PBR Expands Its Cannabis-Infused Lineup With More Products and More THC

Steeped in Americana and long beloved by hipsters, Pabst Blue Ribbon seems omnipresent these days, from its flagship beer to boozy hard teas, Hard Coffee to light-dose weed seltzer. The latter product, which quickly sold out its initial runs, may usher in the next era of PBR ubiquity. Spurred by strong buyer response since the fall launch, the line is expanding with three new flavors and adding a doubly potent version of the non-alcoholic drink that contains 10 milligrams of THC. The PBR brand, with 176 years worth of history and countless reinventions, lends itself to weed, said Mark Faicol, brand manager at Pabst Labs, a Los Angeles-based startup that licenses the Pabst name and logo for cannabis products. “There’s a lot of crossover and shared sensibilities between PBR fans and cannabis fans,” Faicol told Adweek. “We think people will be more open to try something new from a brand they already trust, and we can impact people’s perception of cannabis and help to normalize it.” The beverages serve as the entry point for Pabst Labs into the fast-growing cannabis industry, where the independently-operated company has also revived PBR-owned St. Ides, a malt liquor made famous by rappers like Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and Tupac in the 1990s. For its 2021 rebirth, Pabst Labs has transformed the fortified wine label into a premium cannabis line selling blunts, pre-rolls and alcohol-free infused beverages, with social activism baked into its products and positioning. PBR goes ganja Often described as a salt-of-the-earth brand targeted at everyday folks—and later co-opted by urban millennials—PBR was the first national alcohol brand in the U.S. to lend its storied name to a cannabis beverage. (Heineken and others are dipping their toes into the space via collaborations with cannabis players, without using their well-known beer IDs.) The move from Pabst Labs comes at a time when “consumables” like gummies, chocolates, teas and sodas are among the hottest sellers across legal markets. PBR’s 5 milligram THC-infused lemon-flavored seltzer, which also has 5 milligrams of CBD, first dropped in October and soon spread into 150 retailers, Faicol said. As a follow-up, Pabst Labs considered another microdose product (less than 5 milligrams) for newbies and cannacurious buyers, a coveted female-centric demo. But feedback from consumers and dispensary workers led to the stronger beverage. The 10-milligram drink targets “the experienced consumer,” Faicol said, “someone who knows their tolerance level.” Marketing for the THC-laced drinks, available in California only via dispensaries and direct-to-consumer, will likely include event sponsorships as communities open up post-pandemic. The focus now is on in-store promos and bud tender education, social and digital media, and other grassroots efforts, he said. Rebooting a classic To further shore up its weed bona fides, Pabst Labs reimagined the old-school St. Ides brand--and its famous crooked “I” design—as a cannabis line. Blunts, pre-rolls and drinks have been appearing at California retailers for nearly a year, but there’s been no formal news of the makeover until now. Taking a cue from the original 40-ounce drink, which emerged in the ‘90s as a favorite of the hip hop community, this weed packs a punch. Messaging around it leans into its high-potency—THC levels range from 20% for “original blunts” to north of 40% for the “40 diamond infused joint”—and intends to catch the current wave of demand for the dankest herb. (There’s also a strawberry lemonade infused shot that contains 100 milligrams of THC.) In formally unveiling the new St. Ides, Pabst Labs also announced a partnership with clemency activist, former Death Row Records producer and cannapreneur Weldon Angelos. Proceeds from a co-branded blunt and ‘90s-inspired streetwear (tagline: “Cannabis is not a crime”) will go to Angelos’ nonprofit group, Project Mission Green, which advocates for people jailed on non-violent cannabis offenses. “This is a good way to keep engaging people, especially the hip hop community, about social justice and social equity,” Angelos told Adweek, noting that Pabst Labs has made a significant commitment. “This isn’t a limited release, this is a continuing effort with funding and awareness building.” The collaboration gives Pabst Labs “a way to push the category forward in the right way,” Faicol said. “A lot of people are still serving time for something that’s now legal, and we think that should be part of every conversation about cannabis.”