Pabst Brewing Company

What Pabst Brewing Company does

Pabst Brewing Company is a privately held American brewer headquartered in Los Angeles, California, operating a portfolio of legacy beer brands including Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR), Stag, and previously Schlitz, which was discontinued in June 2026 after 177 years. The company sells its brands nationally through mass retailers (Walmart, Safeway, Total Wine & More), grocery chains (Publix, Kroger), convenience stores, and on-premise accounts (dive bars, taverns), targeting value-conscious consumers and the dive-bar cultural demographic associated with the PBR brand.

The business has historically generated revenue through three streams: (1) sales of its owned beer brand portfolio through distributors and retailers, (2) production and distribution of licensed flavored malt beverages under a 2021 partnership with Brown-Forman (Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails, Jack Daniel's Bolder, Jack Daniel's Hard Tea, el Jimador Spiked Bebidas), which concluded in July 2026, and (3) a growing series of co-branded limited-edition product collaborations with consumer food brands (Grillo's Pickles, Smithfield, Campbell's) to drive retail placement and cultural relevance. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; Pabst operates in the value beer price tier.

The company's technology stack is standard consumer marketing infrastructure: website analytics (Google Analytics), programmatic advertising (Google Doubleclick, Facebook, Bing), and basic cookie-based tracking. There is no disclosed proprietary technology, AI/ML capability, or platform product. The company is currently navigating a defensive period, having discontinued two legacy brands and lost a major licensing partnership in 2026, while pivoting toward co-branded novelty products and motorsport activations to maintain brand visibility. A $26.5M asbestos damages verdict upheld by the Wisconsin Supreme Court is a known liability tied to its historical Milwaukee brewery.

Name

Pabst Brewing Company

Legal name

Pabst Brewing Company, LLC

Website

https://pabst.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1844

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Pabst Brewing Company is a privately held American brewer headquartered in Los Angeles, producing a portfolio of legacy beer brands led by Pabst Blue Ribbon, distributed nationally through mass retailers, grocery chains, and dive bars for value-conscious consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brewed Beer (American Lager)

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Beverage Manufacturing (3121), Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (424810)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Alcoholic Beverage Brand Owners & Holding Companies (Multi-category Portfolios) (CRADAIAL), Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB)

Keywords

• American lager beer
• Malt beverages
• Beer brand portfolio
• Co-branded beverages
• Value beer products

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Beer Brand Portfolio: Pabst Brewing generates revenue through the sale of its portfolio of beer brands, including Pabst Blue Ribbon, Schlitz, Stag, and others, sold through distributors and retailers nationwide. The company discontinued Schlitz beer in 2026 after acquiring the brand in 1999.
2. Flavored Malt Beverages (Former RTD Partnership): From 2021 to July 2026, Pabst produced and distributed flavored malt beverages (Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails, Jack Daniel's Hard Tea, el Jimador Spiked Bebidas) under a partnership with Brown-Forman, which granted Pabst exclusive rights to create and distribute these products. The partnership ended July 7, 2026, with Brown-Forman taking back full supply, sales, marketing, and distribution.
3. Co-Branded Product Collaborations: Pabst enters co-branded limited-edition product collaborations with complementary consumer brands (Grillo's Pickles, Smithfield) to create novelty products that drive retail shelf placement and brand relevance, such as PBR x Grillo's Pickle Beer and Smithfield Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer Brat.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Pabst Brewing Company produces, markets, and distributes a portfolio of American lager beer brands — anchored by Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) — sold through national mass retailers, grocery chains, convenience stores, and on-premise establishments such as dive bars. The company has historically expanded its portfolio through brand acquisitions (e.g., Schlitz in 1999), co-branded limited-edition beverage collaborations (e.g., PBR x Grillo's Pickle Beer), and previously through an exclusive flavored malt beverage manufacturing and distribution partnership with Brown-Forman (Jack Daniel's RTD portfolio) that concluded in July 2026.

