Milwaukee's old school
By JOHN MOLSEED, Courier Staff Writer
WATERLOO --- The newest beer in the Cedar Valley has an old name. Schlitz returned Wednesday with classic rock fanfare, a caravan of vintage cars and gussied up "gusto girls."
United Beverage Inc., delivered the first cases of the old-school brew to the Pump Haus Pub and Grill, 311 Main St., in Cedar Falls, AMVETS Post 19, 32 Lafayette St., Steamboat Garden, 1740 Falls Ave., Smitty's Bar, 709 Jefferson St., and the Screaming Eagle Bar and Grill, 228 E. Fourth St., Wednesday. Dozens of people packed the downtown Waterloo bar to sample the new-old beer.
Once the best-selling beer in the country, today Schlitz has faded into obscurity. The Woodridge, Ill.-based Pabst Brewing Co. is reviving the beer with its original 1960s-era formula and brown, glass bottle.
Those who remember the taste said brewers got it right.
"The first sip I drank of it, brought back a ton of memories," said Stan Poe. When Schlitz dominated the domestic beer market, Poe, who ran Standard Distributing, supplied it to area bars. He was at the Screaming Eagle Wednesday night for a celebration on the return of the retro beverage.
"If you're out of Schlitz," Arlan Schellhorn said.
"You're out of beer," Poe finished.
Schellhorn worked for Standard Distributing and works for United Beverage which will distribute Schlitz.
Schellhorn and Poe said Schlitz was the number one selling beer in Waterloo and Cedar Falls.
"It was normal to see a bar lined with Schlitz bottles," Poe said.
Checker and the Bluetones played classic rock music. Clad in red dresses, "Gusto girls" --- named for another Schlitz slogan, "go for the gusto" --- offered patrons a chance to win Schlitz merchandise via a friendly game of bar dice.
Raldo Schnieder, of Cedar Falls, had front a row seat to see the band at the Screaming Eagle. He said he came from a family of beer drinkers.
"About all we drank was Schlitz," he said.
He remembered working to bale hay and having a Schlitz when the job was finished.
"It just washed all that dust right down your throat," he said.
Dennis Kohls said the Schlitz brought back memories.
"It was about all I drank back then," he said.
A member of the Black Hawk County Street Machines, Kohls brought his 1963 Chevrolet Chevy II to the party to add some retro flavor to the event.
Waterloo is one of a handful of Midwestern markets where Schlitz is making a return.
The Minneapolis-St. Paul and Milwaukee markets were first last year. Many Milwaukee locations ran out of Schlitz shortly after its reintroduction, Kyle Wortham, marketing director for the Schlitz brewing company said.
This spring, Schlitz was reintroduced to Chicago locations and is now in Waterloo grocery stores. The company is vetting markets where Schlitz historically sold well, Wortham said.
"We're not looking for a national rollout yet, but that is on the radar," Wortham said.
Returning to the 1960s-era formula means the beer has more body and flavor, he added. In marketing it, Wortham said he's letting history do most of the work.
"We wanted to give the beer back to the guys who made it number one back in the day," he said.
"It's not like they're reinventing the wheel," Poe said.
The retro appeal may also attract younger beer drinkers. Pabst enjoyed a boost in Pabst Blue Ribbon sales when that beer became an underground hit with young urban and college drinkers.
"They're thinking the old-school beers are the cool thing," said Ivan Wieland, Screaming Eagle owner. "I hope it goes like crazy."
United Beverage Inc., delivered the first cases of the old-school brew to the Pump Haus Pub and Grill, 311 Main St., in Cedar Falls, AMVETS Post 19, 32 Lafayette St., Steamboat Garden, 1740 Falls Ave., Smitty's Bar, 709 Jefferson St., and the Screaming Eagle Bar and Grill, 228 E. Fourth St., Wednesday. Dozens of people packed the downtown Waterloo bar to sample the new-old beer.
Once the best-selling beer in the country, today Schlitz has faded into obscurity. The Woodridge, Ill.-based Pabst Brewing Co. is reviving the beer with its original 1960s-era formula and brown, glass bottle.
Those who remember the taste said brewers got it right.
"The first sip I drank of it, brought back a ton of memories," said Stan Poe. When Schlitz dominated the domestic beer market, Poe, who ran Standard Distributing, supplied it to area bars. He was at the Screaming Eagle Wednesday night for a celebration on the return of the retro beverage.
"If you're out of Schlitz," Arlan Schellhorn said.
"You're out of beer," Poe finished.
Schellhorn worked for Standard Distributing and works for United Beverage which will distribute Schlitz.
Schellhorn and Poe said Schlitz was the number one selling beer in Waterloo and Cedar Falls.
"It was normal to see a bar lined with Schlitz bottles," Poe said.
Checker and the Bluetones played classic rock music. Clad in red dresses, "Gusto girls" --- named for another Schlitz slogan, "go for the gusto" --- offered patrons a chance to win Schlitz merchandise via a friendly game of bar dice.
Raldo Schnieder, of Cedar Falls, had front a row seat to see the band at the Screaming Eagle. He said he came from a family of beer drinkers.
"About all we drank was Schlitz," he said.
He remembered working to bale hay and having a Schlitz when the job was finished.
"It just washed all that dust right down your throat," he said.
Dennis Kohls said the Schlitz brought back memories.
"It was about all I drank back then," he said.
A member of the Black Hawk County Street Machines, Kohls brought his 1963 Chevrolet Chevy II to the party to add some retro flavor to the event.
Waterloo is one of a handful of Midwestern markets where Schlitz is making a return.
The Minneapolis-St. Paul and Milwaukee markets were first last year. Many Milwaukee locations ran out of Schlitz shortly after its reintroduction, Kyle Wortham, marketing director for the Schlitz brewing company said.
This spring, Schlitz was reintroduced to Chicago locations and is now in Waterloo grocery stores. The company is vetting markets where Schlitz historically sold well, Wortham said.
"We're not looking for a national rollout yet, but that is on the radar," Wortham said.
Returning to the 1960s-era formula means the beer has more body and flavor, he added. In marketing it, Wortham said he's letting history do most of the work.
"We wanted to give the beer back to the guys who made it number one back in the day," he said.
"It's not like they're reinventing the wheel," Poe said.
The retro appeal may also attract younger beer drinkers. Pabst enjoyed a boost in Pabst Blue Ribbon sales when that beer became an underground hit with young urban and college drinkers.
"They're thinking the old-school beers are the cool thing," said Ivan Wieland, Screaming Eagle owner. "I hope it goes like crazy."
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