The Retired '90s Beer That Fans Still Can't Let Go

Beer drinkers of the '90s had that dog in them – Red Dog, that is. Among the discontinued, old-school beers that everyone used to drink, many of those gone-but-not-forgotten brews belong to the Molson Coors portfolio (we still miss you, Hamm's Special Light). Red Dog was released in 1994 and discontinued in 2021 — retired for the same reason it was first inspired — and, all these years later, fans want it back.

Today's modern craft beer boom was preceded by a smaller, initial uptick in craft beer sales during the early '90s. Light, low-cost lagers were giving way to higher-quality craft beers with more robust flavor profiles, and Red Dog was Miller Brewing Company's answer to the "craft" trend. Despite what its name might suggest, Red Dog wasn't a red ale (although, competitor Coors' Killian Irish Red was already a fixture in the era when the Dog made its grand entrance). Red Dog arrived crisp, refreshing, and golden-hued, an approachable, full-flavored lager with a medium body and standard 4.8% ABV. Mellow, grassy, and grainy, Red Dog artfully straddled the chasm between the lighter lagers fans already knew and the fuller hops of a craft beer, without being particularly bitter or inaccessible. Cans could still be crushed en masse — and, to that end, Red Dog was sold in 30-packs. However, arguably more memorable than the beer itself was Red Dog's iconic branding. 

When the "uncommonly smooth" brew debuted in 1994, the launch was accompanied by an aggressive, distinctive, multimedia ad campaign featuring the eponymous Red Dog, a bulldog who spoke with a Southern accent. The mascot (voiced by Tommy Lee Jones) appeared in television commercials, radio spots, and in full-page newspaper ads during the summer of 1994, also inspiring an extensive merch line. Red Dog's "dogma" (sorry) championed individuality, bearing the slogan "You are your own dog." Although, ironically, Red Dog's popularity on the early '90s market inspired Anheuser-Busch to launch the copycat-titled "Red Wolf" beer around the same time.

In a stinging twist of fate, another market shift toward premiumization — the same impetus behind Red Dog's conception — would eventually lead to its discontinuation. A 2016 press release by Molson Coors announced the company's acquisition of the MillerCoors brand, which included ownership of brands like Peroni, Grolsch, Pilsner Urquell, and (you guessed it) Red Dog. Fast-forward to 2021, and Molson Coors reported a whopping 17.4% quarterly net sales increase to $2.94 billion — growth which the brewing company attributed to "a continued shift to higher-priced, above-premium beverages." Premiumization of the Molson Coors brand portfolio gave the axe to more Everyman lagers, like Mickey's Ice, Magnum, and (alas) Red Dog. The brew might have been more developed than the light lagers of the '90s, but ultimately, Red Dog wasn't "craft beer" enough to gain citizenship in either camp.

For many enduring fans, the fight isn't over. In one Reddit thread dedicated to the brew, imbibers reminisce that Red Dog was the first beer they ever tried in their youth. Other commenters share, "I remember I had a hat as an 8-9 year old in the late '90s that my dad bought at the distributor, thought it was the coolest hat ever. Still do lol." Red Dog drinkers of the 2010s have their own memories of the brand's exeunt: "A grocery store I used to work at sold it right up until 2013 or '14. We ended up putting an extra facing of Busch Light in its spot when it got discontinued." Elsewhere online, there's even an official petition on Change.org to "Reinstate Red Dog As A Beer Brand" for another taste of its "full Uncommonly Smooth glory."

Still, while diehards dote on the familiar bulldog mascot, maybe Red Dog just wasn't that awesome of a beer. Imbiber reviews on Beeradvocate write Red Dog off as "Smooth; not bitter. The best thing is the label," and "Starts tasting better after [number] 5 or 6." Meanwhile, more positive reviews add, "This goes down maybe even easier than water." Either way, fans shouldn't hold their breath for a comeback. If it helps, plenty of the original Red Dog merch is available for sale on eBay; chances are that fans want to scratch the nostalgic branding itch more than to taste the actual beer again, anyway.