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I taste the winds of change

Yesterday I was thinking about PBR. It has long been my cheap beer of choice…the one that I’d get for soccer outings and bbq’s, or for when I was planning a long evening of drinking beer. You may notice one of my soccer teams is PBR FC. PBR brought us together, to a level that soccer alone wasn’t able. But I was thinking, and sensing, and thirsty. My sense told me change. In the last few years, PBR has grown hugely popular at dive bars, and is available at many nicer establishments here in Portland. Change. Too popular? Perhaps a lashback at the bike messenger culture which has co-opted the PBR can as their idol, its logo as their fashion. But after years of adhering to Pabst, I’m sensing the change. Olympia is the up-and-comer. With the nifty bottles and refreshing taste, we don’t mind missing that extra fl. oz. Drink up. Just remember, you heard it here first. Oh, and here’s an interesting article in the NYT that sorta talks about PBR’s
odd popularity. It was pretty ironic for Jim to send me the link as I was thinking about this post. cheers.

Posted in The Nectar.

6 comments

By rick – 23 Jun 03

  • http://illusionaire.mid-centurycollectibles.com Jenn

    I’m amused by the places (such as Delta Cafe) who serve the 40′s of PBR in buckets of ice a la champagne. Unfortunately, I’ve developed a bad case of beer snobbery since I moved to the NW and can’t drink any of the newly chic “working man beers” like Olympia or PBR unless I’m already a few pints in. My wallet suffers for it.

  • http://ojingo.beerdrinker.org Sean

    Oly is quazi local now. It’s become a Miller Brewing Co. product, so it’s local in name, but not fiscally. I also recently heard that the Tumwater, Washington plant (the one you see on I-5 when driving north from Portland) is closing down. Sorry about how negative this comment is. It reads like I’m the beer angel of death.

  • http://www.beerdrinker.org rick

    but instead of a scythe you wield a 7′ bottle opener. yeah, that’s true. but there’s not much local about Pabst either. my post is related more to an observation that there’s going to be a shift away from PBR as PDX’s cheap beer of choice, and I believe that shift will be towards Oly. The people are going to shift away from Pabst’s patrioic colors and cold metallic splendor to Oly’s quaint northwest feel in the unimposing 11-oz bottles, and its cool refreshing taste.

  • http://ojingo.beerdrinker.org Sean

    Shocked and awed by your deft reasoning. Now that we are beyond the local schmocal issue, there is one more advantage: Olympia Sobriety Test Bottle Caps. When you can’t figure out the puzzle on the bottle cap, it’s time to ask yourself, “Am I really charming right now, or just past point of realizing that I’m being obnoxious?”

  • http://www.beerdrinker.org rick

    and if charming, crack open another. There’s no room for that pretty-boy crap on Guys Night Out.

  • http://ojingo.beerdrinker.org Sean

    If you run your post through Snoop Dogg’s Snizzolater your post reads:

    Yesterday I wuz thinking ’bout PBR, know what I’m sayin’? It has long been my cheap 0′s of choice…da one that I’d get fo’ soccer outings ‘n bbq’s, or fo’ when I wuz planning a long evening of drinking 0′s. Yo’ ass may notice one of my soccer teams is PBR FC, know what I’m sayin’? PBR brought us together, a level that soccer alone wasn’t afiable, know what I’m sayin’? But I wuz thinking, ‘n sensing, ‘n thirsty n’ shit. My sense told me change.” In da last few years, PBR has grown hugely popular at dive bars, ‘n is available at many nicer establishments here in Portland n’ shit. Change.” Too popular? Perhaps a lashback at da bike messenger culture which has co-opted da PBR can as they idol, its logo as they fashion.” But after years of adhering Pabst, I’m sensing da change.” Olympia is da up-’n-comer, know what I’m sayin’? With da nifty bottles ‘n refreshing taste, we don’t mind missing that extra fl, know what I’m sayin’? oz, know what I’m sayin’? Drink up.” Just remember, yo’ ass heard that shiznit here first, know what I’m sayin’? Oh, ‘n here’s an interesting article in da NYT that sorta talks ’bout PBR’s
    odd popularity n’ shit. It wuz pretty ironic fo’ Jim send me da link as I wuz thinking ’bout this post n’ shit. cheers, know what I’m sayin’?

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