Schlitz Beer Is Being Brewed for the Final Time

One of America’s most iconic beer brands is officially reaching the end of the line. Schlitz, once known as “the beer that made Milwaukee famous,” is being brewed for the final time after more than 175 years of history.

To mark the end of the legendary brand, Wisconsin Brewing Company will produce one final 80-barrel batch on May 23 at its brewery in Verona, Wisconsin. The farewell release comes with permission from Pabst Brewing Company, which acquired Schlitz decades after the beer empire collapsed. For beer lovers in Wisconsin, it feels less like a product discontinuation and more like the closing chapter of a major piece of American brewing history.

Why Schlitz Beer Is Disappearing

Pabst Brewing Company reportedly stopped brewing Schlitz months ago as the once-dominant beer brand continued fading from store shelves and bars across the Midwest. Though it was revived in 2008 after years of dormancy, the comeback never fully restored the cultural relevance the brand once commanded.

Today, Schlitz can be surprisingly difficult to find even in Milwaukee, the city it helped transform into a beer capital. The final batch being brewed this month is designed as a tribute to the beer’s peak era rather than its modern decline.

Kirby Nelson of Wisconsin Brewing Company said the goal is to let the brand“go out with dignity and respect.” To accomplish that, the brewery will follow its brewing specifications from 1948, the period when the company sat on top of the American beer industry.

“This is back to Schlitz’s glory days,” Nelson said.

Schlitz Was Once America’s Biggest Brewer

Younger beer drinkers may not realize how massive Schlitz once was. Founded in 1849 as a small tavern brewery by August Krug in Milwaukee, the company was later purchased by bookkeeper Joseph Schlitz after Krug’s death in 1856. Schlitz eventually transformed into one of the defining businesses of Milwaukee’s industrial boom.

By the late 1800s and early 1900s, Milwaukee had become synonymous with brewing thanks largely to powerhouse beer companies like Schlitz, Miller, Pabst, and Blatz. At its peak, Schlitz became the largest brewery in the United States.

The company built a sprawling brewery complex on what is now King Drive and Galena Street in Milwaukee and became one of the city’s largest employers. Its branding became deeply woven into Wisconsin culture. For decades, the brand funded major local events, including Milwaukee’s lakefront Fourth of July fireworks, the Circus Parade, and Old Milwaukee Days, which eventually evolved into Summerfest.

What Caused it to Collapse?

Schlitz’s downfall became one of the most famous cautionary tales in American beer history.

During the 1970s, the company faced growing pressure from competitors like Miller and Pabst. Executives attempted aggressive cost-cutting measures that reportedly included changing ingredients and brewing methods to increase efficiency. Longtime drinkers immediately noticed.

The brand’s reputation suffered badly as loyal customers abandoned the beer. At the same time, labor tensions escalated inside the Milwaukee brewery. More than 700 workers reportedly went on strike in 1981 after proposed job cuts surfaced. That same year, Schlitz announced it would shut down its Milwaukee brewery entirely.

The company was later sold to Stroh Brewing before eventually landing under Pabst ownership in 1999. Although Pabst relaunched the beer in 2008, the revival never recaptured the dominance the beer once held in American culture.

Wisconsin Brewing Company Wants Schlitz to Have a Proper Goodbye

For Wisconsin Brewing Company, the farewell brew represents something larger than nostalgia. Nelson described the project as “Wisconsin Brewing Company’s love letter to our state.”

The final batch will be available for preorder beginning May 23 through the brewery’s website, with the beer officially releasing June 27. Wisconsin Brewing Company also plans to host a public celebration for the release and serve the beer during Old World Wisconsin 50th Anniversary Celebration on July 4. For longtime Wisconsin beer fans, the release will likely feel like both a celebration and a funeral.

The End of Schlitz Reflects a Changing Beer Industry

The disappearance of this iconic beer says a lot about how dramatically the American beer market has changed. For decades, giant domestic lagers dominated the industry. Today, the market looks completely different, fragmented between craft breweries, imported beers, hard seltzers, canned cocktails, and rapidly shifting consumer habits.

Legacy beer brands that once defined entire cities now struggle to remain culturally relevant. Schlitz survived Prohibition, labor wars, ownership changes, and decades of consolidation. What it ultimately could not survive was irrelevance. Still, its impact on Milwaukee and American brewing history remains enormous. Even now, nearly everyone recognizes the name. Very few beer brands can say the same after 175 years.

FAQ

Is Schlitz beer discontinued?

Yes. Pabst Brewing Company has reportedly ended production.

Who is brewing the final batch?

Wisconsin Brewing Company is brewing the final 80-barrel batch in Verona, Wisconsin.

When will the final batch be available?

Preorders open May 23, and the beer officially releases June 27.

Why was Schlitz important?

It was once the largest brewery in America and helped establish Milwaukee as one of the country’s major brewing cities.

Why did Schlitz decline?

The company struggled after changing brewing methods and ingredients during the 1970s, which alienated loyal customers and damaged the brand’s reputation.