Pabst Blue Ribbon
Pabst teases 99-pack, Austin Beerworks throws some shade
Back in 2014, Texas-based Austin Beerworks released a first in the craft beer industry – the 99 pack. That’s 99 cans, for $99 dollars. For the non-math majors out there, that’s a $1 a can. Damn good deal.
This week, Pabst Blue Ribbon “unofficially” boasted their own 99-pack of Blue Ribbon. (They’ve actually done this before for Christmas, ironically in Canada.) Pictures of the 99-pack surfaced on social media this week. Twitter users were quick to point out to Pabst that Austin Beerworks had done this before.
Matt Bruhn, GM of Pabst replying to a tweet to Chris Furnari of Brewbound on Twitter that “Good ideas should be shared – enjoy responsibly.”
Good ideas should be shared – enjoy responsibly
— matt bruhn (@thebruhn) May 7, 2019
Incoming shade. Austin Beerworks took exception to the thought of sharing their originial idea.
Oh, wow. We thought you were just a run-of-the-mill Twitter dummy, but we see you’re the GM of Pabst (which doesn’t necessarily disqualify you from the former).
Is “Good ideas should be shared” the official company stance?
PS – sharing is consensual.
— Austin Beerworks (@AustinBeerworks) May 8, 2019
You can literallly hear the Twitter torches being lit when a craft brewery speaks out against a larger one. However, this story takes a more postive turn. Austin Beerworks and Bruhn didn’t hash this out on social media, they did something almost unheard of these days. They picked up the phone.
Pitchforks down, everyone. Just had a really nice conversation with @thebruhn (it’s impossible to be mad at anyone with an Australian accent) and they’re working to making things right. Cheers!
— Austin Beerworks (@AustinBeerworks) May 8, 2019
Instead of sending a fleet of expensive attorneys down to Texas to crush Austin Beerworks (let’s call that the Anheuser maneuver), Pabst admitted they stepped in it.
.@AustinBeerworks had an epic idea and put it into the world. Thanks for doing that. Ideas are hard and they don’t all stick. We haven’t officially announced the 99-pack, so here we are. We want to pay homage to the people who made this idea stick. Takes grit.
— Pabst Blue Ribbon (@PabstBlueRibbon) May 8, 2019
We don’t know what Austin Beerworks means by Pabst making it right, but it might entail collaboration. Or… the 198 pack???
In the spirit of innovation, we ask what packaging you want to see? Maybe we’ll even work with @austinbeerworks and really find a way to make it stick. Let us know. Reply to this tweet!
— Pabst Blue Ribbon (@PabstBlueRibbon) May 8, 2019
Ed note: Still verifying the source of the 99-pack image. If this is yours, contact us.
Boozier Pabst Blue Ribbon Extra coming this spring
Pabst Blue Ribbon made headlines earlier this year with news of PBR whiskey headed to shelves this summer. While you wait for the whiskey, Pabst fans can sip on a boozier version of the 175-year-old lager, Pabst Blue Ribbon Extra.
PABST BLUE RIBBON WHISKEY DEBUTS THIS SUMMER
6.5% alcohol by volume “Extra” will be found in black cans, billed as a “light, crisp, higher ABV alternative to heavy drinking beers”. Regular Pabst Blue Ribbon is 4.74% ABV.
This is the Extra Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer inspired by the original, nature’s choicest provide its full-bodied flavor. Only the finest of hops and grains have been used to create our strongest brew.
Pabst Blue Ribbon Extra will be available in 12-ounce cans and draft in Spring 2019.
Style: Lager
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft.
Debut: Spring 2019
6.5% ABV
Pabst Blue Ribbon Whiskey? Signs point to yes
Everyone knows Pabst Blue Ribbon, aka PBR. The pop culture phenomenon was introduced in 1844 and is easily one of the most well-known beers in America. What’s next for Pabst? It looks like Pabst Blue Ribbon Whiskey.
