About Schlitz Breweriana

If Schlitz is “The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous,” as one of its oldest slogans proclaimed, then Milwaukee is the city that always had a soft spot in its heart for the 19th-century lager. To the world, Schlitz was hyped for its Gusto, quality ingredients, and extraordinary sales—as recently as 1976, Schlitz was the second-best-selling beer in America. But in Milwaukee, Schlitz was a beer taken seriously by serious Milwaukee beer drinkers, which, if you’ve been to Milwaukee, is high praise indeed.

The roots of this storied beer date to 1850, when a young Joseph Schlitz worked as a bookkeeper for August Krug, who owned a tavern brewery at the corner of 3rd and Walnut streets. Small breweries were common in the 1800s thanks to a lack of refrigeration, which kept production local. Thus, by 1853, it was enough to brew 300 barrels of beer a year...

When Krug passed away in 1856, Schlitz took over the brewery, married Krug’s widow, and eventually named the company after himself. By 1859, output had reached 2,000 barrels a year, and by 1902 it had crested at one million, making Schlitz the largest brewery in the world.

For collectors of beer cans and bottles, two Schlitz innovations are of particular interest. The first was its introduction of a brown bottle in 1911, which prevented light from spoiling the beverage inside. The second was the “pop top” can, which appeared in 1963.

Other items prized by Schlitz collectors and fans are signs featuring the company’s trademark “Belted Globe” logo. Some of these revolving electric globes, which are largely blue, have brackets so they can be mounted on a tavern wall—collectors have long known that they look just as good in a family rec room. Others were flatter in profile so that they could be placed where less-obtrusive signage was required.

And then there were the hanging vintage Schlitz lights from the 1950s and ’60s. Shaped like buoys or fishing floats, whose red, yellow, and aqua bottoms were paired with white tops, these lights hung from curved poles that were strapped together where the fixture met the wall. It was a simple and graphic design that fit in perfectly with the Mid-century Modern look that was sweeping the nation.

Other items of interest to collectors include Lionel boxcars with the Schlitz logo on their sides, beer tap knobs, and clocks, which ranged from ornate, gilt-metal timepieces with Roman numeral faces to simple cash-register clocks that quickly communicated the Schlitz brand and hour of the day.

In 1982, Stroh's of Detroit acquired Schlitz and in 1999 Pabst decided to try its hand at running the brand. For a while, the beer was only available in cans, but in 2008 it was once again being bottled in traditional brown glass.

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Top eBay Auctions  Help | Get weekly Schlitz email

