A beloved American beer brand is set to vanish from supermarket shelves after 177 years.

The brewery, once amongst the largest in the United States, is being wound down.

Schlitz Premium, with its origins in Milwaukee dating back to the 1840s, is being placed "on hiatus," as Wisconsin Brewing Company confirmed the final batch would be produced this month.

"Unfortunately, we have seen continued increases in our costs to store and ship certain products and have had to make the tough choice to place Schlitz Premium on hiatus," Zac Nadile, Pabst head of brand strategy, said in a statement to Milwaukee Magazine.

"Any brand or packaging configuration that is put on hiatus is still a cherished part of our history and hopefully our future. We continually look for opportunities to bring back beloved brands, and customer feedback is important in shaping those discussions."

The brand earned widespread recognition through its famous slogan, "the beer that made Milwaukee famous," and held the title of America's biggest brewery until the late 1950s.

Its story began in 1849 when August Krug established a tavern brewery in Milwaukee. Joseph Schlitz subsequently took the reins following his marriage to Krug's widow, steering it towards becoming one of the most prominent beer brands in the country.

The brewery cemented its reputation by supplying beer to Chicago residents in the aftermath of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, when access to clean drinking water became severely limited. Joseph Conforti, general manager of Milwaukee Brat House, said: "It's a nostalgia factor. People from out of town are surprised that they still make it."

A cost-cutting recipe change in the 1970s saw the beer begin to lose its appeal. The brand was sold to Stroh Brewing in 1982 before Pabst snapped it up in 1999.

Kirby Nelson, brewmaster at Wisconsin Brewing Company, revealed that the firm was keen to give the historic beer a fitting 'proper farewell'.

He said: "We decided that, Schlitz being what Schlitz was, it deserved a proper sendoff. One with dignity and respect."

Following the final brew on May 23, a limited release is scheduled for June 27.

Bars and breweries across the Milwaukee area are also planning send-off events tied to the last batches.