PBR Has Launched a Boozy Tea

Two decades ago, when Pabst Blue Ribbon saw a return to popularity, part of the brand's appeal was its history. The inexpensive canned lager was founded in 1844, with little concern for modern trends. But more recently, PBR has been jumping on just about every trend that pops up. In the past two years, we've seen PBR whiskey, non-alcoholic PBR, PBR hard coffee, PBR hard seltzer, and even a fancy craft Pabst line called "Captain Pabst." So what's next up Pabst sleeve? A PBR hard tea, of course.

Though not quite as popular as hard seltzer, interest in hard teas has grown as brands search for the next big thing to follow in boozy water's wake. Beer brands are getting into the tea game, like the Anheuser-Busch-owned Blue Point Brewing, which announced a new line of hard teas last week. Tea companies are trying their hand at boozy products, too; AriZona launched hard teas in Canada earlier this year. Even The Boston Beer Company, makers of the best known hard tea brand, Twisted Tea, launched a more on-trend new tea brand last year: Wild Leaf Hard Tea. So why shouldn't Pabst give it a try?

Pabst Blue Ribbon Hard Tea is billed as "deliciously effervescent with a natural peach flavor"—a so-called "uniquely Pabstidian evolution of the seltzer market." The 4 percent ABV drink—sold in 100-calorie, 12-ounce cans with just 3 gram of sugar—is also described as being "brewed using real tea leaves." At the very least, PBR Hard Tea certainly makes for a less intoxicating option than PBR Hard Seltzer, which clocks in a walloping 8 percent ABV.

Pabst says its hard tea has launched in 26 states—Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming—and can be purchased online through the drinks site Drizly.