Pabst was just bought by a Russian beverage company
Nothing screams "American" like cheap, watery beer. But the red, white, and blue PBR cans favored by hipsters and anyone on a budget are no longer a symbol of the freedom to drink absolute crap, as a Russian beverage company has reportedly bought Pabst Brewing Company.
Oasis Beverages, a Russian brewer and distributor, bought Pabst, the maker of Pabst Blue Ribbon and gas-station staples like Colt 45 and Old Milwaukee, reportedly for more than $700 million in cash.
"Pabst Blue Ribbon is the quintessential American brand — it represents individualism, egalitarianism and freedom of expression — all the things that make this country great," Eugene Kashper, the chairman of Oasis Beverages, said in a statement.
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Perhaps there's nothing more American than selling your company for a giant wad of cash.
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Samantha Rollins is TheWeek.com's news editor. She has previously worked for The New York Times and TIME and is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.