Schlitzville

1848 - Wisconsin becomes a State
1849 - Schlitz Brewery founded
1850 - Milwaukee now famous

Well maybe it wasn't that simple. Nonetheless, the old Schlitz, which is to say the good Schlitz, is back. I spent last night enjoying Schlitz beer in the very city it purportedly made famous. Maybe it's becuase I work in the Wisconsin Historical Museum, but there is something about drinking original-formula Schlitz in Milwaukee that goes beyond nostalgia. It almost feels reverential. For the better part of a century Schlitz was the #1 beer in the country. Schlitz was the first beer to come in brown glass bottles. And until some distant relatives of Joseph A. Schlitz got a hold of the company and ruined a great beer with shorter fermentation time and seaweed extract, Schlitz beer symbolized Milwaukee's indisputable status as America's brewing capital (along with Blatz, Pabst, and Miller). As a beer that played such a role in defining a great Wisconsin city, the Schlitz name has earned my respect. When I heard the old formula was coming back, I could not wait to get some new-old Schlitz. I felt honored to be able to toss back a couple Schlitz the way my grandfather or great grandfather might have in a Milwaukee tavern. I'm not sure I like the idea of Schlitz costing $3.50 a bottle, but hey, you are buying more than just the beer. When you buy a Schlitz you are buying some great history and culture. You pay extra for that tropical mindset when you buy Red Stripe or Corona, so what is the problem with paying a bit extra for some retro-Milwaukee tavern culture? I'll gladly raise my $3.50 bottle in honor of Joseph A. Schlitz.