Here comes Pabst with another stab at the craft beer market: Pabst American Pale Ale. Unlike past craft beers from Pabst that were resurrections of time honored brands (Ballantine IPA, Ballantine Burton Ale, and Old Tankard Ale), Pabst American Pale Ale is a modern creation seemingly targeted at Pabst drinkers as well as craft beer enthusiasts.

Pabst does not seem to be doing much to advertise this new beer (there is nothing on their website about it). The beer is clearly labeled as an American Pale Ale, a substyle of pale ale that is fuller in malt and most of all hoppier than classic English pale ale. The style sits in-between Pale Ale and India Pale Ale.

Pabst American Pale Ale has an alcohol content of 5% by volume with 30 IBUs. I know this (and not much else) because I called them. Thir number is right on the can-800-947-2278. A young female (she didn’t even sound 21, but what do I know about what 21-year olds sound like) answered and told me the alcohol content. She didn’t know the hops used, or the malts, or anything. There is no website for the beer right now, and no press kits are available. Sheesh.

I can at least tell you Pabst American Pale Ale runs $8.54 a six-pack at Target (that’s what I paid). That is a bargain for a six-pack, let alone a six-pack of 16-ounce cans.

Pabst American Pale Ale pours to a bright orange amber color with a thick head of foam and a soft herbal hop aroma. Tasking a sip, the beer has a light caramel maltiness appropriate to a pale ale, if not an American Pale Ale. Grassy herbal, earthy hops poke through, and also a bit of citrusy grapefruit. It finishes pleasingly bitter and refreshes nicely.

I’d like a little more malt as the beer is on the light side, and certainly more hops for an APA. Still, at the price, this is a great little beer to start off the night, and a good one to offer your not so crafty friends. It’s a fine transition for macro beer drinkers to introduce them to more flavor without scaring them away in the process.

Would I drink it again? Certainly. I’ll confess that it’s not going to replace Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Sweetwater 420 in my beer fridge, but I can see it serving as an occasional guest beer beside them. Give it a try and keep an open mind.

 And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled, canned

(D)=Draft



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