This could just be the marketing coup of the century:
According to Gawker, Pabst Blue Ribbon has reinvented itself as Blue Ribbon 1844, a high-end beer that is being sold in China for as much as $44 a bottle.
Why 1844? It's the year the original brewery was founded. Is it a new recipe? Or is Pabst Blue Ribbon just re-bottling it's same old crappy self, in the hopes the Chinese are suckers for a decent advertising campaign? The latter, I hope.
I'll bet it's the same rotgut swill that blue collar factory workers in Pittsburgh (and, for some reason, mustachioed hipsters) toss back by the case on a Friday night.
Perhaps "rotgut swill" is a little mean-spirited (liquor pun!). But it sure ain't Clipper City, I'll tell ya that. Or even Natty Boh, for that matter.
Pabst Blue Ribbon has inspired many great pop culture moments, like this one (NSFW). I really hope it's a hit in China. I mean, who wouldn't pay $44 for it? It's got "Blue Ribbon" in the name. It has to be good, right? Right?
(Image courtesy of this site)