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Schlitz Cone Top Beer Can - Milwaukee, Wi 1937$621.05 Ends Saturday 12 bids 54 watchers
1976 Schlitz Beer Lady Statue Lamp - Decor Vintage$70.00 Ends Saturday 3 bids 7 watchers
Vintage 1959 Schlitz Lighted Beer Sign/clock!!very Rare$51.09 Ends in 13 hours 11 bids 25 watchers
Pabst Rebel Schlitz Kent Advertise Lighter Lighters Lot$47.99 Ends in 19 hours 7 bids 3 watchers
Chief Oshkosh Beer And Schlitz Beer Trays$46.00 Ends Monday 7 bids 24 watchers
Xxl Schlitz Beer Hockey Jersey No Reserve.$41.00 Ends Saturday 9 bids 7 watchers
Schlitz Beer Trays Set Vintage 30's 40's 50's 60's 70's$30.00 Ends in 12 hours 1 bid 5 watchers
Old 1950-60s Schlitz Beer Lighted Motion? Bar Sign$30.00 Ends Wednesday 5 bids 25 watchers
Old Pre Prohibition Tin Schlitz Advertising Beer Sign $28.00 Ends Sunday 3 bids 19 watchers
Vintage 1965 Schlitz Motorized Rotating Beer Sign/clock$22.45 Ends Friday 5 bids 14 watchers
Schlitz Vintage Golden Globe Lady Wall Light$20.50 Ends in 12 hours 2 bids 8 watchers
Rare Error Vintage Schlitz Beer Zippo Lighters $20.49 Ends in 19 hours 4 bids 17 watchers
Schlitz Jacket - Employee? Xl$19.95 Ends Saturday 1 bid 1 watcher
Vintage 70s Schlitz Beer Belt Buckle Metal Logo Label$19.51 Ends in 14 hours 14 bids 3 watchers
Antique Schlitz Amber Blob Top Beer Bottle$16.01 Ends in 19 hours 4 bids 6 watchers
Antique Joseph Schlitz Brewery Beer Document Lot 1898$15.50 Ends Wednesday 4 bids 6 watchers
Schlitz Malt Liquor"raging Bull"lighted Beer Sign$15.50 Ends in 20 hours 7 bids 9 watchers
Vintage Schlitz Lighted Beer Sign $15.50 Ends Tuesday 4 bids 17 watchers
Vtg Schlitz Bar Beer Light Lamp Sign Revolving Globe$15.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid 14 watchers
Schlitz Revolving Barrel Lights$15.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 4 watchers
Cycling Schlitz Beer Extra Large Team Bike Jersey$14.50 Ends Wednesday 4 bids 10 watchers
Lionel 6-9851 Schlitz Beer Car Mint In Box$14.06 Ends in 9 hours 3 bids 7 watchers
Vintage Schlitz Lighted Beer Sign/mint Condition!!!!$13.49 Ends Friday 2 bids 17 watchers
"blue Max" Schlitz Beer Pin$13.01 Ends in 16 hours 5 bids 2 watchers
Schlitz, Old Milwaukee Beer Cigarette Lighter, V.good$10.50 Ends in 19 hours 2 bids 8 watchers
Vintage Schlitz Bar-b-que Mitt In Original Package$10.00 Ends in 13 hours 2 bids 1 watcher
Vintage Schlitz Beer Can Transistor Radio $9.99 Ends in 16 hours 1 bid 12 watchers
Rare Schlitz Wood Beer Stein Mug Tankard Vintage$9.99 Ends in 17 hours 1 bid 2 watchers
Great Old Schlitz Beer Match Holder Cigar Cutter 1898$9.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 12 watchers
Antique Booklet Souvenir Of Schlitz Beer Milwarkee$9.99 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 12 watchers
Schlitz Malt Liquor Lighted Beer Sign$9.95 Ends Sunday 1 bid 6 watchers
Amber, J. Gahm / Boston / Mass. Schlitz Beer Bottle$9.50 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 8 watchers
Vintage Colonial Schlitz Pocket Knife-morins Wholesale$8.99 Ends in 8 hours 1 bid 1 watcher
Twin 1968 Schlitz Globe Bar Lights$8.03 Ends in 15 hours 3 bids 9 watchers
Vintage Schlitz Bar-b-que Mitt In Original Package$7.16 Ends in 13 hours 2 bids 2 watchers
Vintage 80's Schlitz Beer Pom-pom Old Winter Hat! Rare!$5.50 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 3 watchers
Vintage My-lite Schlitz Cigarette Lighter$5.25 Ends in 20 hours 1 bid 1 watcher
Schlitz Wooden Beer Crate$5.00 Ends Saturday 1 bid 1 watcher
Form 240 J.o.s 1964 Schlitz Beer Tap Bar Light$5.00 Ends in 13 hours 1 bid 14 watchers
Vintage Schlitz Beer Amber Bottle Washington Branch$4.99 Ends Thursday 1 bid 1 watcher
1982 Schlitz Goose Neck Cash Register Light Nos$3.99 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 4 watchers
Schlitz Light Beer Belt Buckle Bergamot$3.99 Ends Thursday 1 bid 1 watcher
Schlitz Vintage Beer Tap Handle$2.99 Ends in 7 hours 1 bid 2 watchers
Schlitz Beer Sprite Soda Pop Can Juice Tab **error**$2.99 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 8 watchers
1958 Schlitz Beer Coasters Lot Of 25 Milwaukee $2.99 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 2 watchers
Vintage Schlitz Bar-b-que Mitt In Original Package$2.25 Ends in 13 hours 2 bids 1 watcher
Rare Ahl Tractor And Trailer Truck (schlitz Beer) $2.10 Ends in 18 hours 5 bids 7 watchers
Schlitz Lady On A Globe Tapper Handle$1.99 Ends Thursday 1 bid 1 watcher
Vintage Schlitz Beer Goblet Glasses Milwaukee Wisc.$1.29 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 1 watcher
Schlitz Beer Collectable Can $0.99 Ends in 19 hours 1 bid
(2)vintage Schlitz Beer Taps/excellent Condition!!$0.99 Ends Monday 1 bid 3 watchers
Schlitz Circus July 4$0.99 Ends in 21 hours 1 bid 1 watcher

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