End of an era as Schlitz, the beer that made Milwaukee famous, pours its last
NBC News • • business
Key Points:
- Pabst Brewing Co. has announced it will cease production of Schlitz Premium, ending a 177-year run of the iconic Milwaukee beer due to rising storage and shipping costs.
- Other retro beer brands under Pabst, such as Blatz and Old Milwaukee, may also become harder to find as a result of similar production challenges.
- Schlitz, once the largest U.S. brewery in the 1950s, declined after recipe changes in the 1970s and failed marketing campaigns, losing market share to competitors like Budweiser.
- The brand's legacy includes its historic rise after aiding Chicago post-fire in 1871 and its slogan "The Beer that Made Milwaukee Famous," but changing consumer tastes and negative perceptions contributed to its downfall.
- A final batch of Schlitz will be brewed using the 1948 recipe by Wisconsin Brewing Co., marking the end of an era for the once-dominant beer.