A label surfaced this week for PBR Whiskey, an apparent collaboration with brewer/distiller New Holland Brewing, based in Michigan.
As you can see from the label above, the whiskey label draws from Pabst Blue Ribbon beer artwork, with the description “This is Pabst Blue Ribbon Whiskey. Made from nature’s choicest products that, legend has it, Jacob Best used in 1844 to provide its smooth, complex flavor.”
One more thing impossible to ignore – the label states “Aged 5 seconds”.
New Holland signed a partnership with Pabst in 2016 to expand their national distribution footprint. Sources within the brewery who do not want to be named have hinted to Beer Street Journal in the past that the partnership is rapidly expanding, but declined to provide more information.
The 80 proof whiskey is slated for 750-milliliter bottles.
Emails to Pabst Blue Ribbon were not returned.
Ballantine Burton Ale emerges from brewing history
Pabst Brewing Company is launching Ballantine Burton Ale in time for the holiday season. This particular beer… has quite a history.
P. Ballantine & Sons Brewing in Newark, New Jersey brewed the original Burton Ale, that was never sold commercially. The barleywine style ale was aged from 10-20 years in American oak before it was ever bottled. Even then, it was given away as gifts to brewery VIPs. President Harry Truman is even said to have had been given a bottle.
The surviving Ballantine Burton Ale bottles have been traded or sold for sizable sums. Interestingly, tastings over the years have shown the beer to hold up quite well thanks to a high alcohol by volume, and strong hop bill.
The revival edition of Ballantine Burton Ale is brewed “sweet and strong” with a “robust” hop character, similar to the original. It has been aged in American oak barrels for months prior to bottling.
Ballantine Burton Ale will be available in major northeast markets in November and December in 12 ounce bottles and draft.
Style: Barleywine (Oak Aged)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Nov-Dec
Distribution: MA, ME, PA, DE, RI, VT, CT, MD
Release: November, 2015
11.3% ABV, 75 IBUs
P. Ballantine and Sons Brewing was founded in 1840. They were acquired by Falstaff Brewing in 1972. In 1985, Pabst Brewing Company purchased the brand.
Thanks To PBR Owners, Twinkies Return with Longer Shelf Life
The Metropoulous Family that took over Pabst Blue Ribbon are also responsible for saving Hostess, the makers of Twinkies. There has been a long held misconception that Twinkies had a shelf like of basically centuries. In fact, they were really only recommend fresh for 26 days.
In a week when you are doing your PBR tallboy/Twinkie pairings, note that they will have double the shelf life – up to 45 days. While the ingredients are still a secret, I’m assuming there is some new preservative in the remake.
Heavy Seas Takes Jab at Natty Boh
Looks like Heavy Seas will be the first brewery to fire at National Bohemian. The affectionately nicknamed Natty Boh hails from The Land of Pleasant Living, well at least it used to before they were bought by Pabst Brewing Company, and likes to boast being Baltimore’s ‘official’ beer since the 1960’s. Natty Boh has custom pounder cans featuring their one-eyed Mr. Boh in an Orioles uniform and proudly supports their former home city, but alas their beer is no longer brewed in Baltimore. Above we see a shirt from Heavy Seas, which shown by the shirt is actually brewed in Baltimore, taking a little jab at Mr. Boh. Could this be the beginning of a Baltimore beer battle? Will DuClaw join in the fun too? Will Mr. Boh ever find his other eye?
Twinkies May Soon Return Thanks to PBR
You will soon no longer have to spend your days without Twinkies, Ho-Hos and Ding-Dongs thanks Metropoulos & Co. A U.S. judge has just approved the sale. Metropoulos & Co owns iconic beer brand Pabst Blue Ribbon. Last year, Hostess filed for bankruptcy, owing more than 1.4 billion to its creditors.
The deal for the pastries is said to be $410 million. There is a Twinkie/PBR tallboy special in your bar’s future. Just wait and see.
