Overview
- Pabst disclosed Thursday that it had placed Schlitz Premium on indefinite hiatus, saying increased costs to store and ship the product forced the decision.
- A one-time “last Schlitz” will be brewed at Wisconsin Brewing Company’s Verona plant on Saturday, May 23, and will be offered as a limited-edition tribute.
- Pabst told reporters that production volumes had fallen below contract minimums at a Texas contract brewery and that those logistics pressures, together with higher storage costs, made ongoing production uneconomic.
- Bars and taverns in Chicago and Milwaukee have been holding final pours and farewell events, with owners and patrons expressing strong nostalgia for the brand and its historic tied houses.
- Schlitz dates to 1849 and became a top global beer before a 1970s recipe change and market shifts eroded sales, and Pabst says the brand could return if customer demand warrants it.