Pabst Brewing Company
| Pabst Brewing Company | |||||||||||
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| Location | Woodridge, Illinois | ||||||||||
| Year opened | 1844 | ||||||||||
| Website | http://www.pabstbrewingco.com | ||||||||||
| Active beers | |||||||||||
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Pabst Brewing Company is an American company that dates its origins to a brewing company founded in 1844 by Jacob Best and by 1889 named after Frederick Pabst. It is currently the holding company contracting for the brewing of over two dozen brands of beer and malt liquor from defunct companies including G. Heileman Brewing Company, Lone Star Brewing Company, Pearl Brewing Company, Piels Bros., National Brewing Company, Primo Brewing & Malting Company, Rainier Brewing Company, F & M Schaefer Brewing Company, Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company, and Stroh Brewery Company.[1]
The company is also responsible for the brewing of Ice Man Malt Liquor, St. Ides High Gravity Malt Liquor, and retail versions of beers from McSorley's Old Ale House and Southampton Publick House (of Southampton, New York).[1]
Pabst is headquartered in Woodridge, Illinois, a Chicago suburb,[2] and is owned by C. Dean Metropoulos. On May 14, 2011, it was announced that Pabst would be relocating to Los Angeles, California. [3]
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[edit] Pabst before S&P ownership
The original brewery was founded in 1844 as The Empire Brewery, later Best and Company, by brewer Jacob Best. The brewery was run by Jacob, Sr. and his sons Phillip, Charles, Jacob, Jr., and Lorenz; Phillip took control of the company in 1860.[4] They started the brewery on Chestnut Street Hill in Milwaukee with a capacity of 18 barrels (2.9 m3). Later, in 1863, Frederick Pabst, a steamship captain and son-in-law of Phillip Best, bought a share in Best and Company, by which time the brewery was already selling a lager that they began bottling in 1875 under the name Best Select.
Pabst was renowned in Milwaukee for its brewery tours. Visitors to Pabst's tour were rewarded with sometimes bottomless glasses of beer at its end-of-tour Sternewirt Pub. Complete with a statue of Captain Frederick Pabst and waitresses pouring from pitchers of Pabst Blue Ribbon, Pabst Bock, and Andeker, the pub was popular with both tourists and locals, especially students from nearby Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.[5][6]
[edit] Pabst S&P ownership
S&P was created by Paul Kalmanovitz, a "self-made beer and real-estate baron" who died in 1987, two years after he bought the original Pabst company.[7] Kalmanovitz created S&P—the "P" refers to "Mr. Paul" the nickname that Kalmanovitz was known by, and the "S" referred to one-time partner Nathan Sherry— as the holding company for the Los Angeles bars and clubs around Union Station they owned.[8] S&P's first brewery was Maier Brewing Company, purchased in 1958.[8]
S&P Company was ordered by the IRS to sell the Pabst Brewing Company by 2005 or lose its not-for-profit, tax-free status. After a while, PBC claimed that they were unable to find a buyer at market value and requested an extension until 2010 that the IRS granted.
In 2006, CEO Brian Kovalchuk resigned and the board replaced him with Kevin Kotecki. Kotecki swiftly moved the Pabst Brewing Company and its roughly 100 headquarters personnel to Illinois. The offices in Woodridge are located on historic US Route 66.
Pabst retains a data center in San Antonio, Texas, the previous location of its headquarters. Pabst's long obsolete brewery complex in Milwaukee has been targeted to be developed into restaurants, entertainment venues, stores, housing and offices. The $317 million project is the subject of much debate in Milwaukee.[9] On May 28, 2008 a former Pabst Brewery in Newark, New Jersey caught fire and was seriously damaged.[10] The building was in the process of being demolished when the fire occurred.
