Posted on 05/16/2026 5:27:53 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
VERONA, Wis. -- It's the end of an era for one of Wisconsin's most iconic beers.
Pabst Brewing Co. is no longer brewing Schlitz, the brew that played a huge role in cementing Milwaukee as America's Beer Capital. The last batch will be brewed, not by Pabst, but by Wisconsin Brewing Company in Verona.
WBC Brewmaster Kirby Nelson said he'll be basing this final batch on operations logs from 1948, when Schlitz was in its prime. The beer was America's top-seller in 1950.
"Since Schlitz is ‘The Beer that Made Milwaukee Famous,’ I decided to brew a beer that would be representative of the time Schlitz was on top of the brewing world," Nelson said. "This brew will represent The Golden Age of Schlitz."
First brewed in 1849, Schlitz became America's biggest beer producer in 1902 and held that title for decades. The urban legend goes that Schlitz offered to donate thousands of beer barrels to Chicago in the wake of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
A recipe change in the 1970s torpedoed the beer's popularity and Schlitz was eventually sold to Stroh in the 1980s. Pabst bought Stroh, and thus Schlitz, in 1999.
WBC will begin brewing the last batch on May 23. Nelson will hold a kickoff event at the brewery's Verona taproom at 12:30 p.m. Those interested in pre-ordering the beer can do so that same day.
The beer will make its debut at 5 p.m. on June 27, with a celebration at the Verona taproom that will include Schiltz on-tap, 4-packs and live music. Nelson will also give a talk at the event.
Dear FRiends,
We need your continuing support to keep FR funded. Your donations are our sole source of funding. No sugar daddies, no advertisers, no paid memberships, no commercial sales, no gimmicks, no tax subsidies. No spam, no pop-ups, no ad trackers.
If you enjoy using FR and agree it's a worthwhile endeavor, please consider making a contribution today:
Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you,
Jim
He was a pitcher but he was also a good hitting pitcher which is why the comment was ridicule.
Ol’ Diz was saying I got paid to pitch but I can hit better than some of you guys that get paid to hit.
For some strange reason, Schlitz was the only beer that made me puke. None of the others did. Everytime I had Schlitz, I barfed. Finally figured it out and never had one again. And I never got sick on any others after that.
I had no idea it was even still made....or that Pabst was still in business. I remember Schlitz from the 70s and early 80s.....remember all those Schlitz malt liquor Bull ads?.....I also remember Pabst Blue Ribbon.
They were both skunky beers and I haven’t seen either around in a long long time.
Growing up in Milwaukee, my Uncles were all cops or firemen, or they worked for either Miller or Pabst.
Sometimes at the same time, LOL!
I don’t remember Schlitz at any family gatherings.
“Schlitz, the beer that made Mel Famey walk us!” LOL! Loved that! Thanks! :)
“I started drinking Yuengling in the 70’s...”
Our Walmart just started carrying this. I’ve heard so many recommend it here that I’ll pick some up next time I get groceries.
I’m not a beer drinker, but a cold one IS nice after mowing the lawn or some intense weeding in the garden. ;)
I love that guy. :)
Didn’t even know it was still around!
It’s Tough to Argue Over a Utica Club
Pour on the Iron (City Beer)
People who go for a (Nara)gansett, make sure there’s another one near
East Side, West Side, and Uptown and Down Rhinegold Extra Dry Beer is the beer of great renown
Need I go on?
I loves me a Friday Night Dirty Martini or an Old Fashioned when we go out for fish.
I’m not as young as I used to be! We girls would hit a local Mexican restaurant after work for Happy Hour, Salsa and Chips and these HUGE Margaritas were our supper. Stayed until bar time, slept a few hours, went back to work on base, then did it all, all over again - unless one of us had a date. ;)
On Wednesday nights we’d stay in, watch ‘Magnum PI’ in the Day Room, share a bottle of Lambrusco and ‘do’ our nails, LOL! Good times. :)
Don’t forget the Beast aka Milwaukee’s Best.
It was another cheap skunky beer.
If anyone has a chance to buy any of this last batch, you many need to buy, may become collector’s items!
i never had that- just the regular mildew- times were tough $$ wise lol
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.