12 Discontinued Beers You'll Sadly Never See Again
If you enjoy food and drink (and if you don't, you're in the wrong place), you've probably felt the pain of one of your favorite treats being discontinued. Perhaps you still yearn for a Swanson TV dinner, or wish you could still get Sriracha sauce at Wendy's, or maybe you're missing one of your favorite discontinued beers that just disappeared off the shelves one day.
The good news: There are plenty of delicious beers to drink. The bad news: The beers listed below are gone, and we're not sure if they're ever coming back. (Plus, for more beer news, This Major Beer Brand Seems to Be Falling Out of Favor With Customers.)
Bud Dry
Budweiser decided to take an experimental route when making this brew, combining light lagers with the hope of unavailing unique flavors the company hadn't already tried before. Unfortunately, Bud Dry was ultimately beaten out in the mid-90s by Bud Ice, as the new product had "fun" flavors to appeal to younger drinkers searching the market.
Miller High Life Light
Not the same thing as Miller Light, this was the light version of the "Champagne of Beers." In late 2021, the beer was dropped by owner Molson Coors due to a lack of consumer interest. It's probably for the best, even fans didn't really gush over this beer with one writing, "Looks like nothing. Smells like nothing. Feels like nothing. That's why this is enjoyable."
Pete's Wicked Ale
One of the pioneers of the 1990s craft beer movement in the US, Pete's was for a time one of the biggest craft breweries around and one of the first to get national distribution. However, they closed their doors and as of March 2011, Pete's was no more.
Falstaff
You might not remember this American beer that dates back to 1838, but your dad or grandpa probably drank it. In the 1960s, Falstaff was the third-largest beer brand in the U.S. and a fixture at ballparks and backyard barbecues. You cannot get the beer anymore, but you can own this nostalgic sign from Walmart.
Midnight Sun M
Last brewed in 2005, this Belgian-style barleywine was created to celebrate the tenth anniversary of this Alaskan brewery and was an instant hit. Since it was a one-off, it's impossible to get, and at one point bottles were going for $1500 on eBay!
Meister Brau
Meister Brau beer became a popular local brew in Chicago at the beginning of the 20th century. However, when business slowed in the 70s, Miller Brewing Company bought up the struggling brewery and in 2005 the Brau was phased out. However, Miller Light evolved from Meister Brau Light, so the impact is still felt. Again, the beer may be gone, but this sign lives on at Amazon.
Pretty Things Jack D'Or
Boston-based Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project was a beloved, whimsical local brewery that created some of the more interesting beers on the market in the 2000s, closed their doors in 2015 leaving fans mourning Jack D'Or, a tangy, lemony beer we'd love to sip again.
Southampton Black Raspberry Lambic
Brewed by Long Island's Southampton Publick House, this variation on a traditional framboise, was truly unique. Aged in wine barrels for nearly two years, Black Raspberry was released to the tune of only 400 bottles directly from the brewery back in 2012.
Goose Island King Henry
King Henry was an English-style barleywine with a caramel flavor that people went nuts for, probably because it was aged in Pappy Van Winkle 23 barrels, the legendary bourbon. It hasn't been brewed since 2011, but Goose Island's bourbon barrel-aged barleywine is also very delicious.
Icehouse Edge
Icehouse Edge was another victim of Molson Coors' big cut, the high-gravity lager with a dark golden appearance and 8% ABV—a spin-off of Icehouse—was also discontinued in 2021.
Milwaukee's Best Premium
This brew is yet another victim of Molson Coors brand pruning but its Light and Ice versions will still be brewed. If you're desperate, you may still find it on shelves as it was discontinued in August of 2021.
Red, White & Blue Lager
Another beer your parents and grandparents might remember fondly, this easy drinker dated from pre-Prohibition days and returned in time for World War Il. The low-priced brew was a moderately popular national seller for decades.
A version of this story was originally published in August 2022. It has been updated to include new information.
