As Business Week accurately reported, Pabst Blue Ribbon beer is "spontaneously hip (PBR Article in Business Week)."
I have witnessed this spontaneous hipness TWICE now in a very short period of time.
Let me backtrack though. A few years ago, I went to Rocket Bar in DC for the first time. The very first thing I noticed about Rocket Bar was that they had PBR on special. Being young and naive, I said to myself:
"Why the fuck is that beer on special? It's terrible."
Now up until this point I had never had a PBR in my life, but I just associated it with Milwaukee's Best (PBR is a Milwaukee Beer too) which is, in fact, terrible. So I was pleasantly surprised when I cracked open the $2.00 beer and found it to be surprisingly okay! One or two or seven PBRs later, I was having myself a great night. So that was my first PBR Experience: Went to bar. PBR on special. Got hammered. Had fun.
Fast forward to the present. On my trip to Charlottesville a few weekends back, and at a party last night, I brought PBR to share with friends. A six pack in Charlottesville and a 12 pack last night. In Charlottesville, when I showed up with the booze, someone said: "Oh sweet! PBR! Hook me up!" (Maybe it wasn't exactly that, but the dude was enthusiastic about the PBR, and wanted one.)
Then last night, no less than 10 people commented on the fact that PBR had just appeared at the party. AND, it was a hot commodity. No less than 20 minutes after I arrived, all the PBR was spoken for.
This amazes me. How can such a moderately above average beer be so cool?
I have no idea. We should get these guys on it. :
Mulder: "Scully don't you find it interesting that this moderately above average beer is taking the country by storm? It doesn't add up. It's so cheap, yet it doesn't completely suck. Pack your bags. We're going to Milwaukee."
Scully: "Mulder, there have been plenty of instances in history of brands making comebacks in a big way. I don't think that there are any unexplained phenomena behind this. You're chasing ghosts."
Mulder: "Why can't you accept that the re-emergence of this beer is the direct result of alien propoganda?"
Right, so anyway, why is PBR cool?
I have no idea. It's cheap, it's good, and... the can is really fucking cool. I think that's the kicker. The PBR can screams America, and it is classically modern. Wrap your heads around that oxymoron. Seriously though, it's gotta be the can. The can looks so awesome that you *think* that the beer inside is awesome as well. Anyway, that's my take on the mystery.
I encourage you all to show up at your next social event or important work meeting with a good amount of PBR. Then report back with the reactions!
Really, you should go get some PBR.
3 comments:
yea dude, everyone i talk to is down with PBR. I forget what beer we compared it to(maybe corona) but we did a blind taste test (bottles) and couldn't point it out. I've been sold since then, I had a natty boh phase after moving up to Baltimore but it started just giving me a strait headache. Natty light is watery and flavorless, but PBR taste like beer should and its strait cheap. I like the can design too, USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've been down with the PBR for it's coolness for a while. To the point where now I'm onto Schlitz, in a can, by choice. It's not like it's really cheaper than the other beers, either. Just another sign of class and knowing what's up. Way to be onto the whole American Revival, sir.
Matt- In a blind taste test, I feel confident that I would pick PBR EVERY time.
Ryan- I unfortunately can't consume Schlitz since it brings back bad memories of dirty fraternity basement parties and violent hangovers!
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