One of America’s most recognizable beer brands is heading into retirement — or at least a very long last call.
Schlitz Premium, the historic Milwaukee beer once known nationwide as “the beer that made Milwaukee famous,” is being placed “on hiatus” after more than 175 years, according to parent company Pabst Brewing Co. The announcement came Friday after Wisconsin Brewing Company confirmed it will produce the final batch later this month.
For beer drinkers of a certain generation, Schlitz wasn’t just another label sitting in the cooler. It was one of the giants. At its peak, the brewery stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the biggest names in American beer and even briefly held the title of largest brewery in the country before Anheuser-Busch overtook it in the late 1950s.
Now, after decades of declining relevance and shrinking shelf space, the brand is effectively being mothballed.
“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,” Pabst head of brand strategy Zac Nadile said in a statement to Milwaukee Magazine.
Pabst stopped short of calling it permanent, leaving the door open for some kind of future revival.
“Any brand or packaging configuration that is put on hiatus is still a cherished part of our history and hopefully our future,” Nadile added.
Schlitz’s story stretches back to 1849, when August Krug founded a small brewery in Milwaukee. After Krug’s death, Joseph Schlitz married Krug’s widow and took over the operation, eventually transforming it into one of the most successful beer companies in the world.
The brewery’s national rise accelerated after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. With much of Chicago’s water supply contaminated or inaccessible, Schlitz famously shipped beer to the city, helping cement the brand’s reputation across the Midwest and beyond.
For decades afterward, Schlitz became woven into the identity of Milwaukee itself.
But like many old American brands, Schlitz eventually stumbled. In the 1970s, executives attempted to cut costs by altering the brewing process and changing ingredients. Loyal customers noticed almost immediately. The beer’s reputation took a hit, and sales began a long decline the company never fully reversed.
By 1982, Schlitz had been sold to Stroh Brewing. Pabst later acquired the brand in 1999, keeping it alive largely through nostalgia sales and regional loyalty.
That nostalgia remains powerful in places like Wisconsin and Chicago.
“It’s a nostalgia factor,” Milwaukee Brat House general manager Joseph Conforti told ABC7 Chicago. “People from out of town are surprised that they still make it.”
Now even that lingering surprise may disappear.
Wisconsin Brewing Company brewmaster Kirby Nelson said the brewery wanted to make sure the beer received a proper farewell instead of quietly vanishing from production schedules.
“We decided that, Schlitz being what Schlitz was, it deserved a proper sendoff,” Nelson said. “One with dignity and respect.”
The brewery plans to produce “the last Schlitz” on May 23 at its facility in Verona, Wisconsin. A limited release is expected June 27, while bars and breweries around the Milwaukee area are already organizing farewell events tied to the final batches.
