Everything Old is New Again

I've been meaning to try the 60s-formula Schlitz but I haven't seen it around much.

I drank loads of Schlitz before they came out with the revived Gusto version and it never made me sick or hurt my feelings or any of the other things cheapo swill apparently does to so many people on this site, but my earnings have improved sufficiently in the intervening years to allow me to spend more and drink better, so picking up a sixer of retro Schlitz almost seems counterintuitive now. Still, gotta climb that mountain sometime.

 

No.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing a brief return of Jax, Falstaff, or Meister Brau for the sole purpose of tapping into the retro market. I think Schlitz Gusto is a very good beer.

 

No, I try not to fall victim to gimicky labels and marketing. Buying a beer you know is sub par just because you like the label seems a little weird to be honest.

 

With the Schlitz, it's not about the label, it's about reviving a recipe that was discontinued (in order to make the beer more flavorless) decades ago.

Besides, half the beers I hear about could be categorized as gimmicky. Have you ever "fallen victim" to 120 Minute? Gimmicky is in the eye of the beholder.

 

I've bought a few of the Genny Heritage packs and I've noticed that Genny Beer is now being sold in stubby bottle twelve packs as well. I haven't seen the Cream Ale sold by itself in the stubby bottle twelves, but I assume it's on the way. I'd like to see Utica Club in the stubby bottles, but I was told during my last brewery tour that Utica Club only gets distributed within a 100 mile radius of the brewery, so I doubt there's much interest. I enjoy the beers I buy for what they are and as noted before the nostalgic aspect doesn't hurt either. I never drank Schlitz or Miller when I was young because I came from a Bud family, but I happen to really like the reissue Schlitz Gusto formula. On the other hand I saw the Busch 24oz and passed on it, I never cared for the beer, but love the retro and camo cans they use. Clearly there are those who cringe at the idea of drinking some of these beers, I say to each their own.



Busch camo cans, sometimes they're hard to find.

 

As a lifelong connoisseur of Macro Swill I am probably more biased than most.

I've been guilty of enjoying all the brands you mentioned and then some -- usually straight from the can!

Never brought any "Gusto" home, but 'tall boys' for $2 at happy hour beats the $4.50 PBR silos .

Another 'Pabst brand' I've enjoyed recently, Olympia 95% Malt, has a lot more placement than it did initially, but it's not in bars (yet). Still, the 'blaze orange' package appeals to my unvarnished redneck. I haven't enjoyed Rheingold since a bunch of it fell off a truck here in Minnesnowta in 2003, but I hear it's brewed in Mexico now -- why not China?

I enjoy Hamm's whenever I find it (around $2/pint at Happy Hour), along with other regional brands (Special Export, Grain Belt Premium, Hauenstein...) which no doubt would make most self-identifying Snobs and Craft Advocates weep for my humanity, but I ain't so squeamish. The one thing I appreciate most from these brands is that -so far as the Pabst brands are concerned- they have not re-vamped an old line of beer along with the incipient hype and marketing effort that got Schlitz "Gusto" back in the saddle, and thus the price has remained stable. There are other things I'd mention (Special Ex goin' to an all-malt recipe a while back...) but won't. The main thing is the "quality" of these brands has remained constant, and even improved in some examples. I haven't tried "Primo" yet, either.

For the most part I think "Retro" or "Throwback" marketing is a poor substitute for oomph when it comes to a nice, toasty malt profile in a lager, to say nothing of a nice hop bite. But like I said, I enjoy myself some cheap canned beer...

 

haha, fair enough. I was going to add something about understanding if you were a collector.

 

I bought a six pack of the yeungling Bock when it first came out a couple years back, the because I liked the packing. It was good enough for the price and I still think their retro goat is cool. Heck, I'd buy a tacker if they offered it. Nothing wrong with buying a beer because the marketing strikes your fancy, not like you destroyed your cellar and switched forever.

Cheers!

 

No Ballantine hereabouts. In fact, 'old man brands' are getting harder to find -"Retro"-packages or not- which is why I still hit 'beer can shows' for additions to the collection (the significant other scolds, but as to her boot and shoe collection, stashed under the bed, in the porch, and above the car in the garage? Nuttin' from me )

"Carling's Black Label" has many variations around the world, with five brands in Canada, eh? Our domestic/U.S. brand has been fresh (and cheap) lately, and is worth a spin even though the can hasn't changed in years .

 

I look for the Schlitz Gusto every time that I visit the beer store. I want it, no luck yet.
I'd try the Genny, too.

 

Old Style is another one. Did not like that they jacked up the price to "premium" level after the switch to the retro recipe. Lacrosse Lager is supposedly the same recipe for 1/3 the price and is my cheap go-to beer. I did pick up a six pack of PBR "pounders" yesterday for a retro kick and a palate recalibration.

 

ok,.kml

Ballantine XXX Ale is the only brew that i wish would go back to it's 60's formula. The stuff they sell now is Ballantine XXX in name only.

 

You can thank the god damn hipsters for this.

 

buy this every now and then, even though i know better.

 

Way to steal my answer!

Cheers!

 

I have to say, the retro look gets me every time......... I am a fan of all beer,and will drink anything put in front of me... just because i grew up on domestic swill dosen't mean I don't go out and spend $100 + bucks a week on quality beer............ genessee heritage pack is always an easy sell for me................