[edit] Present day
On May 26, 2010, investor C. Dean Metropoulos reached a deal to purchase Pabst for about $250 million.[11]
[edit] Pabst Blue Ribbon
Pabst Blue Ribbon, also known as "PBR", is the namesake of the Pabst Brewing Company products. Originally called Best Select, and then Pabst Select, the current name came from the blue ribbons that were tied around the bottle neck, a practice that ran from 1882 until 1916.[2]
[edit] Old Style
Old Style was first brewed in 1902 by the G. Heileman Brewing Company in La Crosse, Wisconsin under the name Old Style Lager; it was popular in Wisconsin, the Chicago metro area, Minnesota, eastern Iowa, Lincoln, Nebraska, southwestern Michigan, and Fargo and Grand Forks, North Dakota. The original Heileman's Old Style brewery in La Crosse is now owned by the City Brewing Company. It brews La Crosse Lager, which is based upon the original Old Style recipe and is kräusened for 30 days. This beer may also be the basis for the brewery's nationally-distributed DB Hobbs brand.[12]
[edit] Awards
Awards at the Great American Beer Festival:
| Year | Award | Category | Beer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Silver | American Lager | Pabst Blue Ribbon |
| 1990 | Silver | Malt Liquor | Olde English 800 |
| 1991 | Gold | American Lager | Pearl Lager Beer |
| 1991 | Gold | American Malt Liquor | Olde English 800 |
| 1992 | Gold | American Malt Liquor | Olde English 800 |
| 1992 | Silver | American Lager | Hamm's |
| 1992 | Silver | American Dry Lager | Olympia Dry |
| 1993 | Gold | American Dry Lager | Olympia Dry |
| 1993 | Bronze | Mixed/Non-Alcoholic | Pabst NA |
| 1994 | Gold | American Light Lager | Pabst Genuine Draft Light |
| 1994 | Gold | American Malt Liquor | Olde English 800 |
| 1994 | Silver | American Dry Lager | Olympia Dry |
| 1995 | Gold | American Light Lager | Pabst Genuine Draft Light |
| 1995 | Gold | American Malt Liquor | Olde English 800 |
| 1995 | Gold | American Specialty Lager | Olympia Dry |
| 1996 | Gold | American Light Lager | Pabst Genuine Draft Light |
| 1996 | Silver | American Lager | Pabst Blue Ribbon |
| 1997 | Gold | American Style Specialty Lager | Olde English 800 |
| 1997 | Gold | Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverages | Pabst NA |
| 1998 | Gold | Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverages | Pabst NA |
| 1998 | Silver | American Style Light Lager | Pabst Genuine Draft Light |
| 2000 | Silver | Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverages | Pabst NA |
| 2003 | Gold | American Style Light Lager | Old Style Light |
| 2003 | Gold | American Style Lager | Old Milwaukee |
| 2003 | Silver | American Style Lager | Rainier |
| 2003 | Bronze | American Style Light Lager | Old Milwaukee Light |
| 2003 | Bronze | American Lager/Ale or Cream Ale | Old Style |
| 2004 | Gold | Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverage | Old Milwaukee NA |
| 2004 | Gold | American Style Light Lager | Rainier Light |
| 2004 | Gold | American Style Lager | Old Milwaukee |
| 2004 | Silver | American Lager/Ale or Cream Ale | Special Export |
| 2004 | Silver | American Style Light Lager | Old Milwaukee Light |
| 2004 | Silver | American Style Specialty Lager | Schlitz Malt Liquor |
| 2004 | Bronze | American Style Lager | Schlitz |
| 2004 | Bronze | American Style Premium Lager | Pabst Blue Ribbon |
| 2004 | Bronze | American Style Specialty Lager | St. Ides Malt Liquor |
| 2005 | Gold | American Style Premium Lager | Pabst Blue Ribbon |
| 2005 | Gold | American Style Lager | Stag |
| 2005 | Gold | American Style Light Lager | Old Milwaukee Light |
| 2005 | Silver | American Style Premium Lager | Olympia |
| 2005 | Silver | American Style Lager | Rainier |
| 2005 | Bronze | American Cream Ale or Lager | Special Export |
