Pabst Blue Ribbon, commonly known as PBR, is an American lager beer known for its low price, light flavor, and blue ribbons on the label. PBR has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, particularly among younger drinkers. But is PBR actually a healthy beer choice? Or is it just cheap swill in a fancy bottle? Let’s take a closer look at PBR’s ingredients, nutrition facts, and health impacts to find out.
What is PBR?
PBR refers to Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, an American lager brewed by Pabst Brewing Company. The iconic blue ribbons found on PBR labels and logos hearken back to the beer’s origins. PBR won blue ribbons for best beer at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 and at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis in 1904. PBR has been around since 1844 and is one of the oldest beer brands in America.
For much of the 20th century, PBR was the best-selling beer in America. However, sales declined sharply in the 1970s and 1980s as bigger brewers like Anheuser-Busch took over more market share. PBR’s popularity bottomed out by the 2000s when production almost ceased entirely. But the brand made a surprising comeback starting in the early 2000s, particularly among hipsters and millennials drawn to its low price point, retro branding, and light, easy-drinking flavor profile.
Today, PBR remains a classic American lager style beer brewed with a simple recipe of water, barley malt, rice, hops, and yeast. It contains 4.8% alcohol by volume (ABV) and has a light, slightly sweet flavor with mild hoppy bitterness. Let’s examine PBR’s nutrition facts and ingredients to better understand what exactly is in this beer.
PBR Nutrition Facts
Here are the basic nutrition facts for PBR:
| Serving Size | 12 fl oz (355 ml) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 130 |
| Carbs | 10 g |
| Protein | 1.3 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
Like most light beers, PBR is low in calories, fat, protein, and carbs. A 12 ounce serving contains just 130 calories and 10 grams of carbohydrates. It also provides minimal amounts of nutrients like protein, fiber, vitamins, or minerals.
Alcoholic beers tend to be empty sources of calories and carbs with little nutritional value. PBR is no exception. While it won’t weigh you down with fat and protein like darker beers, its calories still come predominantly from the alcohol and carbohydrates.
PBR Ingredients
PBR contains a straightforward mix of the most basic beer ingredients:
– Water – Making up 90-95% of any beer, water provides the base liquid medium and impacts flavor profile. PBR likely uses filtered water to remove impurities.
– Barley malt – Malted, germinated barley converts starches to fermentable sugars. Provides body, flavor, color, and enzymes for brewing.
– Rice – Rice adds light grain flavors and fermentable sugars. Also used by PBR as a cost-cutting adjunct.
– Hops – Hops provide bitterness to balance the sweet malt flavors. Specific varieties used in PBR are unknown but likely low alpha acid hops.
– Yeast – Yeast is used to ferment sugars into alcohol and CO2. PBR may use a lager yeast strain like Saccharomyces pastorianus.
Notably missing from the ingredient list are common beer additives and preservatives like corn syrup, food dyes, stabilizers, and artificial flavors. While not a complex craft beer by any means, PBR does appear to stick to the basics.
PBR Health Effects
What are the health implications of drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon beer? Here are some key considerations:
– **Calories** – At 130 calories per 12oz serving, PBR fits into the light beer category. Still, the calories add up quickly if you drink more than 2-3 beers. Consuming too many empty beer calories can contribute to weight gain.
– **Carbs** – With 10g carbs per serving, PBR isn’t terribly high in carbohydrates. But again, a few beers could quickly provide a large portion of your daily carb intake.
– **B vitamins** – Beer contains some B vitamins like B6, folic acid, niacin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid. However, beer is not a significant source of nutrients compared to whole foods.
– **Dehydration** – Alcohol acts as a diuretic, causing you to excrete more urine. This can lead to dehydration if you don’t drink enough water between beers.
– **Liver effects** – Regular, heavy alcohol consumption is linked to fatty liver disease and cirrhosis. These risks apply to all alcoholic beverages.
– **Addiction** – Alcohol activates the brain’s reward pathways and can be addictive. Binge drinking and alcoholism pose many health and social risks.
– **Drunk driving** – Drinking impairs coordination, judgment, and motor functions. Driving while intoxicated greatly increases the risk of car accidents and fatalities.
So while an occasional PBR likely won’t hurt, drinking beer daily or heavily can take a toll on your health over time. Moderation is key.
How Does PBR Compare to Other Beers?
