Chicago, IL (April 2008) - Schlitz®, long known as "The beer that made Milwaukee famous" and once the best-selling beer in the United States, makes a comeback today on the 75th anniversary of its return to Chicago following Prohibition. Pabst Brewing Company in Woodridge, Ill., which now produces the iconic brand, is re-launching Schlitz "Classic 1960s Formula" based on the original recipe and packaged in traditional "Brown Glass" - a packaging innovation that Schlitz introduced in 1912 to prevent light from spoiling beer before it can be served. Chicago is third in a phased re-launch of Schlitz that included Florida and Minnesota markets late last year. The initial roll-out of six- and twelve-pack varieties, priced comparable to other premium domestic brands, will be to select Schlitz accounts with a citywide expansion slated for 2009.Anyone tried this beer? Is it any good?
Monday, February 09, 2009
More Macro: Schlitz
Someone just put a comment on an old post referencing the "new Schlitz recipe." New Schlitz recipe? What the hell? How did I miss this?
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I have to assume my comment may have sparked this. I would go so far to say that Schlitz is probably the best macro lager being brewed now. For one thing, it actually does have some flavor from the hops and some heft in the body. Here is the tricky thing with the new Schlitz, it is only available in bottles or draught. If you see cans, that's still the recipe that has been brewed for the past 30 years or so. Of course there is nothing to distinguish a difference on the labels, they just say Schlitz.
ReplyDeletePabst Brewing is revamping quite a few of their brands. McSorley's is apparently shipping in bottles again. And Old Style is officially changed back to being kreuzened as it was when it was still a Heileman product and brewed in LaCross, WI. I got to try the old and new Old Style's last weekend in Chicago and sadly could barely distinguish a difference.
I know that PABST is contract brewed and have to assume so is the new Shlitz. I hear the success of PABST with the Gen Y's crowd has sparked these "Old" styles to be reproduced. I wonder if PABST and Shlitz become highly marketable, God Forbid, what new digusting beer trends will come our way?
ReplyDeleteBTW, PABST sales increased 67% in one year!
Do we really want the beer revolution to stop in it's tracks and start walking backward??
What will we be looking forward too? Falstaff, Burgie and Schafer's?
Oh... How does Shlitz taste? It if tastes like anything like it used to, it tastes like shit. I can't really put it any other way... well, I could, but SHIT about sums it up.... ;-}
I think Generik420 is on. It's probably the "best" of the macros, but I'm not sure that's saying much. It has pretty wide availability here in Wisconsin and it doesn't really seem to be catching on. It does seem to be "more" full-bodied and hopp-"ier", but that's a pretty relative term that still leaves it far short of eminently enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteIts bigger problem is that it is priced at cheap craft, not at macro. So it's around $6.99-7.99 for a six. Which is absurd; even if Leinie's sucks (which is does) it is still comparably priced and I'm going to buy Leinie's Red (or Point Amber, or even Spotted Cow) 10 out of 10 times if I'm looking for beer in the cheap craft price range.
Everything under the Pabst umbrella of brands is contract brewed as Pabst does not own a physical brewing facility any longer. The vast majority of their beers are brewed by Miller.
ReplyDeleteAs to the taste, to each their own. I personally feel that every style of beer has it's place and just because I don't particularly like a style, don't feel the need to mock someone else that does. I am curious why the idea of Pabst re-introducing older recipes dating to the times before all macros were brewed as light as can be could possibly be considered a bad or disgusting trend? Pabst is taking a brand that currently exists and giving it more body and more flavor without forcing a new SKU on the shelves like Budweiser is with their American Ale.
I had heard the new Schlitz was selling at a higher price then before, but didn't realize it was quite that high. That's ashame to hear as I think they are probably setting themselves up for failure.