, one of America’s once-dominant beer brands, is being discontinued. The parent company, Pabst Brewing Co., confirmed the decision following an announcement from Wisconsin Brewing Company that they will brew the brand’s final batch later this month.
“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,” said Zac Nadile, Pabst’s head of brand strategy, in a statement to Milwaukee Magazine.
The Schlitz brand, known for its slogan “the beer that made Milwaukee famous,” was once the largest brewery in the nation before being overtaken by Anheuser-Busch in the late 1950s. Founded in 1849 in Milwaukee, the company grew under Joseph Schlitz’s leadership to become one of the world’s largest beer brands.
Schlitz gained popularity after the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 when it shipped beer to Chicago residents in need of clean drinking water. Despite its decline in the 1970s due to recipe changes, Schlitz remained a nostalgic brand for many.
Kirby Nelson, brewmaster at Wisconsin Brewing Company, expressed the company’s desire to give Schlitz a proper farewell, acknowledging its historical significance. The final batch of Schlitz will be brewed at the Verona, Wis., brewery on May 23, with a limited release set for June 27.
American Beer brand brews fizzling iconic Years
