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nineteen of its breweries were destroyed. The conflagration also tainted the water SCHLITZ reservoirs, wells, rivers and even Lake Michigan. Quick to react, Schlitz knew survivors would be thirsty. By rail and road he “The Beer [& Bottles] shipped all the beer he could to Chicago. The Chicago people were quickly bonded That Made to Schlitz and before local breweries could rebuild, Schlitz captured the city’s beer Famous” market. Within the year (in 1871) the company adopted the slogan, “The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous” for all by Cecil Munsey aspects of its marketing. [Fig. 1] Copyright © 2003 Following the fire Schlitz sales grew by over 50%. Business was so good that in 1873 made the business a stock company with himself as KRUG BEFORE SCHLITZ bookkeeper was Joseph Schlitz (Figure president. Edward Uihlein was named Most Americans think of brewpubs as 1) who was born in Mayence, Germany vice-president of export operations. a relatively new economic and social in 1831. Schlitz’s father was a wine and August Uihlein became secretary and phenomenon. That is not accurate. beer broker who taught his son the Henry Uihlein was made superintendent. SCHLITZ, one of Milwaukee’s most intricacies of both business and brewing. 1874 the company was renamed famous breweries rose from a brewpub. The nephew was August Uihlein who “Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company” It began in 1849 when Georg August began work as a laborer in the Krug (Figure 2). Schlitz was so successful that Krug, a German immigrant, opened a brewery. he had a will drawn up. Wisely inserted restaurant/saloon in Milwaukee, In 1856 Krug died and Schlitz, the into the will, were two provisions to . He understood the low profit young bookkeeper assumed the role of ensure the company’s health after his margin in restaurants and quickly decided brewery manager. He was an ambitious passing. One stipulated the business he could brew his own beer for far less young man and made his way to never remove “Joseph Schlitz” from its than what local brewers charged. ownership of the business by marrying name. The other appointed Krug’s After receiving a gift of $800 from his Krug’s widow, Anna. nephew August Uihlein, the same nephew father, Krug sold his restaurant/saloon Two years later, in 1858, he renamed Krug brought over from Germany as an and began construction of a full-time the business, the “Joseph Schlitz, eight-year-old in 1850, as head of the brewhouse. Along with the new “August Chesnut Brewery.” In that same year brewery. Krug” brewery, he built Milwaukee’s first August Uihlein, Krug’s nephew, was Almost prophetically, in 1875 Schlitz underground vaults for the storage of beer. appointed to Schlitz’s old job as and Anna booked passage on the steamer They had a capacity of about one hundred bookkeeper for the brewery and was later Schiller that was supposed to take them fifty barrels of beer. The brewery joined in the business by his brothers across the Atlantic to Germany. produced about twice that much in a year. Henry, Alfred and Edward. Unfortunately the Schiller sank in transit, In 1850 G. August Krug hired a 20- Milwaukee’s southern neighbor was and neither his nor Anna’s bodies were year-old bookkeeper and agreed to take growing fast when the great Chicago Fire ever recovered. responsibility for an eight-year-old of 1871 essentially destroyed the city. The nephew – both from Germany. The devastation was not only to dwellings but

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“A young lady by the name of ANNHEISER, Who said no man could surprise her, But PABST took a chance, Found the SCHLITZ in her pants, And now she is sadder, BUDWEISER”

DEVELOPMENT OF THE SCHLITZ BROWN BOTTLE In 1912 Schlitz developed the now universally famous “Brown Bottle,” a pioneering step to prevent the harmful rays of light from destroying the quality and stability of beer (Figure 4). Other leading contributions to beer making introduced by Schlitz included enzymatic control, elimination of air from bottles prior to filling, vitamin addition, and improvements along technical lines. It’s interestingly amusing that at the 1913 World’s Fair in St. Louis, the R. Hegar Malting & Brewing Company of Jefferson, Wisconsin, won second place with its Hegarbeer ahead of all the big Milwaukee brewers. That resulted in a new Hegar slogan, “The Beer That Made Milwaukee Jealous.” (An