Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) - Pabst Brewing Company

tigg924

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: 1/2 inch head, gold in color, clear, moderate carbonation

Smell: grass, straw, and adjuncts

Taste: corn, straw, and adjuncts

Mouthfeel: moderate carbonation, light bodied, nice mix of sweet and bitter

Overall: Above average clean American adjunct lager..Probably better than Coors and Miller, but I still prefer Schaeffer or Bud in this style. A nice end of the night beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2013 14:39:41 | More by tigg924

dazdave

Ohio

3.03/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.75

Had this beer as part of a special glass deal. I think maybe i'm spending a dollar for the whole package. Honestly, i'm not terribly familiar with pbr except that it is the preferred bev of hipsters in my area. I've had it maybe 2-3x in my life and i don't recall getting headaches from it, so that's a plus..
Again a nice glass special is on at this bar. It's decent looking glass. $4 for a pitcher i think i saw too. Seems like prices from eons ago.
The bartender filled my glass with a solid amount of beer in a glass that resembles a can of pbr. Cute. I couldn't smell a whole lot since its a pale lager. The first taste was very nutty. Kind of a roasted malt flavor since the beer is so thin. Not much more to the beer than that. Any interesting flavors seem to wash right away. I feel the tail end of the beer is where one is left with the remnants of an adjunct beer. This makes one want to immediately take another sip to get that lovely nutty flavor back to kill the corniness. I can see why people like this beer the same way people like to have spas with cold water blasted at them followed by hot water. It seems its the battle between the the nutty and the icky that the people love.
For me, if the finish was better it would be an absolutely lovely beer. Its very thin and just not something i want to regularly seek out. I won't avoid it unless i end up with a headache tonight of course. We'll see.

Serving type: on-tap

05-31-2013 04:18:42 | More by dazdave

SpencerT

Ohio

3.89/5  rDev +29.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer fits the style it was intended for. It is an easy drinking American Macro Lager beer. If I'm drinking this style this is one of the few I drink. Just because it's not $10 a 6er doesn't mean it's bad beer. I'm with the Bros on this one... Good Beer, not spectacular but I keep a 30 pack around.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2013 15:59:03 | More by SpencerT

atigerlife

Hawaii

2.98/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5

Was out for chicken wings with the family and decided to have a couple PBR's. Been a while...

Pours pale golden with a small white head that dissipates rather quickly. Pretty much what you would expect from this style.

Aroma is grainy, slightly sweet. Not a lot going on here.

Taste is of grain, light hops, light malts. Rather crisp. Again, pretty much how I remember and what I was expecting.

Mouthfeel is light bodied and cleansing.

Overall, definitely sessionable. Decent for what it is. Worked well enough with the chicken wings.

Serving type: on-tap

03-31-2013 03:29:20 | More by atigerlife

IXCII

California

3.98/5  rDev +32.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Pabst is my stand-by cheap beer. It's truly the water of beers. Light, crisp, and refreshing and doesn't carry any of the "piss" aroma of the competition.

It's better than Natty, it's better than Stella, it's better than Bud Light, it's even better than Bud Light Lime!

A tall can of PBR is the true champagne of beers!

Serving type: on-tap

02-23-2013 07:50:24 | More by IXCII

tectactoe

Michigan

3/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Had in bottles, cans, on tap, you name it. Pours a golden, deep-straw color with lots of clarity and a thin-ass white head that is gone before you can say "PBR". Aroma is full of bustling malts and grains, maybe a hint of corn, slightly metallic and copper-like, faint touch of very dry and crisp hops in the background. The taste pretty much follows right along with the nose, handfuls of malty goodness and thick rows of sweet grains swarm the palate; hops are hard to detect, but come in a little bit stronger during the latter half, tasting very dry, crisp, and leafy, no citrus or pine or anything like that. Bitterness is low, but then again so is the sweetness, so the beer remains balanced. Carbonation provides a super crisp and clean mouthfeel, enhancing some of the end-note malt flavors that roll around. Thin body, dry finish.

