It was coffee! It was beer! It was… both?

Pabst Blue Ribbon’s recently-discontinued creation, PBR Hard Coffee, managed to do what few beverages ever achieve: it united both beer snobs and coffee snobs, raising their respective mugs in cautious curiosity and mild confusion.

This article examines the discontinued product and places it in the context of the broader beverage industry. Was this intended to be a bold new frontier for brewskis? Or was it just PBR trying too hard to keep its image as the cool kid at the beverage party?

Let’s look closer:

The Evolution of PBR: From Cold Brews to Cold Brew

Despite its more recent association with “hipster” culture, PBR’s history is actually far from unconventional. It’s a beer that’s long been associated with everything “blue-collar,” straightforward, affordable, and accessible.

The irony is that, at some point along the way, it somehow caught the eye of trendsetters—most likely due to its vintage, “uncool” vibe.

Did PBR seek that audience, or did it just stumble into it? Probably the latter, but that shouldn’t diminish the interesting image transformation PBR has undergone in the public’s eye over the past couple decades.

Here’s a beer that was long considered just an ordinary, budget-friendly option—and suddenly it’s donned with an aura of “retro chic.”

It was a juxtaposition that worked for reasons that might be hard to quantify.

With this background, PBR’s recently discontinued venture into hard coffee might be viewed in a slightly different light. That is, it could be seen as an attempt to continue to resonate with an audience that values the unconventional, even if that image was more accident than design.

But the question remains: Did hard coffee ever have a chance as an extension of the PBR brand—or did Pabst fly too close to the sun here?

Those who loved PBR for its unpretentiousness may have found this move off-putting, while others might have seen it as a natural combination of two “cool” beverages: PBR and coffee. 

What Does PBR Hard Coffee Taste Like?

The taste of PBR’s Hard Coffee resembled a sort of alcoholic latte more than anything else. Its consistency was reminiscent of an iced latte or Yoo-Hoo Chocolate milk, but the flavor leaned more toward coffee and less toward sweet milk. Poured into a glass, it had a stout-like milkiness.

But was it good or merely interesting? That depends on whom you ask. You can read our full review of PBR Hard Coffee here.

In short, the overall experience might have reminded you of a Starbucks canned Frappuccino, but with much less milk flavor.

In our review, we found that the initial taste of vanilla latte gave way to a strange metallic aftertaste—a little odd, but not enough to ruin the experience. The vanilla was only slightly sweet and didn’t overpower the flavor, allowing the coffee notes to lead the way.

So Why Was PBR Hard Coffee Discontinued?

It turns out most people weren’t looking for a spiked Starbucks canned frappuccino. Consumers aren’t searching for half-caff coffee with a little alcoholic “kick” to it—if they want a “coffee beer,” they want it to be a caffeinated roundhouse.

In other words, the 5% ABV (Alcohol by Volume) in PBR Hard Coffee probably wasn’t cutting it. Consumers seem to prefer canned White Russians and other coffee-esque cocktails that pack ABVs of 11% and up.

Still, Pabst Blue Ribbon’s foray into Hard Coffee showed a willingness to experiment and adapt to the changing beer/beverage landscape. However, with its recent discontinuation, it seems the jury has reached a verdict on this particular venture.

What’s clear is that PBR’s story, while lacking in “deliberate” rebelliousness, has a unique place in the beer world. Its accidental rise to fame among trendsetters and its recent venture into hard coffee show a beer brand in flux—trying to find its footing in a rapidly changing market.

Final Thoughts

And so, Pabst Blue Ribbon Hard Coffee is hitting the road, never to return. If you wanted to try this particular brand of buzz, you’d better stock up now. (But watch the expiration dates on the beer label!).

It may not have been everyone’s cup of tea (or coffee, or beer), but it certainly “stirred the pot” and left a mark on the taste buds of many who tried it. Whether or not PBR Hard Coffee will become a cult classic and experience a comeback some years from now (à la Surge) or end up as a forgotten experiment, PBR’s image remains that of a brand that’s willing to cater to new markets—even if those markets come by chance rather than design.