An ongoing court battle could mean the end of National Bohemian beer.
Pabst Brewing Company says MillerCoors is trying to put them out of business. The two currently have a partnership where MillerCoors brews their beers, which includes Pabst Blue Ribbon, Old Milwaukee, Natty Boh, and Lone Star.
MillerCoors say they're not obligated to keep brewing and says Pabst doesn't want to pay enough to do so.
Pabst sent the following statement regarding the situation:
“Since 1844, Pabst has been offering authentic, great tasting and affordable beers to all Americans. From our flagship brand, Pabst Blue Ribbon, to our local legends, which include Rainier, Lone Star, Old Style, Stag, Stroh, Natty Boh, Olympia, and others – these iconic brands all have rich histories and deep roots in communities across the country. We are deeply disappointed that MillerCoors, the U.S. subsidiary of multinational brewing conglomerate Molson Coors, has willfully breached our 19-year agreement in an effort to stomp out the competition.
Even though MillerCoors’ market power is much larger than Pabst’s, we will not allow this industry bully to push us around. We are confident that the court will see MillerCoors’ fabricated “capacity” concerns for what they are: a thinly veiled, bad faith attempt to unlawfully hurt a competitor.”
The agreement has been in place since 1999 and expires in 2020.
The trial in Milwaukee County Circuit Court is expected to end Friday.
