Pabst Brewing Co. has officially stopped production of the historic Schlitz lager, a 177 year old lager that is widely touted as “the beer that made Milwaukee famous.”

Pabst granted permission to the Wisconsin Brewing Company to brew the very last batch of Schlitz. The latter confirmed that the last batch of Schlitz is slated to go on sale on June 27.

After the date, all Schlitz will only be available in the remaining stock of shops and individuals who have it.

The final batch will be made with a 1948-era recipe that brewmaster Kirby Nelson says is "representative of the time Schlitz was on top of the brewing world".

German immigrant August Krug made the first Schlitz beer in 1849. When Krug died in 1856, the brand was taken over by his bookkeeper, Joseph Schlitz, who renamed the facility and eventually married Krug’s widow.

However, what was once crowned the largest brewer in the United States, the brand came crashing down in the early 1970s due to an infamous, cost-cutting recipe change. The new formula allegedly severely damaged the beer's quality and reputation, triggering a steep downward spiral in sales that eventually forced a sale to the Stroh Brewery Company, where its fortunes remained lukewarm for a period.

The brand's trajectory shifted again in 1999 when it was acquired by Pabst. In a nostalgic bid to win back disappointed beer lovers, Pabst successfully resurrected Schlitz's classic, 1960s-era all-malt and grain recipe.

It remains a beloved name among Midwest locals, so much so that the hashtag #SaveOurSchlitz is currently making the rounds on X and Instagram, while a Change.org petition is collecting signatures in hopes that Pabst will continue production of the brand.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team