Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company

Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company was an American brewing company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded in 1849, it was once the largest producer of beer in the United States. Its namesake beer, Schlitz ( /ˈʃlɪts/), has been produced by Pabst Brewing Company since 1999. The Schlitz brand is owned by Blue Ribbon Partners of San Antonio, an investment platform led by American beer and beverage entrepreneur Eugene Kashper.

The company was founded by August Krug in 1849, but ownership passed to Joseph Schlitz in 1858 when he married Krug's widow. Schlitz first became the largest beer producer in the U.S. in 1902 and enjoyed that status at several points during the first half of the 20th century, exchanging the title with Anheuser-Busch multiple times during the 1950s. It was bought by Stroh Brewery Company in 1982 and subsequently sold along with the rest of Stroh's assets to Pabst Brewing Company in 1999.