ironic sidebar is that Hegar, like Schlitz, died while on an ocean voyage – he was returning from Germany.) And, there was also the Whitewater Brewing Company of Whitewater, Wisconsin (1907-1942) that Schlitz’s choice, as called for in his locations were purchased and retail saloon brewed and bottled a beer that was sold will, of the then 33-year-old August outlets established. Those real estate by the slogan,”Cream Top, The Beer That Uihlein to replace him couldn’t have been holdings would later prove a worthwhile Makes Milwaukee Furious.” better. Along with his brothers Henry and investment when the brewery ceased Edward, he continued the business brewing operations during National NATIONAL PROHIBITION strategies initiated by Schlitz. Prohibition (1917-1933). Many of the With a growing wave of temperance As a result, the company developed its choicest corner locations were sold to oil and prohibition movements throughout own far-reaching network of rail companies for gas stations. (The money the U. S., the succeeding second distribution. The capacity of the plant had received helped keep the company generation of Uihleins moved to further been increased from the original three financially afloat during the forthcoming diversify their holding into non-brewing hundred barrels per annum to almost one “dry” years.) related businesses such as timber and the million. In 1876 the bottling department By late 1902, the Joseph Schlitz manufacturing of carbon electrodes for the was established. From a ranking of tenth Brewing Company became the world’s steel industry. In 1920, the firm changed largest U. S. brewer in 1877, the national largest brewer with an annual output of its name to “Joseph Schlitz Beverage marketing plan vaulted the company to over one million barrels. Company” aka, “Schlitz Milwaukee.” third by 1895. In 1905 the company was big enough Along with corporate name change, their Also under the guidance of the Uihlein to have become the butt of quite a few slogan was modified to, “Schlitz–the brothers, especially Edward in jokes. A favorite was this jingle found on name that made Milwaukee famous.” neighboring Chicago, prime corner a postcard (Figure 3): Along with their established positions in 4 Winter 2004 Bottles and Extras

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railroads, banking and real estate, the family managed to hold on to most of its Hocking Glass Corporation (Lancaster, fortune during the dry years of National blast and the crowd drowned out the Ohio) submit sample beer bottles in Prohibition (1919-1933). whistles with a great happy roar. The time “Royal Ruby Red ‘Anchor Glass’.” Four Production at the brewery during those was one minute after midnight, April 7, different samples were designed in 1949 dry years was limited to malt extract, near 1933. The occasion was the death of and submitted to Schlitz. The company beer (FAMO), soda pop – Schlitz Ginger Prohibition. The truck, of course, carried wasn’t satisfied so three more designs Ale (Figure 5), cereal beverages, bakery beer. After 14 long, dry years, Milwaukee were made and submitted early in 1950. products, chocolate, and a candy named was back in business as brewmaster for Two of the last group submitted were “Eline” (Figures 6 & 7) The Eline Milk America. Actually there were seven ‘first’ selected and used to contain Schlitz beer. Chocolate Bar venture was discontinued trucks that night, one from each One was a “stubby” shaped quart-size in 1928. Estimates were that $17 million Milwaukee brewery. The truck from non-returnable bottle and the other was a was lost in the venture. Schlitz led the parade.” “select” shaped seven-ounce returnable A Schlitz advertisement in 1928 It wasn’t long after National bottle (Figure 8). During the early 1950s contrasts strangely with earlier and Prohibition (February 1937) that Schlitz Schlitz made three trial runs with the two more succinct publicity for the began a campaign of full-color Royal Ruby bottles selected. In all, they contents of the “brown bottle”: advertising in thirteen large ordered and used 50 million bottles – 21 “Schlitz-Flavored Malt Syrup. magazines designed to reach four out million of the quarts and 29 million of The name Schlitz on the label gives of every five homes in the United the seven-ounce returnables. you the same absolute assurance of States. Publicity appeared in 500 [Nine Royal Ruby bottles were purity and confidence in malt syrup city