USA: MillerCoors to continue brewing Pabst beers for a while

Oasis Beverages may own Pabst Brewing Co. beers and Pabst Brewing will have its headquarters remain in Los Angeles, but MillerCoors LLC will continue making the beer for a while, Milwaukee Business Journal reported on September 22.

Oasis Beverages, an eastern European and Asian brewer and beverage company, bought Pabst Brewing for $700 million to $750 million, according to a recent story in the New York Times.

Some of the beer is made in Milwaukee, and will continue to be, according to MillerCoors.

“We currently have a contract with Pabst that runs for several more years,” said Jonathan Stern, director of media relations for MillerCoors.

Stern deferred any further questions about the contract to Pabst. However, calls made to Pabst were not returned.

Los Angeles-based Metropoulos & Co. bought Pabst in 2010 for $250 million. In the latest Oasis deal, TSG Consumer Partners LLC, a private-equity firm, will also hold a minority stake in Pabst.

Founded in Milwaukee by Jacob Best in 1844, Pabst currently is based in Los Angeles and will remain there. Some of the beers the company makes include Pabst Blue Ribbon, Schlitz, Old Milwaukee and Colt 45.

Oasis Beverages produces beers, juice and energy drinks in Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Ukraine.

24 September, 2014