How The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous Became the Loser of the Beer Wars

Today, the beer you drink is most likely either brewed by AB InBev, who owns the name brands, or else a small and possibly local craft brewery. That's the ultimate fallout of the beer wars that shook the industry in the 1960s and '70s. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was the beer capital of the US thanks to the many German immigrants who settled there in the 19th century. The city was home to the Schlitz, Pabst, Blatz, and Miller brewing companies. Schlitz was the biggest seller in the US, but in 1957 was eclipsed by Budweiser down in St. Louis. Schlitz marketing head Bob Martin was willing to do anything to outsell Budweiser, with the exception of producing high-quality beer. 

The American alcohol industry is highly regulated at all levels, but those regulations are so numerous and intertwined that they can be creatively interpreted to one's benefit, or outrightly ignored until someone complains. Martin was a master of exploiting the many levels between brewing beer and the customers who drink it at bars, airports, sporting events, or at home. In 1978, the company was indicted for three felonies and 743 misdemeanors for their marketing practices. They involved bribes, kickbacks, money laundering, fraud, and other kinds of corporate malfeasance. Read what happened to Martin and the Schlitz company at Esquire. -via Metafilter