Now that it’s clear – after a lot of confusion about whether it was being discontinued only in cans or entirely – that Pabst Brewing Company has ceased making Schlitz, the Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous appears kaput after 177 years.
But Wisconsin craft beer legend Kirby Nelson has gotten permission from Pabst to brew a batch of the now-defunct Schlitz at Wisconsin Brewing Co. in Verona using a recipe based on Schlitz brewhouse operations logs from 1948.
“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,” says Nelson. “This brew will represent The Golden Age of Schlitz.”
Starting Saturday, May 23 you can pre-order 16-ounce four-packs of Schlitz online or via QR code in the taproom. The beer must be picked up at the brewery in Verona on or after Saturday, June 27.
That same day at 12:30 p.m., Nelson will begin brewing the The Last Schlitz.
Then at 1 p.m. he will give a short talk in the taproom about the brew.
When the beer is ready to debut – Saturday, June 27 at 5 p.m. – there will be a celebration at Wisconsin Brewing Company with Schlitz on tap, four-packs for sale, another Nelson talk and live music outside.
Let’s give Schlitz the send-off it deserves!