PBR is a pretty average beer, but it's certainly the American adjunct lager of choice, especially for the price. This stuff is dirt cheap, and plenty of bars around will carry it. Is it extremely flavorful and masterfully crafted? No, not really. But it's something nice and easy to drink when you just want something to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2012 12:34:26 | More by tectactoe

AgentMunky

California

3.2/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Served in a plastic "pint" glass at Slim's.

A: pale, pellucid, with light head. Some lacing!

S: skunky lager. I am sad and unimpressed.

T: this ain't half bad! Sweetish, with a malty-grainy character that doesn't cloy or overstay its welcome. Hops are faint but present. A generic beer that beats out some of the schlock with which I am compelled deal.

M: Bah, round malts. Sweet and forgettable.

O: The undisputed Titan of Cheap Beer. Will drink again. You know you will too.

Serving type: on-tap

11-15-2012 06:36:03 | More by AgentMunky

TheRealBigC

Nevada

3.05/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

For what it's worth, this is the best adjunct lager (perhaps sharing the title with Olympia). Everyone's had it, everyone knows what it's for. It's a great beer to bring to a big party and to order when money is tight. It's not a beer to drink for the enjoyment of beer, but for the enjoyment of the company that comes with it.

Serving type: on-tap

09-02-2012 17:18:50 | More by TheRealBigC

Darkmagus82

Montana

2.78/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served on tap in a pint glass

Appearance - Served a light golden/ straw color with a medium head. The head faded very rapidly to leave almost no lacing.

Smell - Very mild in the aroma department. There is a light corn and malt aroma as well as a somewhat papery aroma as well. Overall though very light.

Taste - The taste throughout has a malty and very light rice and corn like flavor. Just as was with the nose the flavors are rather light. Mixed with this flavor is a light earthy flavor that comes in toward the end of the taste. Nothing too offensive but nothing to special either.

Mouthfeel - The body of the beer is below average and the carbonation level is above average. Both make it super easy to down, and mixed with the lighter flavors, it is more like drinking seltzer.

Overall - A watery, easy drinking, tolerable beer. Appropriate for hot days outside while session drinking; such as while tailgating or the like. Nothing to drink when looking for something with a lot of flavor and feel though.

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2012 00:30:35 | More by Darkmagus82

thydarkprevails

Illinois

1.9/5  rDev -36.7%
look: 1 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

On tap in a pint at a dive bar, oh yeah. Pours a clear blonde with a small white head that quickly disappears. Aroma is corn and bread. Taste is exactly the same. Thin mouthfeel and sour aftertaste It sucks but still better than bud and miller crap..

Serving type: on-tap

06-03-2012 22:30:47 | More by thydarkprevails

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.05/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

(review from notes, sampled on draft 02/06/11)

pours a pale straw yellow with a towering white/off-white head that quickly recedes (unsurprising - wasn't expecting much in the way of retention); no lacing to speak of.

nose offers light notes of barley/corn/rice. no real hops presence. flavor falls right behind the aroma. you get that vague grainy/barley character. a touch of hops hiding in there somewhere. not particularly good, but better than most mainstream macros IMO.

light-bodied mouthfeel with above average carbonation - more or less in line with my expectations. crisp and refreshing. again, not a great beer by any means but one of the better AALs i've come across.

originally reviewed: 02-10-2011

Serving type: on-tap

05-25-2012 22:58:12 | More by BostonHops

brewskifan55

Mississippi

3.38/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Consumed at Sal & Mookie's, Jackson, MS before checking out Young Frankenstein, the Musical. Actually the beer was better than the show.

A: Clear, light yellow, with a white, one-finger head that slowly dissipated, leaving decent lacing.

S: Lots of corn, a hint of malts.

T: After all these years, PBR is still a smooth, clean drink. Highly sessionable. Corn, wheat, malts. A corny finish. Nice. No complaints.

M: Light. low to medium carbonation.

