Pabst Blue Ribbon, aka PBR, has been expanding its beverage line recently.
First came rumors of its own whiskey, which the company says is still forthcoming. Then came a new hard coffee release. The company also added an “extra” strong and full-bodied alcoholic beer and a non-alcoholic PBR.
And now? PBR hard seltzer! Yes, joining the low-cal, effervescent zeitgeist is PBR Stronger Seltzer. And it’s definitely packing more of a punch than many of the hard seltzers currently on the market.
PBR Stronger Seltzer is 8% alcohol compared to many hard seltzer brands, which come in closer to 4-5.5% ABV. (Most beers stick closer to 5-5.5% ABV or lower.) The original PBR is about 4.6% ABV. So you’re definitely more likely to feel the kick in Stronger Seltzer’s can.
Stronger Seltzer is lime-flavored and has only 1 gram of sugar (it’s sweetened mostly with Stevia). However, it’s not really a low-calorie drink with 228 calories per 16-ounce can.
“Stronger Seltzer is a fun and innovative new drink that delivers big on taste and gives our customers something different to enjoy,” said John Newhouse, Pabst Blue Ribbon’s brand manager, in an announcement.
Stronger Seltzer is being released on Aug. 12 in initial test markets in Arizona, California, Montana and Texas. A larger rollout will take place in the fall.
To highlight its lime essence, PBR’s Stronger Seltzer can has a lime green stripe behind Pabst’s iconic blue ribbon design.
In case you’ve ever wondered about that blue ribbon, Pabst Blue Ribbon changed its name from Pabst’s Best Select after winning the top beer award at the iconic Chicago’s World Fair in 1893. The brand actually used to sell its beer in bottles tied with blue silk ribbon to celebrate its winning ways.
People who like trying out sparkling, spiked beverages similar to Stronger Seltzer may be interested in Corona’s relatively new Refresca line of drinks.
The company describes the beverage as a “premium spiked refresher,” not beer, and it comes in three fruit flavors. Passionfruit Lime and Guava Lime come in their own six-packs and will sell for $9.99. Coconut Lime is only available in a variety pack of 12, which will retail for $16.99.
Anheuser-Busch’s Natural Light also just released a new hard seltzer, as seen highlighted on its Twitter account.
That's right, we made a f***ing seltzer.
Introducing the two newest members of the Natural Light fam: Catalina Lime Mixer & Aloha Beaches. 6% ABV hard seltzer. LFG pic.twitter.com/MXAcGuCQVE
— Natural Light (@naturallight) August 12, 2019
White Claw, however, with its 100-calorie formula, is considered one of the leaders in this new segment. It is said to hold 70 percent of the market share of hard seltzers. However, brand loyalty is reportedly not high yet, so Pabst’s new release now has a chance to take some of it.
Which one of these new drinks is best? Take a look at one of our writer’s reviews of three kinds of hard seltzer.
Are hard seltzers going to be a staple in your kitchen from now on?
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