The Pabst Brewing Company has announced that it is ceasing production of Schlitz Beer, which has been an American institution for 177 years.

If you were around in the 1970s, you know what a huge brand Schlitz was at the time. They undertook an aggressive advertising campaign, mostly on television and the brand grew by leaps and bounds. Millions of Americans drank Schlitz every single day.

It’s sad to see the end of such an iconic American brand.

NBC News reports:

End of an era as Schlitz, the beer that made Milwaukee famous, pours its last

It’s last call for Schlitz, the beer that made Milwaukee famous.

The Pabst Brewing Co. has confirmed it is ceasing production of the iconic lager that has quenched the thirst of American beer drinkers for 177 years.

“Unfortunately, we have seen continued increases in our costs to store and ship certain products and have had to make the tough choice to place Schlitz Premium on hiatus,” Zac Nadile, Pabst head of brand strategy, said in a statement last month to Milwaukee Magazine.

That means other retro beer brands in what could be called the Pabst portfolio, like bottles of Blatz and Old Milwaukee, will also be harder to find, the magazine reported.

“Any brand or packaging configuration that is put on hiatus is still a cherished part of our history and hopefully our future,” Nadile said. “We continually look for opportunities to bring back beloved brands and customer feedback is important in shaping those discussions.”…

The Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co. was founded in 1849 by a German immigrant who took over a small Milwaukee brewery after marrying the widow of the original owner, August Krug — and renamed the business after himself.

While “The Beer that Made Milwaukee Famous” soon became the Schlitz slogan, it was actually the Great Chicago fire in 1871 that helped turn the brand into a national name, when word spread that the company had been shipping barrels of beer to aid the devastated Windy City.

People are already buying up any stock that’s left on the shelves.

Schlitz beer is gone. Milwaukee area liquor stores sell out quickly https://t.co/XlHTsUADc2

— Journal Sentinel (@journalsentinel) May 21, 2026

Here’s a classic Schlitz ad from 1975.

Go for the gusto. What a great ad line that was.

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