As you've probably noticed from all the White Claw memes cluttering your Instagram feed, hard seltzer is all the rage right now. And now Pabst Blue Ribbon is trying to get in on the action. Today the brewer announced a new product called Pabst Blue Ribbon Stronger Seltzer, which it will debut today in a handful of test markets.
The product's angle is in its name: While most alcoholic seltzers are fairly light, about 4.5% to 5.5% ABV, Pabst Blue Ribbon Stronger Seltzer promises an eye-popping (and potentially mouth-numbing) 8%. It'll be available in only one flavor, at least for now: lime, sweetened with Stevia and containing about one gram of sugar. Each can is 228 calories.
On the surface it would seem like Pabst might have missed the mark with this one. After all, the appeal of alcoholic seltzers is that they're fairly low calorie and they come in a variety of flavors, and Pabst Blue Ribbon Stronger Seltzer doesn't meet either of those standards. But the brewery has been right before. Earlier this year it launched a hard coffee to surprisingly rave reviews. Maybe there's an untapped market for a seltzer that gets you drunker faster, too.
Stronger Seltzer will be available in Arizona, California, Texas and Montana. It's expected to be available in more markets starting this fall.