Raising a toast to the comeback are (l to r) Jerry Glunz, general manager, and Jack Glunz, president, Louis Glunz Beer, Inc.,; Chris Schuba, owner, Schuba's Tavern; Kevin Kotecki, president, Mark Kibbey, division vice president, central region and Kyle Wortham, senior brand manager, from Pabst Brewing Co., which now produces the brand.
Schlitz, long known as "The beer that made Milwaukee famous" and once the best-selling beer in the United States, made a comeback on April 7, on the 75th anniversary of its return to Chicago following Prohibition.
Pabst Brewing Co. 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 12-pack varieties, priced comparably to other premium domestic brands, will be to select Schlitz accounts with a citywide expansion slated for 2009.
Pabst Brewing Co. (PBC) is partnering with Louis Glunz Beer, Inc. in Lincolnwood, Ill., to distribute the classic Schlitz formula and has a longstanding and rewarding relationship with the beer distributor, based on Schlitz and other brands within the PBC portfolio.
Founder Louis Glunz I first supplied Schlitz for the 1893 World's Columbian Expo in Chicago and 40 years later, his eldest son and successor, Louis Glunz II, tapped the first kegs of Schlitz when they arrived by train in Chicago on April 7, 1933. On that date, the Volstead Act was modified allowing the sale of 3.2 percent beer in advance of the ratification of the 21st Amendment which repealed Prohibition.
The Brewers Association reports that more than 1.5 million barrels of beer were consumed nationwide in the 24 hours following what was the beginning of the end of Prohibition.
Louis Glunz Beer, Inc. has since served as a Schlitz bottler for many years and has continued to distribute Schlitz in spite of the brand's losing its "Gusto" along the way to keep up with beer trends. General manager Jerry Glunz attributes the steady decline in sales of Schlitz to a changed formula in the mid 1970s and packaging that was converted from a full package line to only cans in 1998. "We're confident that a return to the original formula and the classic 'Brown Glass' longneck bottles will revitalize the Schlitz brand," says Glunz.
Borrowing a page from their 120-year history, representatives of Louis Glunz Beer, Inc. delivered the first coveted cases of Schlitz "Classic 1960s Formula" from a replica of its original horse-drawn wagon. The route through Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood included two old Schlitz tied-houses, Schubas Tavern and Southport Lanes & Billiards, as well as Cardinal Liquors, 1000 Liquors, Sheffield's Bar, The Long Room, Simon's Tavern, the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge and Glunz Bavarian Haus. The product also will be available at Louis Glunz's original shop, since renamed The House of Glunz, at Wells and Division Streets in Chicago's Old Town.
"Louis Glunz Beer, Inc. introduced Schlitz to Chicago and we're excited to work with them to re-launch the original formula," says Brad Hittle, chief marketing officer of Pabst Brewing. "Their heritage with Schlitz is unsurpassed among beer distributors across the country."
"We are delighted about the comeback of Schlitz, the brand that brought us to the dance," says Jack Glunz, president of Louis Glunz Beer, Inc. "The 'Classic 1960s Formula' is just as we remember from the heydays, a perfect balance between full-flavor and easy drinking with 'just a kiss of the hops.' This re-launch is a tribute to my grandfather's legacy!"
According to Kyle Wortham, senior brand manager for Schlitz, the classic taste profile of Schlitz "Classic 1960s Formula" is the result of research by Pabst Brewmaster, Bob Newman, who was named the 2006 and 2007 Brewmaster of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival. "Bob tracked down and interviewed retired Schlitz brewhouse employees and others to recreate the classic taste," explains Wortham. Glunz, who also provided access to Schlitz marketing materials in his company's archives, was among those interviewed.
In addition to a return to the original taste profile, dedicated to those who miss the full-bodied Schlitz as they knew it, Wortham said that the classic formula will feature heritage-inspired packaging and old-school attitude to reinforce the values that resonate with guys who remember the 1960s. A new print and outdoor advertising campaign includes imagery from that era and suggests that the intended drinker go back to a formula from a time when values mattered: "the cars were cooler, the athletes didn't cheat, and the beer was better." Marketing support also includes a new website, www.schlitzgusto.com, public relations and tasting parties.
"Schlitz coined the phrase 'Go For The Gusto,' and we intend this campaign to reach beer drinkers where they live and remind them of some of the best times of their lives when even the beer tasted better," says Wortham. "We're setting the stage for a significant comeback."
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