Though Pabst Blue Ribbon has had a light version in the past, the company has now announced Pabst Light, which it says is brewed from a new recipe.
The beer is rolling out across the country this month.
“We developed a new, special recipe for Pabst Light using only premium ingredients," says Pabst's Senior Vice President of Brewing John Kimes.
"El Dorado hops are rarely used in American Light beer, and they create a smooth, crisp, and refreshing taste.”
The grain is described only as "North American malted barley."
Blue Ribbon Light was brewed wth Cluster, Galena and Willamette hops.
So, the answer is no, Pabst Light is not the same as PBR Light.
The new lager, in 12-ounce cans (in 12-packs, 24-packs and 30-packs), has 96 calories, 3.5 grams of carbs and an ABV of 4.2 percent.
That's about 48 calories less than Pabst Blue Ribbon, and about 17 fewer than Pabst Blue Ribbon Light, which has been discontinued.
The PBR Light had a higher carb count at 8.3 grams, but about the same ABV at 4.19 percent.
The new packaging is similarly lighter in its visuals, with a starker, simpler look that includes the blue ribbon image despite its removal from the name.
Perhaps that doesn't matter since it seems accepted that Pabst never actually won the much-vaunted blue ribbon at the 1893 Columbian Exposition, where medals – not ribbons – were awarded (Pabst did win that).
The beer is also available in 16-ounce four-packs and six-packs and whopping single 25-ounce cans.
Despite the fact that Molson Coors will no longer brew Pabst in the Miller Valley after that contract ended in 2024, City Brewing has been making Pabst in La Crosse (and its out-of-state facilities) for a number of years and that is expected to continue based on a contract that runs for another 15 years.
However, this new Pabst Lite is not being brewed in Wisconsin, according to sources at Pabst.
I'm told that it will be brewed across the country, which could mean City Brewing's other out-of-state locations or breweries owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev, with which Pabst inked a new contract – or a combination of both.
“We developed Pabst Light for people who want a great tasting light beer without overthinking it – low calories, low carbs, and priced right, knowing value means so much to today’s shopper," says Kim Oakley, Director of Pabst Light.
"We’re excited to get it in the hands of beer drinkers everywhere who are looking for something new to call their favorite light beer.”
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
