PBR: The Beer That Refused to Die (And Somehow Became Cool Again)
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The Original Working Man’s Beer
Once upon a time (okay, 1844), Pabst Blue Ribbon—or PBR, for those in the know—was the beer of the people. Factory workers, bikers, truckers, and blue-collar badasses across America cracked open cold cans of PBR after a long day of actually building this country. It was cheap, reliable, and unpretentious—a beer that didn’t ask questions, just delivered results.
By the 1970s, PBR was pulling championship numbers, selling 18 million barrels a year. It wasn’t flashy, it didn’t rely on expensive ads—it just got the job done.
Then, things went downhill… fast.
The Fall: When PBR Became Your Grandpa’s Beer
Somewhere in the ’80s and ’90s, people got distracted by beer commercials with talking frogs, Clydesdales, and whatever the hell Spuds MacKenzie was supposed to be. The marketing budgets of Budweiser, Coors, and Miller crushed smaller brands like Pabst, and soon, PBR was seen as old-school, out-of-touch, and destined for retirement homes.
By the early 2000s, PBR’s sales had plummeted to nearly nothing. The brand was on life support, its blue ribbon collecting dust, and its fate seemed sealed.
Then, out of nowhere—the comeback of the century.
The Hipster Resurrection: From Dive Bars to Irony to Mainstream
PBR didn’t reinvent itself—it just stood there until people remembered it existed.
Somewhere in the dive bars of Portland, Brooklyn, and Austin, hipsters on fixed-gear bikes rediscovered PBR, slapped an “anti-corporate” badge on it, and suddenly—BOOM.
- It was cheap. (Key selling point for broke 20-somethings.)
- It was under the radar. (Translation: Not something their parents drank.)
- It was ironically cool. (Translation: They pretended to drink it as a joke but then actually started liking it.)
Without a single dollar spent on advertising, PBR sales skyrocketed—from just over 1 million barrels a year to nearly 92 million by 2012.
The best part? PBR just sat back and let it happen.
PBR Today: A Beer for Everyone
At this point, who even drinks PBR anymore? Everyone.
- Old-school drinkers still love it for what it is: A classic, no-BS beer.
- Hipsters drink it because they can’t admit they were wrong.
- College students drink it because it’s the only thing left after someone steals the craft IPA from the fridge.
- You drink it because, well… it just feels right.
PBR has managed to exist in multiple generations at once, making it one of the weirdest, most unlikely beer success stories ever.
Raise a Can to the Beer That Just Won’t Quit
Some beers have Super Bowl commercials. Some beers have million-dollar celebrity endorsements.
PBR has none of that.
It survived because people kept drinking it.
That’s why PBR deserves a spot in your fridge—whether you’re an old-school drinker, a nostalgia chaser, or just someone who appreciates a beer with a comeback story.
Celebrate the beer that refuses to die with Beer Strong’s collection of beer-inspired shirts. Because whether you’re cracking open a PBR, an IPA, or a cold garage beer, we’ve got the gear to match your drinking style.
Final Thoughts: PBR Ain’t Going Anywhere
Love it? Hate it? Respect it? Doesn’t matter—PBR isn’t leaving anytime soon.
What’s your take on PBR? Classic working-man beer or hipster overhype? Drop your thoughts in the comments!