Original Schlitz coming back to Chicago
By David Sterrett
April 04, 2008
(Crain’s) — Schlitz, known as “the beer that made Milwaukee famous,” is bringing its original taste back to Chicago on Monday.
Woodridge-based Pabst Brewing Co. has recreated the original formula for the beer, which was a top seller nationwide in the 1970s before it was reformulated. The recreated beer will be sold in brown longneck bottles and labels noting the “Classic 1960s formula.”
“We are going after the baby boomers who remember Schlitz when they first started drinking,” says Jerry Glunz, the general manager of Lincolnwood-based Louis Glunz Beer Inc., which is distributing the beer in Chicago. “This is a different beer than the (current Schlitz line in the can), and this beer will stand up to its former glory.”
He says the beer will be available at about a dozen locations on the North Side of Chicago on Monday.
He says the locations will include: Schubas Tavern, Southport Lanes & Billiards, Cardinal Liquors, 1000 Liquors, Chicago Brauhaus, Sheffield’s Bar, the Long Room, Simon’s Tavern, Green Mill Cocktail Lounge, Glunz Bavarian Haus and the House of Glunz.
Pabst Brewmaster Bob Newman researched the old formula and interviewed previous brewmasters to find the correct recipe, Mr. Glunz says.
Mr. Glunz said the beer declined in popularity because of changes to the formula in the 1970s and a switch to cans in the 1990s.
The beer was relaunched last year in Florida and Minnesota with its original formula and glass bottles. The relaunched beer will be priced comparable to other premium domestic brands.
He says the beer will hopefully be available in more locations around Chicago in the next couple of months.
“Hopefully we will be able to get the beer back to its top spot,” Mr. Glunz says.
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At the Academy, most of us cadets were broke all the time. We used to pick up whatever was cheapest for our keg parties on the beach, and Schlitz was often it. It was beer and it got you loaded; most of us weren't that fussy.
Have to admit it gave us pause, though, when the ship's surgeon took a sample of Schlitz from the tap, sent it off to the lab and got back the report, "I'm sorry to tell you that your horse has diabetes...."
Schlitz Ice cold is "Tolerable" warm (as we often got it) has a taste reminiscent of reconstituted pather piss, at least PBR warm or cold was drinkable!
__________________ "You can have my Freedom when I'm done with it!"
We scored a full pallet of Carlings Black Label in Nam once. I guess the warehouse couldn't move it so a dummy in our outfit says we'll take it. Yack, Phttt,Gorf it made the PBR taste like real good.
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"I only use my gun whenever kindness fails"
Forbidden fruits create many jams
We were fishing at the river and the kids found an old can of Schlitz in the river. It was unopened and pre-poptop. They asked me how they opened beer in the olden days, without a pop-top. I pulled out a church key from my tackle box and showed them. It still smelled like beer but we were having no taste of it. This was 1987. Olden days my a**!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seabeescotty
along with PBR.
There's no place that I'd rather be than right here...with my redneck, white sox and Blue Ribbon beer! Brings back the good flashbacks, huh?
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Still buying green bananas.
Last edited by Rambo; 04-08-2008 at 09:50 PM.
Reason: Automerged Doublepost
I'm too old to really get excited over Schlitz. Blue ribbon was the mainstay in my youth. It tatsted the same cold hot or warm! Plus a 6pack fit so nicely in ther fanny packs of Nam vintage! I say too many bad words and drink too much but as I'm old and silly I can get by with aberrant behavior. PBR made it easy to blot out the bad stuff in the 60's and 70's and return home w a clear conscience. ( Never count the bodies, just pretend no one was killed by your fire!)
Is that the going rate for RAT MEAT burgers now? LOL
-UR
__________________ "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed"--Amendment II, Bill of Rights
"He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself."--Thomas Paine
"He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one." - Jesus, Luke 22:36
I am the beer garden chariman for our annual festival. 35 years ago, Schlitz outsold all other beer probably ten to one til Miller Lite came along then Bud Light became #1, it goes in cycles, now it is bud light, Lite and Coors Light, last time I tasted a Schlitz about 10 years ago it didnt taste the same as I remembered it, nowhere near it. I was in the Military too and i remember Rolling Rock, Oly, San Miguel in the Phillipines, Hamms (&the Bear) good stuff, good memories.
schlitz 