PBR is far from the only cheap, light lager on the market. How does it stack up to competitors like Coors, Budweiser, Miller, and Keystone? Here’s a nutritional comparison:
| Beer Brand | Calories | Carbs | ABV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pabst Blue Ribbon | 130 | 10g | 4.8% |
| Coors Banquet | 140 | 11g | 5.0% |
| Budweiser | 140 | 10g | 5.0% |
| Miller High Life | 140 | 12g | 4.6% |
| Keystone Light | 104 | 8g | 4.1% |
As you can see, most mainstream domestic lagers have a similar light, watery profile, with around 140 calories and 10-12g carbs per 12oz serving. Alcohol content hovers between 4-5% ABV.
PBR fits right in with its macros and stats. While not the absolute lowest in calories or carbs, it’s certainly no worse than other popular cheap beers. The only noticeable difference is that Keystone Light is even lighter, with fewer calories and carbs.
So nutritionally speaking, PBR is essentially on par with other typical American-style pilsners and lagers. There are no major red flags or huge differences between these beers.
How Does PBR Compare to Craft Beer?
On the other end of the spectrum from budget lagers are craft beers – ales and lagers made by small independent breweries. How does mass-produced PBR stack up against higher end craft brews?
In general, craft beers tend to be higher in both calories and alcohol content:
– IPAs average around 200 calories and 7% ABV
– Stouts range from 175-250 calories and 5-9% ABV
– Belgian ales contain 150-180 calories and 5-7% ABV
– Craft pilsners and lagers have 140-160 calories and 5-6% ABV
Compared to PBR’s 130 calories and 4.8% ABV, most craft beers are significantly fuller-bodied and higher in alcohol. They use more malt, which increases the calorie count. And additional fermentation results in higher ABV.
The increased carbs, calories, and alcohol content make most craft beers a less healthy choice than light macro lagers like PBR. However, craft beers tend to have more complex flavor profiles and often provide more vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and polyphenols than their mainstream counterparts.
So while PBR may be lighter and lower in calories, craft beers can potentially offer more nutritional benefits, assuming you consume them in moderation. Extremely heavy, high-gravity beers should be avoided or limited.
Is PBR Considered a Healthy Beer?
Given its simple macros and stats compared to other domestic lagers and craft beers, can PBR truly be considered a healthy beer?
Here are a few key takeaways:
– With 130 calories and 10g carbs per 12oz serving, PBR is one of the more light, drinkable beer options.
– It’s lower in calories and alcohol than most craft beers and high gravity styles.
– PBR has no major red flags in its ingredients list – just the standard beer basics.
– It provides almost no nutritional value beyond empty calories and carbs.
– Drinking any beer in excess can lead to health issues over time. Moderation is key.
The answer depends largely on your definition of “healthy.” While not loaded with sugars or artificial additives, PBR remains a nutritionally void source of alcohol and calories. No beer is truly healthy, only healthier relative to other offerings.
As far as beers go, PBR could be considered a healthier choice due to its light body and average ABV. But it’s still best consumed sensibly as part of an overall balanced diet, rather than in large quantities as your main beverage of choice.
Tips for Drinking PBR as Part of a Healthy Lifestyle
Here are some tips for enjoying PBR or any type of beer as responsibly as possible:
– Treat beer as an occasional indulgence, not a daily habit. Don’t drink every day.
– Limit yourself to 1-2 beers max per day for men, 1 per day for women.
– Alternate alcoholic drinks with water to stay hydrated.
– Don’t drink on an empty stomach to reduce absorption.
– Avoid beer completely if you have liver problems or alcoholism.
– Find satisfying nonalcoholic alternatives like tea, flavored seltzer or nonalcoholic beers.
– Don’t drink and drive! Plan safe rides home.
– Evaluate your relationship with alcohol if drinking ever becomes problematic.
– Speak with your doctor about healthy alcohol limits based on your health status.
While an occasional PBR likely won’t undermine your health goals, it’s smart to take precautions and enjoy beer moderately as part of a primarily healthy, balanced diet.
The Bottom Line on PBR and Your Health
Pabst Blue Ribbon is a classic American light lager, delivering easy drinking refreshment with its mild flavor, low calories, and average 4.8% ABV. While no beer is truly healthy, PBR is a relatively smart choice if you want to imbibe while watching your weight and alcohol intake.
Compared to heavier craft beers and high gravity brews, PBR reigns supreme for drinkability. Just stick to 1-2 bottles max per day, alternate with water, and avoid drinking on an empty stomach or when driving. If you drink responsibly and in moderation, PBR can be part of an overall healthy lifestyle. But it should never be your main source of hydration or nutrition.
