PBR and Blue Moon Release 2 Unexpected New Beers

For larger, national breweries, there is some risk when it comes to innovation.

When customers become familiar with established beer styles, there’s not a lot of tolerance for change. Those with a go-to beer brand to purchase for parties or an afternoon on the beach are often reluctant to grab something else off the shelf if it doesn’t look familiar.

One way that breweries aim to skirt this consumer skepticism is to innovate on established beers by extending an existing product line. This allows a company to put a familiar label front and center while still introducing variation. 

Earlier this month Pabst Brewing Company announced the launch of Pabst Light, its new 4.2% ABV beer. The brand has worked to showcase that the expanded offering isn’t just a watered-down version of its iconic Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) lager but rather a “new, special recipe.” 

To emphasize this, Pabst has incorporated  El Dorado hops into the new brew. The variety, grown and developed by CLS Farms in Yakima, Washington is widely used by craft brewers in India Pale Ales for the notes of mango and pineapple that it can add to a finished product.

El Dorado became an indie darling among beer connoisseurs when it was first released to the public in 2010, and it introduces elements of ripe green pear aromas and a vinous character to Pabst Light. It also showcases how the macrobrewery is utilizing familiar branding to steer consumers toward less familiar flavors.

The results of the hops pivot in PBR are fruity attributes that lift this light beer above some others in the category. It’s slightly watery but also refreshing, aimed to appeal to drinkers reaching for something to sip on a hot summer afternoon. 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Blue Moon Brewing Company (operated by Molson Coors), has just released Blue Moon Extra, an 8% ABV version of its popular Blue Moon Belgian White. The crossover, while still sold under the familiar Blue Moon branding, is targeted toward those who wouldn’t typically opt for such an intense beer.

Brewers have managed to incorporate notable aromas of orange peel on the nose and an extra touch of coriander on the finish, which helps to mask and soften the added booze.

Like it's lighter competitor, Blue Moon Extra is also geared towards a growing consumer demand, but in this case it's for those who want higher alcohol beers served in 19.2-ounce cans. Molson Coors has positioned it to become available at convenience stores nationwide, a retail space where other large-format craft offerings have flourished in recent years. 

Ultimately, it’s up to consumers to determine if either of these new releases is familiar enough to hook beer drinkers who have been slow to embrace change in their go-to purchases. But each shows that larger breweries are looking to tap into the marketplace trends that craft producers have already leveraged for success, and they’re willing to get creative with their established formulas to do it.