Just had a few Old Style`s My first since the move from Milwaukee, to La Crosse, Wisconsin. First impression... The pristine bottle. Almost seems polished. Labels are in perfect symmetry. Next.. Didn`t need a bottle opener. I believe the bottles coming out of Milwaukee needed to be opened with a bottle opener. Next.. Taste.. Definitely not the same as the Milwaukee Old Style. Not sure how to describe it. Stronger? More Beer Flavor? More like the Old Style from 1971? Either way, I like it. ' Maybe it`s the water in La Crosse, Wisconsin? '
I, too, enjoy a nice cold Old Style, although it's been ages since I had one. It seems (based on my perception) that it's been slowly disappearing from the Chicago area. It's no longer a ubiquitous cheap can in every bar/restaurant.
I have no data to back it up and this is based purely on my own perception but I think it's offered in a lot fewer places than 5-10 years ago. Although I'm sure it's still ever-present at the ball games. I'll let others chime in.
I can't remember the last time I've seen a bottle or can of Old Style anywhere in Chicago. I occasionally see an Old Style lighted sign outside a tavern, but that's about it.
Saw it in Wrigley last summer. Sure I'll see it again this year. It's around my parts (southwest Michigan), too.
Might want to replace the label picture in the OP. Old Style is no longer kraeusened. Looks like that was a label from ~2009 or so.
It looks like Wrigley boasts a big assortment of cheap beers -- maybe at the ballpark, prices aren't so cheap. I seem to remember that Wrigley once restricted strength to 3.2% ABW, but I don't have a reference available. Since IL isn't a 3.2 state, the brewery/distribtor/vendors would have needed to bring the beer in as special orders?
That may depend on what area and the type of establishments, but it can be found at most of the Old Man Bars by me. Folks can use the beer finder below. https://oldstylebeer.com/pages/beer-locator Yes, they brought kraesening back about a decade ago for a few years, but haven't returned since and don't plan to even after the move back to LaCrosse. I still enjoy it but don't order it much if Schlitz is available at a BMC joints.
In the 70s, Old Style was kraeusened, as was Oly. I drank some of both. Neither was very compatible with my taste buds. Among the standard lagers, I thought PBR, National Boh, Huber Premium, US brewed Tuborg, and Schaefer were a cut above. The only AAL style beer I have tried lately that I think is pretty good is Mexican Bohemia clara (Heineken owned).
It is still pretty easy to get an Old Style in Chicago and the surrounding burbs. In Elmhurst, at least 5 of the bars have it in cans and bottles. I think the move back to LaCrosse has improved the beer.
Man, I'm not sure I've had a macro lager in a pry-off bottle in over twenty years since I bought that case of Blatz in Milwaukee in returnable bottles.
My Wisconsin brother-in-law used to drink Old Style almost exclusively, claiming it was "economically superior to other beers".
Cool to see it in bottles. Someone can correct me if I'm off here but I haven't seen it in bottles in MN since maybe the early 1990's...
It was definitely around — or at least available. A few of the dusty old packies I would visit in Saint Paul would have six-packages, along with more than a few dustier (and danker) bars. I drank it on tap for a long time, and made a point of frequenting places that served it. Still a big fan!
I`ve been slowly sampling the beers that were once brewed in Milwaukee, and are now brewed in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Old Style tastes better. More like the the Old Style from the 60`s and 70`s. Old Milwaukee is definitely different. Not as light, has a "stronger" beer taste. Pabst is close to the same , but seems "sweeter". I just bought a case of Blatz, I`ll have to let you know once I`ve had a few.
