Pabst debuts light beer for moderation-minded consumers

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Dive Brief:

• Pabst Brewing debuted a light beer it hopes will fulfill consumer demand for lower-calorie brews with less alcohol. 
• Pabst Light contains 96 calories and 4.2% alcohol by volume per can.
• Kim Oakley, Pabst’s director, said in an interview the beer was created with a new formula compared to past light options the brand has introduced. The new Pabst Light provides a lighter alternative in the standard beer category with fewer calories, she said.

Dive Insight:

Pabst is typically associated with its classic Blue Ribbon, a staple of the lower-priced beer category at college parties and cookouts. Its latest offering signals a shift in this consumer group toward moderation.

Pabst chose to introduce a new formulation in the light beer category by using El Dorado hops, typically only found in craft beers, to offer a more robust taste profile, according to Oakley.

The company found through internal research that its consumers felt “boxed in” by stereotypes featured in the marketing of competing light beers.

“They’re basically saying, ‘Hey if you’re a suburban, goofy dad, then drink this beer. If you’re an athlete or runner, drink this beer,’” she said. “We don’t want to put the consumer in a box. We need a beer that somebody will be proud to be themselves while holding.”

The Pabst executive said the company believes its tradition and ethos revolves around being solely a beer brand. It has no desire to step into flavored beverages or RTD cocktails.

“The consumer is a little confused in terms of all these products now proliferating in what used to be just the beer aisle,” Oakley said. “Beer is still the most popular alcoholic beverage in the country, and we believe as a company that there are still ways to win within the beer category itself.”

Pabst is taking advantage of consumer trends at a pivotal moment for the beer category as people curb their alcohol intake and rein in spending. Major beer makers are leaning into their “mega brands” with high distribution and name identification to drive sales growth. Pabst also is leveraging a new supply chain agreement with Anheuser-Busch, announced earlier this year, to get its products to more retailers.

Other brewers have debuted lighter beer alternatives to keep up with category trends. Last fall, Molson Coors relaunched Miller High Life Light after previously discontinuing the offering in 2021.