Pabst Brewing Company
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1844
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
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.
Pabst Brewing Company firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Pabst Brewing Company industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Pabst Brewing Company is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pabst Brewing Company business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
Pabst Brewing Company product offering
Product offeringCore 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).
Companies that use Pabst Brewing Company
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Pabst Brewing Company technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Pabst Brewing Company partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.
- Campbell'sminorCampbell'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 PicklesflagshipPabst 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.
- NASCARminorPabst 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.
- SmithfieldminorSmithfield 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 CorporationcoreBrown-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
Pabst Brewing Company competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Pabst Brewing Company social profiles
Digital presencePabst Brewing Company financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pabst Brewing Company leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Pabst Brewing Company funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pabst Brewing Company M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pabst Brewing Company
What does Pabst Brewing Company do?
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.
Is Pabst Brewing Company a public or private company?
Pabst Brewing Company is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Pabst Brewing Company founded?
Pabst Brewing Company was founded in 1844. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Pabst Brewing Company based?
Pabst Brewing Company is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pabst Brewing Company make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Beer Brand Portfolio is the primary driver. The others are flavored Malt Beverages (Former RTD Partnership) and co-Branded Product Collaborations.
Does Pabst Brewing Company have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pabst Brewing Company.
What industry is Pabst Brewing Company in?
Pabst Brewing Company's product category is Brewed Beer (American Lager). Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAA, Beer Brewing & Brands, with a secondary code of CRADAIAL, Alcoholic Beverage Brand Owners & Holding Companies (Multi-category Portfolios). Its NAICS code is 31212 and its SIC code is 2082.