One Of The Oldest Beer Brands In The US Is Being Discontinued

One of America's oldest beer brands, Schlitz Premium, is being discontinued after 177 years. The brand, which originated in Milwaukee in the 1840s, will be put "on hiatus," as confirmed by its parent company, Pabst Brewing Co., on Friday (May 15). The Wisconsin Brewing Company announced it would brew the brand's final batch later this month.

Zac Nadile, Pabst's head of brand strategy, cited increased costs for storage and shipping as reasons for the decision. He told Milwaukee Magazine, "Any brand or packaging configuration that is put on hiatus is still a cherished part of our history and hopefully our future."

Schlitz was founded in 1849 by Joseph Schlitz, who took over the business after marrying the widow of the original owner, August Krug. The brand became famous for its slogan, "the beer that made Milwaukee famous," and was once the largest brewery in the U.S. It gained prominence after the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 when it supplied beer to the city.

However, Schlitz's popularity declined in the 1970s due to recipe changes. The brand was sold to Stroh Brewing in 1982 before being acquired by Pabst in 1999.

Wisconsin Brewing Company plans to brew the last Schlitz batch, based on s 1948 recipe, at its Verona, Wisconsin, facility on May 23, with a limited release scheduled for June 27.