newspapers during the summer, designed in all (Figure 9). As indicated, as the name ‘Sterling’…on silver. twenty-four-sheet billpostings were only three made it into production. Today For Berrte Bread and Finer Candy- displayed in 500 cities, and the retail price for the production bottles is Schlitz-Milwaukee.” “Schlitz Palm Garden of the Air” carried the message to the nation’s from $10 to $40. Prices for the other six experimental bottles are hard to determine END OF PROHIBITION radio listeners. because hardly any have survived. The death of Prohibition in Throughout the 1940s and Interested readers are advised that in the 1933 with the repeal of the 18th 1950s Schlitz produced over 15 [Fig. 8] category of “Ruby Red Bottle” on Amendment caused these words million barrels of beer annually. www.ebay.com examples are often offered to be written by a newspaper After a century of jockeying back for sale.] reporter: and forth with several other In 1961 the Carling Brewing Company “A hundred thousand people famous breweries, by the mid- th (Cleveland, Ohio) bottled its Carling turned out just to watch a truck 20 century, Schlitz became the Black Label beer in “handy” shaped rumble through Milwaukee largest brewery in the world. twelve-ounce non-returnable bottles made streets. It was a pretty ordinary of milk glass by the Libby Glass Company sort of truck but it carried an EXPERIMENTATION of Toledo, Ohio (Figure 10). extraordinary cargo. Spotlights After World War II, in 1948, In response to Carling’s success with marked its passing, factory Joseph Schlitz Brewing their milk glass bottle, in 1963 (thirteen whistles saluted it with a shrill Company requested that Anchor Bottles and Extras Winter 2004 5 years after the first test of red beer bottles), The new brewing process would allow FOOTNOTE: Schlitz again tested the market for Royal Schlitz to shrink their inventories. Since In the 1950s after Ruby beer bottles by Anchor Hocking. less beer needed to be brewed, brewing Joseph Schlitz Brewing They selected a “handy” shaped twelve- facilities could be sold off or used for other Company had made its ounce non-returnable bottle identical in purposes and tremendous amounts of cash selections of the “Royal construction to Carling’s 1961 milk glass flow could be freed up. The strategy was Ruby Red” bottles it bottle (Figure 11). brilliant! would use for Schlitz The beer-drinking public was not For the first six months Schlitz beer, Anchor Hocking particularly impressed with Royal Ruby couldn’t believe how much money they Glass Corporation beer bottles, therefore, Schlitz didn’t were making – profits skyrocketed. salesmen approached increase their sales as they had hoped they However, in all their excitement to other brewers about the would. That and the slightly higher cost introduce the new (financially) improved possibility of red beer [Fig. 12] of the copper-ruby (Royal Ruby) glass beer, nobody stopped to ask the customer bottles for their products. Few were bottles compared with the amber glass if it tasted any good – it didn’t. interested but two breweries experimented bottles usually employed by Schlitz, were Consumers perceived a change in taste, with Royal Ruby Red bottles and a few of cited as the reasons for not continuing that was suggested, in part, by a rumor these bottles are known to exist. (1) their use. that the brewery was shipping “green” Pfeiffer Brewing Co. of St. Paul, After peaking in the late 1960s, Schlitz beer to the marketplace. Unfortunately, Minnesota and Detroit, Michigan bottled began a rapid descent. Abandoning the Schlitz beer taste got associated with a their “Pfeiffer’s Glasolite” beer in red concepts that led the company to success, vulgar expletive referring to excrement bottles during the early1950s. (2) Latrobe they made the error of decreasing that rhymes with Schlitz. Brewing Co. in Latrobe, Pennsylvania emphasis on their core business of making Sales declined, and suffered further used two types of the Royal Ruby Red beer. While competitors directed more of when two batches of hazy beer forced bottles for their famous “Rolling Rock their budgets to beer advertising, Schlitz them to dump over ten million bottles, Beer.” One of the bottles used was an was diversifying. They bought into a exaggerating the image of a drop in embossed stubby and the other was a winery and also a feed company. In 1971 quality. Again consumers fled. pilsner type. The latter bottle was Schlitz became the