Still smarting from the discontinuation of Schlitz? Wish you could travel back to the past and once again enjoy a sip of the “beer that made Milwaukee famous”? Us, too. Well, let’s all go to Old World Wisconsin over Fourth of July weekend and drink some Schlitz!
Yes, the sprawling 600-acre “living history attraction” in Eagle, Wisconsin will celebrate its 50th birthday July 3-5, and it’ll have “a portion of the last batch of the 1948 [Schlitz] recipe, brewed on May 23,” on tap in Wittnebel’s Tavern. It won’t be called Schlitz—it’ll be called Old World Wisconsin Gold—but rest assured it’s Schlitz.
Here’s how this unusual revival/last hurrah came about, via a press release:
The collaboration between Old World Wisconsin and Wisconsin Brewing Company began in January with the intent of developing a commemorative brew to mark Wisconsin’s bicentennial project. By chance, Wisconsin Brewing Company Brewmaster Kirby Nelson learned that the renowned Schlitz beer was being discontinued, and he was able to secure the original 1948 recipe. Old World Wisconsin’s Beer and Brewing Historian Rob Novak, and Nelson, determined that the old Schlitz recipe would be the perfect brew to mark the historic site’s 50th year and created Old World Wisconsin Gold.
Like we said, Schlitz/Old World Wisconsin Gold will be available on tap in Wittnebel’s Tavern beginning July 3 at 10 a.m. It’ll also be available in cans “specially packaged with a commemorative label and sold individually or in a four pack at the retail store in the new Welcome Center.” While supplies last.
“At Old World Wisconsin, we are dedicated to preserving the state’s history through our collection of buildings while also connecting our guests to that history through storytelling and experiences,” says Novak in the press release. “There’s no better way to share the story of our state’s beer industry than to invite guests to taste beers from different eras—from our farmhouse ales in the brewhouse to our flagship 1934 Kettle Brau. And now, for one weekend, we get to add the last batch of the Milwaukee icon Schlitz, brewed to 1948 standards, to that experience. It will be a great weekend to toast 50 years of Old World, 177 years of Schlitz, and 250 years of America.”
Book your Old World Wisconsin tickets HERE.
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