Product overview

Pabst Brewing Company operates a portfolio of beer brands and holds licensing/partnership rights for flavored malt beverages. The core portfolio centers on Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR), supplemented by historic brands like Schlitz (discontinued 2026) and Stag (keg production discontinued 2026). The company expanded into collaborations including PBR x Grillo's Pickle Beer, Smithfield PBR Beer Brat, and Campbell's beer-infused soups. Previously, Pabst produced and distributed Brown-Forman's Jack Daniel's flavored malt beverages (Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails, Jack Daniel's Bolder, Jack Daniel's Hard Tea, and el Jimador Spiked Bebidas) under a 2021 partnership that concluded in July 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Campbell's x Pabst Beer-Infused Soups: Beer-infused soup collaboration between Campbell's and Pabst
• Smithfield Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer Brat
• PBR x Grillo's Pickle Beer
• Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails
• Jack Daniel's Bolder
• Jack Daniel's Hard Tea
• el Jimador Spiked Bebidas

Products and services

• Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) Flagship American lager of Pabst Brewing Company, sold through mass retail, grocery, convenience, and on-premise channels, known for its dive-bar / blue-collar Americana cultural identity.
• Stag Beer Classic American lager with St. Louis heritage owned by Pabst Brewing Company; keg production was discontinued in March 2026 although barrel production continues.
• Schlitz Beer Historic American lager brand, 'the beer that made Milwaukee famous,' acquired by Pabst in 1999 and discontinued in 2026 after 177 years.
• PBR x Grillo's Pickle Beer Limited-edition 4.7% ABV pickle-flavored beer collaboration between Pabst Blue Ribbon and Grillo's Pickles, transforming the classic 'pickle spear in a beer' dive-bar ritual into a standalone packaged product.
• Smithfield Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer Brat Limited-time premium pork bratwurst co-branded with Pabst Blue Ribbon, part of Smithfield's premium bratwurst lineup targeting summer grilling and tailgating.
• Campbell's x Pabst Beer-Infused Soups Beer-infused soup products co-developed through a collaboration between Campbell's and Pabst, part of the 'newstalgia' trend bringing consumer brands into new food formats.
• Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails Ready-to-drink flavored malt beverage previously produced and distributed by Pabst under an exclusive partnership with Brown-Forman (2021–July 2026); control has reverted to Brown-Forman.
• Jack Daniel's Bolder Higher-ABV ready-to-drink flavored malt beverage in the Jack Daniel's RTD portfolio, previously produced by Pabst under the Brown-Forman partnership (2021–July 2026).
• Jack Daniel's Hard Tea Ready-to-drink hard tea malt beverage in the Jack Daniel's RTD portfolio, previously produced by Pabst under the Brown-Forman partnership (2021–July 2026).
• el Jimador Spiked Bebidas Ready-to-drink spiked beverage in the el Jimador flavored malt beverage line, previously produced by Pabst under the Brown-Forman partnership (2021–July 2026).

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.

• Campbell'sminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 April 2026Campbell's and Pabst launched a beer-infused soup co-branded product collaboration as part of a broader food and beverage trend of co-branded mashups tapping into the 'newstalgia' trend, bringing beloved consumer brands into new product formats such as high-protein snacks, frozen foods, and limited-time offerings.
• Grillo's PicklesflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Pabst Blue Ribbon and Grillo's Pickles launched a limited-edition PBR x Grillo's Pickle Beer (4.7% ABV), transforming the classic dive bar 'spear in a beer' ritual into a standalone product. The collaboration was available at major national retailers including Walmart, Safeway, and Total Wine & More starting May 4, 2026, with limited supplies. The partnership was extended to NASCAR motorsport with a co-branded car unveiled at Talladega Superspeedway on April 21, 2026.
• NASCARminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Pabst and Grillo's Pickles extended their PBR x Grillo's Pickle Beer collaboration to NASCAR motorsport, unveiling a co-branded car at the Talladega Superspeedway on April 21, 2026, to promote the limited-edition product to motorsport fans.
• SmithfieldminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 April 2026Smithfield launched a limited-time Smithfield Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer Brat as part of a new premium pork bratwurst lineup, alongside Jalapeño & Cheddar and Chipotle & Cheddar varieties. The product was available nationwide at Publix and select Walmart and Kroger stores, targeting the summer grilling and tailgating season. The collaboration leveraged the nostalgic, all-American appeal of both Smithfield and Pabst Blue Ribbon brands.
• Brown-Forman CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026Brown-Forman and Pabst Brewing entered into a flavored malt beverage partnership in 2021, granting Pabst exclusive rights to produce and distribute Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails, Jack Daniel's Bolder, Jack Daniel's Hard Tea, and el Jimador Spiked Bebidas in the U.S. The partnership ended by mutual agreement effective July 7, 2026, with Brown-Forman taking full management of supply, sales, marketing, and distribution, allowing both companies to reallocate resources toward their respective strategic priorities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pabst-brewing-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pabst Brewing Company