Pabst Old Tankard Ale Review

Name: Pabst Old Tankard Ale
Style: ESB
ABV: 5.8%
IBUs: 35

For as long as I can remember, the name Pabst has always conjured up images of mustached hipsters and its red, white & blue colored can with a logo that hasn't changed design since the Nixon Administration. It goes without saying that it is one of the most recognizable beers brands in the country, if not, the world.

So imagine my shock when, earlier this year, a new beer was released under the Pabst name called Old Tankard, complete with what is probably the least Pabst-like can design I have ever seen, which is no doubt an effort to draw in craft beer drinkers. Also unlike PBR, this is an ESB. However, I am willing to give this beer a chance seeing as how it's available seemingly everywhere I go

Appearance - Mildly hazy dark orange color with a light amount of visible carbonation. The head is quite foamy with good retention and the lacing left behind is rather abundant.

Aroma - Toasted and toffee malts with some mild floral & bitter hops and just a hint of chocolate.

Taste - Toasted & toffee malts upfront, with some floral & bitter hops in the middle with the latter lingering on until the end. There's also some toffee malts which make a reappearance at the end and, along with the bitter hops, stay in the aftertaste for a couple of moments.

I'll admit that I was cynical when I first got this since I didn't exactly have high hopes for this. That said, I found myself enjoying this quite a bit and wrapping my head around the fact that this comes from the same people who make PBR, all at the same time. Since the pricing is also fairly low (I paid for a single can but 4 packs of this run around $5-6), I say it's worth the money, or at the very least, worth taking a look at.

Pabst Old Tankard Ale - 8/10