The Iconic All-American Beer You Probably Forgot Existed

Though the invention of beer may predate the founding of United States by thousands of years, the satisfaction of cracking open a cold one is now part of American tradition. That may feel especially true in the Midwest, which houses a large population of German ancestry. In fact, due to its German influence and natural resources, Milwaukee was considered the undisputed beer capital of the U.S. for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. It's no surprise, then, that one of the most popular domestic beers to take its namesake leaned heavily into Americana.

Old Milwaukee beer was first brewed in 1849 and was originally a product of Milwaukee's Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company (which was eventually purchased by the Pabst Brewing Company). The brand, which is still sold today, bills itself as "America's Beer" and has been marketed as a value lager with a down-home, good 'ol boy vibe. Its branding still features plenty of images evoking an outdoorsy, rural lifestyle, though it's distinctly more wholesome than its 1990s ads, which playfully riffed on its "It doesn't get any better than this" slogan and invented the concept of the Swedish Bikini Team.

Old Milwaukee is still available across the U.S. and in certain international markets, but its popularity is concentrated in the Midwest and Canada (where it is brewed and distributed by a separate company). As of 2024, Bud Light, Corona Extra, Budweiser and Heineken are the best-known beer brands in the U.S. — Old Milwaukee didn't even make the ranking. The brand had declined over 50% in sales between 2007 and 2012.

Despite its lack of recognition, the beer has a glowing reputation for a macro lager, having earned 19 gold medals from the Great American Beer Festival for its four different brews. Macro lagers are mass produced on a larger, industrial scale, as opposed to the small-batch microbrews Americans know as craft beer (though many of these are actually owned by larger corporations).

Old Milwaukee is far from a micro or craft-brewed beer, and part of its appeal has always been in its down to earth, working class American image. That said, it's cultivated a small but loyal fandom that includes beloved comedian Will Ferrell. In 2011, Ferrell approached the brand and offered to create a series of local commercials for them, free of charge, due to his love for the beer.