For every hazy IPA, barrel-aged stout, or fruited sour on today’s retail shelves, there are beers that once defined a generation of drinkers but have since disappeared into history. Some were cult favorites, some were macro staples, and some were just so enjoyably odd that they earned a place in beer folklore.

And here’s a look back at ten classic American beers that we wish were still around.

Falstaff
Once one of the biggest-selling beers in America, Falstaff was a Midwest staple that peaked in the 1960s. It had a loyal following among working-class drinkers, but by the late ’70s and ’80s, it was being swallowed up in industry consolidation. Today, it’s remembered as a beer your granddad probably swore by.

Ballantine IPA
Before IPA became the style that took over craft beer, Ballantine’s version was legendary. Brewed long before the hop craze of the 2000s, it had complexity and bite that made it stand out in a sea of bland lagers. Ask any beer historian: this was America’s first great IPA.

Billy Beer
Yes, the one tied to President Jimmy Carter’s brother, Billy. Released in 1977, Billy Beer was more of a cultural artifact than a great brew. Still, it became an instant collector’s item, with cans saved (and often sold) by the curious. It may not have been delicious, but it was undeniably iconic.

Rainier Ale (“Green Death”)
This malt liquor from the Pacific Northwest had a notorious nickname: “Green Death.” For college students and budget drinkers in the ’70s and ’80s, it was the affordable way to get the party started. Today, it lives on mostly in tall tales.

Rheingold
Once the beer of New York City, Rheingold made its mark with the famous “Miss Rheingold” contests that ran for decades. It was as much a part of the city’s culture as hot dogs and stickball. Revived a few times since, it never recaptured its mid-century glory.

Schmidt’s of Philadelphia
Philly’s own Schmidt’s Brewery produced lager for more than a century. For locals, it was the beer of neighborhood barbecues and corner taprooms. When production ended in 1987, it marked the end of an era for the city’s brewing tradition.

Old Style (pre-Heileman)
While Old Style is technically still around, diehards will tell you it’s not the same beer it used to be. Brewed in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Old Style’s original recipe—with its kraeusening method—made it a Midwest classic. Many still chase that pre-acquisition flavor.

Olympia (“It’s the Water”)
Olympia’s famous slogan spoke to its origins in Tumwater, Washington, where it was brewed with artesian well water. Once a West Coast favorite, it was eventually absorbed into big beer portfolios and lost its local touch.

Jax Beer
New Orleans’ Jax Beer carried serious Southern pride. Its distinctive neon sign lit up the French Quarter for decades, and the brewery was an anchor in the city before national brands muscled in.

National Bohemian (Natty Boh, original version)
Baltimoreans still rally around Natty Boh as a hometown symbol, but the version brewed locally up until the 1990s had more character than the modern iteration. Pair it with steamed crabs, and you had a Maryland classic.

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