O: For the price, you just can't beat a PBR. Perfect with food or without. Nothing overwhelming, just smooth and delicious.

Serving type: on-tap

05-10-2012 13:45:32 | More by brewskifan55

Phade42

Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3

Look. We all know that PBR isn't a "GOOD" beer by any stretch of the imagination. But it's cheap, it does the job, and it's not offensively bad. It gets bonus points because it's more than likely the cheapest beer your bar offers, and if you're out for a long night of drinking, rather than actually relaxing and enjoying a few quality brews, is definitely a plus.

it tastes faintly of stale corn, it smells like the water after washing out a glass that previously held King Cobra, but it's very drinkable, especially when barely above freezing cold.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2012 02:12:52 | More by Phade42

avalon07

South Carolina

2.15/5  rDev -28.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

A: Had this on-tap, at Mellow Mushroom Avondale, poured into a pint glass. Had a pale yellow color and a clear consistency. There was a thin foamy head that quickly dissipated. No real lacing to speak of.

S: Not a whole lot of smell, but a slightly sweet quality was apparent.

T: Tasted of light malt, light hops, and some lemon (or some kind of citrus. Mainly, this is just a thin, watery, tasteless macro brew with no real character to it.

M: An average amount of carbonation with a surprisingly dry and lively finish. Light-bodied.

O: I tried this beer simply because I'd never had one before. It is simply undrinkable and inexplicably popular.

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2012 14:45:15 | More by avalon07

Damian

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev +23.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Drank on-tap at Bull McCabe's, Somerville, MA
Served in a tumbler

Crystal clear and golden yellow in appearance. A steady stream of bubbles ascended to the top of the liquid. The beer was topped by a thin yet remarkably resilient film of bubbly, bright white froth.

The nose was very mild. Slightly skunky initially. Dry, powdery, yeasty notes were detectible. A touch of lemony crispness came through as well.

The flavor profile was much fuller than the nose. Sweet, bubblegum-like notes appeared on the front end. A decent amount of lemony tartness was also noticeable. The finish was clean and refreshing and contained a touch of earthy, bittering hops.

The mouthfeel was respectable. Medium to full bodied for the style. A fine, zippy effervescence lent the beer a smooth, supple creaminess.

For an American adjunct lager, PBR is a pretty solid beer. With no glaring flaws and a fairly robust flavor profile for the style, this beer sure beats the crap out of Bud, Miller and Coors.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2012 05:27:12 | More by Damian

RaulMondesi

California

3/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at Lazy Dog in Orange, California.

Listen... Raul be sick of people givin Pabst a bad rap cuz it's a "hipster beer." Whatever. I started drinking it ten years ago in high skool (before hipsters were invented) and it's legit.

It defi is not tha best beer, but it does gives Bud, Coors, and Miller a spank in da ass. Don't expect da best. Just drank da damn thing n enjoy ur night. I always do.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2012 09:32:25 | More by RaulMondesi

Marti403

Michigan

2.23/5  rDev -25.7%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

I actually don't mind PBR. It quickly went from the beer of lower class white folks to the mainstream hipsters or fraternity folks. It's has a crisp look and mouthfeel that actually comes across as somewhat sweeter than normal american pilsners. I prefer on draft and very cold as when it warms, it becomes pretty harsh. take it for what it is and that's a tailgating/beer pong beer but "free beer" rules still apply.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2012 21:04:54 | More by Marti403

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.08/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served from tap into a 32 oz cold mug. Poured golden yellow with a one finger pure white head that subsided to half a finger slowly. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, wheat, grain, and nutty. The flavor was of sweet malt, wheat, grain, nutty, and very slight fruit. It had a light feel on the palate with high carbonation. Overall this was a decent brew. This has been my guilty pleasure for quite some time if I am honest. There just seems to be something about it that keeps me coming back. This was my first return to all-you-can-eat wings and 32 oz specials so I figured what better fitting brew to go with... I know this isn't a popular style, but there is something about this brew that puts it just a rung or two above all the rest from this style. However, this one still falls very short of just about any other style out there, but what can you do when you are in a style that is destined to fail among the craft beer community. Worth trying even if you aren't playing beer pong. It might just surprise you...