first national brewer When the company finally attempted identified using Applied Color Labeling to self-manufacture aluminum cans to repair the damage they responded with (ACL) and consequently is the only red (Figure 12). Schlitz built a 150,000 sq. an ill-received advertising campaign that beer bottle featuring ACL identification ft. plant in Oak Creek, Wisconsin to drove away more Schlitz drinkers with the (Figure 13). produce the 2-piece, 12-ounce, all dubious song and slogan: According to writer Bryan Grapentine aluminum beer cans. This is one of the “There’s just one Schlitz, yeah, yeah, (see bibliography), “Anchor Hocking diversifications that worked. The success nothing else comes near. made ruby red experimental and a few of that plant led to the construction, in When you’re out of Schlitz, you’re production bottles in several categories 1973, of another in Tampa, Florida. out of beer. besides beer, It seems that dominating the USA beer If you like it light with a good taste these include market wasn’t producing enough money too, there’s only one brew that will do. juice, chile, [Fig. 13] for the Milwaukee based brewery so they When you’re out of Schlitz, you’re mayonnaise, devised a strategy to really make money. out of beer. pill bottles, In 1967 a chemist came up with a great Real gusto in a great, light beer– baby food, idea for brewing beer faster – in fact, twice Schlitz!” wine, liquor, as fast shaving ten days off the brewing and ketchup. cycle. Without adding one more point to Dramatic and extreme, the company Few of these their market share Schlitz could double never recovered from the loss of sales and bottles were their profits! the ill-conceived advertising campaign. made and Schlitz had been ranked as the seldom are number two brewery in the country they seen on as late as 1976, but its image was show sales tarnished beyond repair. Sadly the tables.” company saw itself passed by Miller Interestingly and Pabst, with Heileman in hot enough, the pursuit. most valuable On June 10, 1982 the Stroh and sought Brewing Company acquired the after ruby red Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. bottle is a Ultimately the once proud label was square Borden relegated to a secondary, regional quart milk status – for a time Stroh produced bottle. One Schlitz only for the Milwaukee recently sold market. Stroh next sold the for over $3,000 brewery to the Pabst Brewing at auction. Company. The old Schlitz brewery Clevenger finally closed its doors in the early Brothers Glass 1990s. Company [Fig. 10] [Fig. 11] 6 Winter 2004 Bottles and Extras made numerous red bottles and other One Hundred Years of Brewing – ‘A Munsey, Cecil. “Rare Red ‘Royal items that are quite collectible. Their red complete History of the Progress made Ruby’ Bottles,” The Antique Trader bottles are fantasy items (often called in the Art, Science and Industry of Weekly, (Dubuque, Iowa), Vol. 31, Issue “reproductions”). According to Greg Brewing in the World, particularly during 34, August 26, 1987. Wells (see bibliography), “Clevenger the Nineteenth Century.’ Chicago and Wells, Greg. “Clevenger – 20th glass is no longer manufactured.” New York: H. S. Rich & Co., Publishers. Century Glass for Today’s and Tomorrow’s 1903. Collectors,” References: Van Wieren, Dale P. American Antique Bottle & Glass Collector, Vol. Books: Breweries II. West Point, PA – Eastern 20, No. 5, September 2003. Anderson, Sonja & Will. Anderson’s Coast Brewiana Assn. 1995. turn-of-the-century Brewing Directory. Internet: Self-published, Carmel, New York. 1968. Periodicals: Wisconsin Beer Tour: Munsey, Cecil. The Illustrated Guide Grapentine, Bryan. “The Fabulous www.wisconsinbeertour.com/defunct/ to COLLECTING BOTTLES. New York: Ruby Red Beer Bottles,” Bottles & Extras, milwaukee/schlitz.html Hawthorne Books, Inc. 1970. Issue #38, May 1993. Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company” www.beercollections.com/BCM1720.htm CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company Milwaukee, Wisconsin (1849-1981) Cecil Munsey 13541 Willow Run Road Legal Name Location Dates August Krug Milwaukee, Wisc. 1849–1858 Poway, CA 92064-1733 Joseph Schlitz, Chesnut Brewery Milwaukee, Wisc. 1858–1874 (858) 487-7036 Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisc. 1874–1920 Joseph Schlitz Beverage Co.* Milwaukee, Wisc. 1920–1933 [email protected] Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisc. 1933–1981

* – aka Schlitz Milwaukee