| 2006 | Gold | American Style Lager | Pabst Blue Ribbon |
| 2006 | Gold | American Style Light Lager | Old Milwaukee Light |
| 2006 | Silver | American Cream Ale or Lager | Lone Star |
| 2006 | Bronze | American Style Lager | Blatz |
| 2007 | Gold | American-Style Cream Ale or Lager | Lone Star |
| 2007 | Gold | American Style Light Lager | Old Milwaukee Light |
| 2007 | Silver | American Style Light Lager | Pabst Blue Ribbon Light |
| 2007 | Silver | American-Style Cream Ale or Lager | Old Style |
| 2008 | Gold | American Style Cream Ale or Lager | Lone Star |
| 2008 | Gold | American Style Lager or Premium Lager | Olympia |
| 2008 | Silver | American Style Light Lager | Old Milwaukee Light |
| 2008 | Silver | American Style Lager or Premium Lager | Blatz |
| 2010 | Silver | American Style Lager or Light Lager | Old Milwaukee |
| 2010 | Silver | American Style Specialty Lager or Cream Ale or Lager | Rainier |
| 2010 | Bronze | American Style Specialty Lager or Cream Ale or Lager | Old Style |
Awards at the World Beer Cup:
| Year | Award | Category | Beer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Gold | American Style Malt Liquor | Olde English 800 |
| 1996 | Silver | American Style Malt Liquor | Schlitz Malt Liquor |
| 1996 | Bronze | American Style Malt Liquor | Country Club Malt Liquor |
| 1996 | Bronze | American Style Ice Lager | Schlitz Ice |
| 1998 | Gold | American Style Malt Liquor | Schlitz Malt Liquor |
| 2006 | Gold | American Style Premium Lager | Pabst Blue Ribbon |
| 2006 | Gold | American Cream Ale or Lager | Old Style |
| 2008 | Gold | American-Style Cream Ale or Lager | Special Export |
| 2008 | Gold | American-Style Light Lager | Old Milwaukee Light |
| 2008 | Silver | American-Style Cream Ale or Lager | Lone Star |
| 2008 | Silver | American-Style Light Lager | Lone Star Light |
| 2010 | Gold | American-Style Lager | Olympia |
| 2010 | Silver | American-Style Cream Ale or Lager | Old Style |
| 2010 | Silver | American-Style Lager | National Bohemian |
| 2010 | Bronze | American-Style Cream Ale or Lager | Lone Star |
| 2010 | Bronze | American-Style Specialty Lager | Colt 45 |
Golden Icon Awards by Travolta Family Entertainment:
| Year | Award | Category | Beer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–2007 | Golden Icon | Best Domestic Beer | Old Style Light |
[edit] Advertisements
[edit] References
Specific references:
- ^ a b Our Portfolio from the company's website
- ^ a b Zeldes, Leah A. (2009-08-10). "Chicago gave Pabst its blue ribbon — and a tax break". Dining Chicago. Chicago's Restaurant & Entertainment Guide, Inc.. http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2009/08/10/chicago-gave-pabst-its-blue-ribbon-and-a-tax-break/. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
- ^ Li, Shan. "Pabst headquarters moving to Los Angeles." Los Angeles Times. May 14, 2011.
- ^ A History of Milwaukee and Wisconsin Breweries
- ^ Fowler, Brenda. "WHAT'S DOING IN; Milwaukee." The New York Times, June 4, 1995.
- ^ Platt, Jeff. "Milwaukee Beer History." Suds, Wine & Spirits, 2006.
- ^ Rob Walker (June 22, 2003). "The Marketing of No Marketing". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/22/magazine/the-marketing-of-no-marketing.html?pagewanted=all. Retrieved 2009-09-17.
- ^ a b The Family Jewels, a September 20, 1995 article from SF Weekly
- ^ Daykin, Tom (2005-2007). "PabstCity's glass half empty?". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=330664.
- ^ Firefighters battle blaze at former Newark brewery
- ^ Lattman, Peter; Kesmodel, David (26 May 2010). "Pabst's New Owner Built Fortune on Old Brands". Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703341904575266812952883720.html. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
- ^ Kroger: Great Meals - Wine - House Wines.
General references:
[edit] External links