MILWAUKEE -- The Pabst Brewing Co. made a triumphant return to Milwaukee this month, opening Pabst Milwaukee Brewery, the company’s first craft brewery.
A keg tapping and "blue ribbon-cutting" ceremony signaled the brewery’s public opening April 14 with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, Pabst Chairman Eugene Kashper and Pabst CEO Simon Thorpe in attendance.
Pabst will also host a grand-opening celebration and street festival on May 13 with outdoor performances, as well as games, art activities, food and Pabst Milwaukee Brewery beer.
The Pabst Milwaukee Brewery will serve as a gathering place for Milwaukee residents and a destination for Pabst fans across the country, according to the company. The brewery is located in a historic 144-year-old building in the heart of the original Pabst Brewing complex in the former First German Methodist Church at 1037 W. Juneau Ave. It was purchased by Frederick Pabst in 1896 and used by the Pabst Brewing Co. through the 1970s as a Ratskeller, or tavern, for Pabst employees.
The building now features a craft brewery, outdoor beer garden, a mezzanine area and a gastropub-style restaurant serving locally sourced and sustainably produced foods. In addition, the original raised altar area has been converted into a stage to allow for music performances, movie screenings and various other forms of entertainment.
Pabst will brew exclusive small batch beers on-site, including some Pabst classics from the archives, as well as new brews designed by Pabst Master Brewer Greg Deuhs and the Milwaukee Brewery’s head brewer John Kimes. The 10 initial types of Pabst Milwaukee Brewery draft beers will also be available for off-premise consumption in 32-ounce crowlers.
The brewery will serve as Pabst’s hub for innovation and new product ideas, and will help develop the next generation of great beers in the Pabst family.
“We have invested in an amazing brewing system where we can use conventional brewing methods but we also have the flexibility to perform varied techniques in each brew cycle, allowing us to create both classical beer styles as well as a new generation of forward-looking craft beers,” said Deuhs. “Our goal with our brews is to honor the Pabst legacy while remaining at the forefront of brewing innovation and technology."
"This is a big deal for us,” said CEO Thorpe. “It is an honor to continue the incredible legacy that Frederick Pabst began over 170 years ago, and we are excited to be writing the next chapter right here alongside the people of Milwaukee."
Pabst Brewing Co.’s portfolio includes flagship Pabst Blue Ribbon, as well as Lone Star, Rainier, Ballantine IPA, Schlitz, Old Style, National Bohemian, Stag, Stroh’s and Old Milwaukee. Pabst launched its first craft beer in March 2016, releasing Old Tankard Ale inspired by recipes from the Pabst archives. It announced its plans for the Pabst Milwaukee Brewery in June 2015.
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