My buddy Dan in Orlando, Fl. seems to have an obsession with all things Schlitz. Yes, as in Schlitz beer. He has a ton of Schlitz beer memorabilia in his home. I thought I would inquire about his fascination with this strange brew.

So Dan, what is is your deal with Schlitz beer?

After a long, hard day some people look forward to having a beer. For me, not any old beer is good enough. In fact, it has to be an ice cold Schlitz! There’s nothing that can compare to drinking the “kiss of the hops.”

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How did your fascination with Schlitz begin?

The fascination began after talking with my friends about beer. During that discussion, I found out that my friends Ken, Ben and I had a common bond “in the beer that made Milwaukee famous.” An innocent conversation turned into a passion to find out more about the history of Schlitz. It seemed everyone had a story about blue collar beers, but Schlitz sparked the most colorful stories and piqued my interest.

Dan bought this Schlitz trashcan at our Populuxe store in Orlando a few years ago

Would you say your Schlitz quest is a hobby or more of an obsession?

My quest for more knowledge about Schlitz became a hobby and later an obsession. I started collecting Schlitz memorabilia. I couldn’t believe how much advertising and promotional items were distributed during the beer’s heyday. Just think, a hundred years before I was born and Schlitz was already pumping out the gusto.

How large is your Schlitz collection?

My collection spans through the various ages of Schlitz consisting of a tie clip, Frisbee, cans, clocks, lamps, trays, a flashlight, an Arabic advertising sign and the holy grail of Schlitz: a bottle from 1888.

Tell us your favorite Schlitz story.

My wife Sandra found nine square yards of Schlitz fabric 10 years ago. I pondered for over a year about what I was going to do with this fabric. I finally decided to make a shirt using a pattern from the 1950s. I also had a shirt made for Sandra too! For Valentine’s Day I was surprised with a Schlitz barbeque apron and matching hat. I guess you can say Schlitz bon appetite!

photos courtesy of Dan and Sandra Carr

What do people think about your fascination with Schlitz?

Opinions seem to fluctuate over the famous beer. I have found that younger people can’t believe that Schlitz is still sold or it just plain sucks. On the other hand, old timers prefer the original formula (whatever that was). My mission is to see that Schlitz is back in bottles. In fact, it’s my civic duty to keep the name alive!

Thanks Dan for the entralling interview about Schlitz beer. Have a cold one for all of us Retro Info-ers.