Beer of the Weekend #1,085: Pabst Blue Ribbon Extra

The Foxy Lady and I were in Duluth this week for a few relaxing days without kids. While perusing the shelves and fridges at a local liquor store, I saw something I had never seen before: Pabst Blue Ribbon Extra, brewed by the Pabst Brewing Company of (according to the can) Milwaukee, Wisconsin.



Serving type: 16-ounce can. “NOV0424” is among the numbers and letters printed on the bottom of the can. I assume that is the half-life date.

Appearance: Poured into my PBR/Dirty John’s pilsner glass. The color is light/medium gold. A finger of dense, buttery, bubble-spotted head dissipates slowly and evenly.

Smell: Muted but mostly a typical macro. Light malt, light zest, white bread, sweet. It reminds me of malt liquor; it takes me back to drinking 40s of Mickey’s.

Taste: It tastes like PBR but with a boozy edge. Light malt reminiscent of white bread, PBR’s bite, light zest, and an alcohol sting that reminds me of gin or vodka. It’s pretty dry and boozy; it throws my mind for a loop because I expect PBR but get its feisty punk brother.

Fun facts about PBR Extra:

• Style: American lager.

• Price: $6.79 for a sixer of 16-ounce cans (!) at the Shanty Bottle Shop 2.0 in Duluth, Minnesota.

• Alcohol content: 6.5 percent ABV.

• The Pabst website says Extra is “[f]or epic nights and big moments.”

The Quiet Man’s grade: C.