Schlitz Brewing Company

• American

The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous

The Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company was an American brewer based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On 1 January 1874, the business formally transitioned from Joseph Schlitz's sole proprietorship into a joint-stock corporation with Joseph Schlitz as President. The other founding officers — Secretary August Uihlein, Superintendent Henry Uihlein and Vice President of Export Operations Edward Uihlein — are the nephews of original founder August Krug. The Uihlein brothers initial $400,000 in capital is funded through a mix of cash and promissory notes, establishing a corporate framework that proves decisive just one year later. When Joseph Schlitz died in an 1875 shipwreck, the business structure allowed Henry Uihlein to assume the presidency, August Uihlein to remain secretary, and Alfred Uihlein to join the board. Under their leadership, the brewery entered a major expansion era, developing an extensive tied-house saloon network and becoming one of Milwaukee's most influential industrial enterprises. - AsNotedIn