The often circulated story of Schlitz ' proposed donation of thousands of barrels of beer to the Chicago population after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 is simply a modern myth , pushed by later marketing campaigns . Schlitz ' national expansion was based on new distribution points in Chicago and elsewhere , and the consequent use of the railway . From the late 1880s , Schlitz built dozens of tied houses in Chicago , most with a concrete relief of the company logo embedded in the brickwork ; several of these buildings survive today , including Schuba 's Tavern at the corner of Belmont and Southport . In 1873 , Schlitz rejected a purchase offer from Tennessee brewer Bratton and Sons
Great Chicago Fire
Great Chicago Fire
Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company