Type American-style lager Introduced 1849 Website oldmilwaukee.com | Manufacturer Pabst Brewing Company Alcohol by volume 4.6% | |
Old Milwaukee is a brand of American dry lager owned by the Pabst Brewing Company and consists of four different brews - Old Milwaukee Lager, Old Milwaukee Light, Old Milwaukee Non-Alcoholic, and Old Milwaukee Ice. Old Milwaukee is brewed throughout the USA and various packages are currently distributed in all 50 states and in select international markets.
Contents
History
Old Milwaukee Beer was first brewed in 1849 as a value priced beer by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. In 1982, the Schlitz Brewing Company and the Old Milwaukee brand were acquired by Stroh Brewery Company of Detroit. In 2000, Stroh's and all of its beer brands and recipes were acquired by Pabst Brewing Company, where the brand currently resides. Canada is one exception where the Old Milwaukee Beer brand is managed, brewed, and sold by Sleeman Breweries.
In 1987 Old Milwaukee introduced a beer/party ball to the masses. It contains five gallons of beer. The "Beer Ball" was first introduced by F. X. Matt (at the time called the West End Brewing Co.) of Utica, New York, and that brewer coined the name "Beer Ball." Matt's first Beer Ball hit the market in 1977 and by 1982 it was being used by 10 other US and Canadian breweries.
In 1999, Sleeman Breweries of Guelph, Ontario, a division of Sapporo Breweries, acquired Stroh Canada which owned the Canadian rights Old Milwaukee. Sleeman then became the Canadian manufacturer and distributor of this brand.
Accolades
All four Old Milwaukee brews have won top honors at the Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup. Over the past 10 years, Old Milwaukee Light has won more awards than any other light beer in America.
Old Milwaukee Light was awarded the Gold medal in the category American-Style Light Lager at the 2008 World Beer Cup.
All four brews have won numerous awards at the Great American Brew Festival including: Old Milwaukee Lager:
Old Milwaukee Light:
Old Milwaukee NA:
Old Milwaukee Ice:
Advertising
In 1991, Old Milwaukee ran TV ads featuring the fictional "Swedish Bikini Team".
In 2013, Will Ferrell recorded a series of ads for the company.
In 2014, Old Milwaukee teamed up with the Packard Brothers to create the Pass Me a Beer series. The latest release features Nick Packard and Tim Higgins completing challenging and comedic beer tosses for the Pass Me a Beer Summer Finale.
Tasting Profiles
Old Milwaukee Lager: A tried and true brewing process and fermentation profile to convert a variety of hops and 6-row blend malt into an award winning, full-bodied, carefully balanced American-style lager. Old Milwaukee has a creamy mouth feel, slightly malty flavor with a hint of corn, low to medium hop bitterness, and a clean finish
Old Milwaukee Light: Similar in malt ratio to Old Milwaukee, but differs in its mashing profile, shifting the balance of extract and alcohol to an American-style light lager beer. The hopping protocol is similar to the full calorie version so that the taste character and aromas are retained.