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Schlitz Beer Is Tapped Out in Phil Hands Cartoon
A final 80-barrel batch will be brewed from a 1948 recipe as fans petitioned Pabst to keep the 177-year-old brand alive.
On May 15, Pabst Brewing Co. announced it will discontinue Schlitz beer, ending 177 years of production. Wisconsin Brewing Co. will brew one final 80-barrel batch on Saturday, May 23, at its Verona brewery.
August Krug founded the company as a Milwaukee tavern brewery in 1849; Joseph Schlitz took over in 1856 and expanded it into the largest brewer in the United States by the 20th Century.
A 1970s formula change caused sales to decline; Wisconsin Brewing Co. brewmaster Kirby Nelson will use 1948 specifications for the final batch, stating it deserves to go out with "dignity and respect."
Pre-Orders for the final beer open Saturday, May 23, via Wisconsin Brewing Co.'s website, with availability starting June 27. Nelson will serve the batch at Old World Wisconsin's 50th anniversary celebration in Eagle on July 4.
Fans continue celebrating the legacy of "the beer that made Milwaukee famous" despite the brand's struggle to maintain presence in Milwaukee dive bars. Nelson describes the final run as a "love letter" to the state.