History of Falstaff Beer and the Falstaff Brewing Corp.

Welcome to the Falstaff Beer fan site!

Please note this site is not affiliated with, and does not reflect the opinions of the Falstaff Brewing Corporation, Pabst Brewing and has been created with the permission of the owners of the trademark.

04/02/2013 Some eight years after of its final production run, Falstaff has reappeared on the shelf of a beer depot in scenic Cedarburg, WI. I drove up yesterday to confirm that this is, indeed, true. This particular batch was contract brewed by Pabst at City Brewing in LaCrosse and has a recent production date. I did check another Otto's location (in Elm Grove, WI) and they are not carrying it. SINCERE THANKS to Brett Boesel for tipping us off!

Update 04/08/2013 - So we believe we have this figured out. Pabst's official position is that they don't have any plans to brew Falstaff again. However, they recently filed a trademark renewal for Falstaff and in order to validate this they must show usage of that trademark. So they probably made a minimum batch, and somehow a good part of it ended up in Cedarburg, WI. I know that there has been a run on the stock at Otto's so your best bet is to check with the Pabst distributor in the area or give Otto's a call before you drive up. I'm not sure if other stores are carrying it. Once it's gone, it will be gone. Thanks to everyone who had contacted me on this matter. Falstaff fans rock!

4/14/2014 And a good deal of that Falstaff ended up in the back of D'Arcy Ballinger's car, destined to be consumed in the Land of Lincoln....

Falstaff Brewing was the story of two St. Louis based brewing families, the Lemps and Griesediecks. Started by German immigrant Adam Lemp in the 1840s, in 50 years' time the Falstaff brand became one of the most popular in America, and was exported world-wide. Unfortunately, the Lemp family enterprise was devastated by personal tragedies and the economic effects of prohibition. Lemp Brewing went into receivership in 1920s. The Falstaff brand was then purchased for a very small sum by another St. Louis brewing family, the Griesediecks,who marketed near beer, soft drinks, and cured hams under the Falstaff name.

With the repeal of prohibition in 1933 came a period of rapid expansion for the company. By the 1960s, Falstaff was the third largest brewer in America with plants situated from coast to coast. During the 1970s, however, fortunes began to decline as Falstaff fell victim to consolidation within the beer industry. In 1977 they were purchased by a California based holding company who also owned General Brewing (Lucky Lager). Assets from Pabst, Pearl, Olympia Brewing, and eventually Stroh's were later added to the fold. The Falstaff breweries were eventually closed and most of the equipment sent to China. The brand has been discontinued in 2005, and this site is a tribute to the employees of Falstaff Brewing as well to all of us that ever enjoyed "the choicest product of the brewer's art". I have also included pages on four other breweries whose beers I enjoyed in the 1970s and 80s; Falls City, Walter's, Carling - National, and Jos Picketts & Sons. Click on the links on the left for more info.

03/04/2013 Candance Mahlendorf sent in this picture of the Omaha Falstaff Brewhouse Crew, her mother-in-law had worked at the brewery. Thank you!

11/2/2012 Former Falstaff distributor Bob Coy sent in this newspaper clipping showing him "falling for Falstaff" - thanks to Bob for the send.

Back in the 70s, I really enjoyed the Gabe & Walker series of television ads. They featured future movie star Sam Elliot. Here is a cool site dedicated to preserving Falstaff breweriana and advertising, and a cool Gabe & Walker ad. Just click here. Special thanks to Falstaff collector Don Williams

Please feel free to email me with any comments, corrections, or suggestions on the site

(2nd from Right) This website is dedicated to the memory of Ballantine Ale fan Capt. Bill McGinn - Squad 18 Elite Rescue Unit F.D.N.Y. - Lost on 9/11/2001 but never forgotten. Capt. McGinn left behind a wife and two small children- (scan thanks to Michael Newman of the Bronx) For the FDNY Squad 18 Memorial Page click here. Bill perished bravely doing his job to save others. Please remember the 343 Firefighters, 23 NY Policemen, 37 officers from the Port Authority and more than 2000 innocent human beings from every corner of the world killed on this tragic day.