Pabst Blue Ribbon is one of the most ubiquitous brands in beer today. The PBR’s iconic can has risen to the level of must-have accessory for many millennial consumers. To further capitalize on the brand’s popularity, Pabst is releasing a new whiskey this summer. And we do mean “new,” as this particular spirit is touted by the company as being “aged 5 seconds” before bottling.
A Timeless Spirit
According to a Q&A with Pabst General Manager Matt Bruhn at Esquire, the PBR whiskey is a loving tribute to the beer’s original founder, Jacob Best, who made his own attempts at creating a whiskey before turning his full attention PBR. The beer is made with ingredients popular in his time, and with techniques which he would have been able to replicate. Moreover, the whiskey is a reflection of his own ethos and legacy as a brewer—one which is incompatible with a long aging process.
Bruhn told Esquire that Best “wouldn't have the access or the desire to put whiskey in barrels,” and that “aged whiskey is not what Jacob would have done,” which led to the desire by the company to “make a killer, off-the-still liquid.” The end result is a whiskey with a mash bill heavy on corn (52%), and an aging time of exactly five seconds. According to Bruhn, the liquid is passed through barrels, with five seconds of contact time with the wood, in order for it to legally be labeled as “whiskey.”
Naturally, such a brief “aging” results in a whiskey with some kick. In the same Q&A, Bruhn indicated that PBR whiskey is best enjoyed in cocktails, where it has the necessary strength to stand out among the bold, flavor-forward ingredients championed by bartenders today.
Incidentally, the lead up to this release has inspired a great deal of speculation among industry insiders and journalists curious as to what a PBR whiskey would be in practice. At Breakthru, we are thrilled to see the mystery resolved, as this exciting new brand hits the shelves nationwide. Contact your Breakthru Sales Consultant in Colorado to find out more about how your business can turn this news into a win for your business.