I went to the grocery store recently and decided to buy some beer and was delighted to see Schlitz for sale once more. I bought a six-pack (in bottles, of course) and found the new version of Schlitz to be tasty and refreshing. For all I know, it is not the new version at all, but the original recipe from the time when Schlitz was one of the most popular beers in America.
If Schlitz can be revived, why not Stroh’s? I’m not sure whether Stroh’s is even brewed anymore, but in any case it is not sold in my neighborhood grocery store. This is a terrible shame, because Stroh’s was the overwhelming beer of choice when I was in college. Indeed, in those days the distribution of beer was much more regional, and you frequently heard stories about extraordinary beers that were not available in your area of the country. If you were east of the Mississippi, you heard about Coor’s, of course, but also Olympia and Lone Star. If you were west of the Mississippi, you heard about — Stroh’s.
Stroh’s was a “fire-brewed” beer — whatever that means — and had a crisp, bold taste. It was not a wussy beer, but one that had a fighting chance to make an impression if you were drinking it while eating a Bahama Mama or a ballpark frank with the tart, tangy, Cleveland Stadium brown mustard. It packed a punch.
If Schlitz is being sold at my neighborhood grocer, I say it is time to bring back Stroh’s. I’d buy a six-pack.
Webner House 