PBR: Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer 1844 Debuts in China
This is not your hipster’s father’s PBR. [like]
The fancy new Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer 1844 is coming to China with a fancy price tag: $44 a bottle. While forty-four bones is too much for almost any beer, especially a PBR, it’s not just an overseas repackage. 1844 is a whole new brew that’s spent some time in premium wooden casks. So, barrel aged? Interesting.
From the 1844 ad copy:
It’s not just Scotch that’s put into wooden casks.
There’s also Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer 1844.
Many world-famous spirits
Are matured in precious wooden casks
Scotch whisky, French brandy, Bordeaux wine…
They all spend long days inside wooden casks
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UPDATE:
A Gawker reader found 1844 brewing notes from the brewmaster’s Modern Brewery Age interview back in March:
“We just produced China’s first real specialty beer, an all-malt, reddish brown strong (15.7 plato) ale, dry hopped with Cascade (38 IBU) and aged in new uncharred American whiskey barrels … It’s being bottled in a nice looking 720-ml brown bottle with an enamel label and it is called Blue Ribbon 1844, a reference to Pabst‘s founding date. It will only be sold in China…”
—Alan Kornhauser
Brewmaster, Pabst China
(ex-Anchor Brewing, August Schell Brewing, and more)
Full interview PDF
Anyone in China wanna trade?
Original story at Danwei. (via The New Yorker)
• • • •
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[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Fred Abercrombie, Shelley Smith. Shelley Smith said: PBR beer for $44/bottle? Barrel-aged swill is still swill, people. http://bit.ly/dCcAtl #Havetheytastedthatshit? […]
I just recently had the pleasure of drinking the PBR 1844. Although the price tag is a bit much for any ale, it was very smooth. I was also impressed with the way it poured, perfection. The price however makes it out of touch with reality. I think $8.oo is too much for a Guinness in China, but I will pay it. Tell me how you can justify $44. I would like to know how much is sold in China?