Serving type: on-tap

01-25-2012 18:25:13 | More by thagr81us

plaid75

New York

3.18/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On draft at Sweeney's, Garden City, New York.

Poured a clear light straw hue with a two finger foamy white head. There was goodretention and lacing.

The smell featured a lightly sweet adjunct grain with a mild floral hop.

The taste was rich for the style with a full adjunct graininess and balancing hop.

The mouthfeel was toward the fuller side of the style.

Overall tasty for a macro.

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2012 19:53:12 | More by plaid75

kylehay2004

Florida

2.63/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

No head or lacing with this one. Clear golden body. Neither interesting or exciting. Aroma is mild and mosty smells of fresh picked sweet corn. Some light malt. Flavor is more on the malt side and less on the sweet corn side. Light body and medium to high carbonation. Refreshing and very drinkable but not a good beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2012 02:31:02 | More by kylehay2004

rangerred

Tennessee

3.33/5  rDev +11%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had on draft.

Appearance was clear straw yellow with a thin fizzy head. Typical of most AAL's.

The smell was cooked grain along with some corn. There was the smallest hint of hops in the nose as well.

The taste was some corn along with a hint of alcohol. There was a tiny amount of hop flavor and bitterness detectable.

Overall, this is pretty typical of an AAL but it is slightly bitter than the usual BMC fare.

Serving type: on-tap

12-21-2011 00:41:31 | More by rangerred

Ralphs66

New York

3/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

There is a restaurant in Purdys NY called the Blazer Pub...some of the best burgers in the NY Tri-state area, and a regular stop for me. Well, recently they decided to go retro and are now offering, in cans, Schaefer, Ballantine, Rheingold and Schlitz....with PBR on tap. Whether you like these beers or not, the concept tickled my fancy and I decided to make my way through the list; revisiting some of the beers of my youth. None of them are great; in fact most of them are poor in comparison to the Captain Lawrence offerings that the Blazer also has on tap. But you know what? They were like an old friend, a blankie that I could hold at the bar and not feel self conscious about. Yes, I drank them all proudly and chances are, I will again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-20-2011 21:22:36 | More by Ralphs66

fff

Virginia

3.55/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- Like any other American lager, it's light yellow, thin head, little lacing.
S- Not nearly as bad as other selections, but nothing exceptional. There's no need to smell a PBR, I promise.
T- This, in combination with price, is what sets PBR above the rest of the pack. Not a great beer, but not a bad beer either. It's got body and substance, unlike other budget selections.
M- Like any other beer, maybe a bit fuller.
O- PBR is a good beer for a great price. I get it for $1.25 a pint at the local bars, cheapest thing on the menu and probably the best "go-to" beer available in my area. When drinking on a budget, you can't really beat a good old peeber.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2011 17:48:27 | More by fff

bravejoejoe

Montana

2.8/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Ah...finally got to reviewing PBR.
Pours a clear light straw/golden color with a massive white foamy head from a 24 oz can, with freshness date on the can.
Aroma is grainy, sort of wheat husk, with hints of bready yeast and malt.
Crisp, pale, grainy, malty lager. Easy to drink and kinda refreshing too. A very good lager, especially for the price that it is sold.

Serving type: on-tap

12-16-2011 03:08:40 | More by bravejoejoe

DannyDan

Michigan

3.35/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer as most everyone knows is a golden yellow like most macros and has a thin white head that quickly disappears leaving some lacing and little retention. I could hardly get any smell from this beer, so not much to be impressed with. The taste starts out with some corn and sweet malts and later get some hops that nicely balance the malts out. A very smooth, crisp and clean finish that makes this one of the very few AAL beers that is tasty and is also satisfying at the same time. A good beer to drink when low on money and in need of one.

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2011 06:32:13 | More by DannyDan