Randy Chandler
During Prohibition, Pabst Brewing Company, an American company founded in 1844, stopped making beer and switched to cheese production. The company sold more than 8 million pounds of Pabst-ett Cheese, a processed cheese spread that was marketed as not cheese, but more than cheese. When Prohibition ended in 1933, Pabst sold the cheese line to Kraft and went back to selling beer. So, is Pabst cheese still made?
Is Pabst Cheese Still Made?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the cheese | Pabst-ett |
| Year of launch | 1920s |
| Flavours | Cheddar, pimento, Swiss |
| Forms | Block, spreadable |
| Current production status | No longer produced |
| Year of discontinuation | 1933 |
| Company that bought the rights | Kraft |
| Year of sale | 1933 |
| Current owner | Kraft Heinz |
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What You'll Learn
Pabst-ett was a processed cheese spread
Pabst-ett was indeed a processed cheese spread, created by the Pabst Brewing Company in the 1920s as a way to stay afloat during Prohibition. The company had previously been a successful brewery, founded in 1844 as The Empire Brewery, and later renamed Best and Company, after its founder Jacob Best. However, when the production and sale of alcohol were banned in 1920, Pabst was forced to diversify its product line.
The product was fairly successful, but it also caught the attention of the Kraft Cheese Company, which had recently started to form a monopoly on the dairy industry. Kraft sued Pabst, forcing them to pay a royalty of one-eighth of a cent per pound. When Prohibition ended in 1933, Pabst sold the cheese line to Kraft and returned to brewing beer.
Pabst-ett is no longer produced, but it is remembered as one of the more oddly infamous cheeses in Wisconsin.
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Pabst-ett was sold in block and spreadable form
Pabst-ett, a processed cheese spread, was born soon after the nationwide ban on alcohol went into effect in 1920. Pabst-ett was sold in block and spreadable forms, as well as in cheddar, pimento, and Swiss flavours. It was marketed as "not cheese, but more than cheese" and was targeted towards family members of all ages. Pabst-ett was fairly successful, and the company even created a housewife's cookbook based on how easy and versatile the product was.
Pabst-ett was made using the Pabst process, which conserved the nutritive value of whole milk, including milk sugar, milk proteins, and body-building milk mineral elements that are usually lost in cheese-making. Pabst-ett was advertised as being as digestible as milk and more nourishing than milk. It was claimed to be a valuable regulatory food for the system, rich in vitamins, and health-building.
The Pabst Brewing Company's foray into cheese-making helped it survive Prohibition, but it was not their primary source of income during that time. Frederick Pabst had invested heavily in real estate, and much of the company's profits came from leasing properties for restaurants, taverns, and hotels. They even leased their brewery space to Harley-Davidson.
When Prohibition ended in 1933, Pabst sold the cheese line to Kraft, and the company returned to its primary focus of brewing beer.
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Pabst-ett was sold to Kraft
Pabst-ett was a processed cheese spread that was marketed as "not cheese, but more than cheese". Pabst Brewing Company created it in the 1920s as a way to survive Prohibition, which banned the sale of alcohol in the US. The company sold more than 8 million pounds of Pabst-ett Cheese during this time.
Pabst-ett was sold in blocks and spreadable forms, as well as in cheddar, pimento, and Swiss flavours. It was marketed as a healthy and versatile product that was digestible and nourishing, suitable for "young children, elderly persons, even invalids". The company even created a housewife's cookbook based on how easy and versatile Pabst-ett was.
However, Pabst-ett's marketing tactics caught the attention of the Kraft Cheese Company, which had recently started to form a monopoly on the dairy industry by purchasing nearly every cheese company in competition, including Velveeta, which produced a similar spreadable processed cheese. Kraft sued Pabst, forcing them to pay a royalty of one-eighth of a cent per pound.
Finally, in 1933, when Prohibition was repealed, Pabst sold the cheese line to Kraft and returned to its primary business of brewing beer. The Pabst family had also invested heavily in real estate during this time, and much of the company's profits came from this, rather than the production of alcohol or cheese. Thus, Pabst-ett was sold to Kraft, and the Pabst Brewing Company resumed its focus on beer.
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Pabst-ett was sold in cheddar, pimento and Swiss flavours
Pabst-ett, a processed cheese spread, was born soon after the nationwide ban on alcohol went into effect in 1920. The product was marketed as "not cheese, but more than cheese" and was sold in block and spreadable forms, as well as in cheddar, pimento, and Swiss flavours. Pabst-ett was created using the Pabst process, which conserved the nutritional value of whole milk, including milk sugar, milk proteins, and body-building milk mineral elements typically lost in cheesemaking. This made Pabst-ett easily digestible and nourishing, suitable for young children, elderly persons, and even invalids.
The Pabst Brewing Company's foray into cheese production was a strategy to survive Prohibition, which threatened to dry up their beer empire. Pabst-ett was fairly successful, and the company even created a housewife's cookbook to showcase the product's ease and versatility. However, their marketing tactics caught the attention of the Kraft Cheese Company, which had been forming a monopoly in the dairy industry by acquiring competing cheese companies. Kraft sued Pabst, forcing them to pay royalties, and eventually purchased the cheese line when Prohibition ended in 1933.
Pabst-ett's legacy is mixed. While it helped Pabst survive Prohibition, it was not their primary source of income during that period. Real estate ventures, including the purchase of properties for future beer gardens, restaurants, taverns, and hotels, provided a significant financial buffer. Additionally, Pabst-ett's success was short-lived after being acquired by Kraft, which discontinued the product a few years later.
Today, Pabst-ett is remembered as one of the more oddly infamous cheeses in Wisconsin. It is said to be similar to Cheese Whiz or American Cheese, known for its stretchy, rubber-like texture.
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Pabst-ett was marketed as not cheese, but more than cheese
Pabst-ett, a processed cheese spread, was marketed as "not cheese, but more than cheese". Pabst Brewing Company, which was previously known as the largest beer maker in the US, had to switch to cheese production during the Prohibition era.
The Pabst-ett product was a result of the company's survival tactics during the 13 years of Prohibition. It was a processed cheese spread that was marketed as being suitable for family members of all ages. Pabst-ett was advertised as being "more nourishing than milk" and "digestible as milk". The product was fairly successful, and the company even created a cookbook for housewives, highlighting the product's ease and versatility.
Pabst-ett was not the only alternative product that Pabst Brewing Company pursued during Prohibition. Pabst had also invested in real estate, buying enough property to build beer gardens, restaurants, taverns, and hotels. In fact, much of the company's money was coming from real estate rather than the production of alcohol.
However, Pabst-ett's marketing tactics caught the attention of the Kraft Cheese Company, which had recently started to form a monopoly on the dairy industry. Kraft sued Pabst, forcing them to pay a royalty of one-eighth of a cent per pound. When Prohibition ended in 1933, Pabst sold the cheese line to Kraft and returned to selling beer.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Pabst cheese is no longer made. The Pabst Brewing Company switched to cheese production during Prohibition and sold more than 8 million pounds of Pabst-ett Cheese. However, when Prohibition ended in 1933, the company returned to brewing beer and sold the cheese line to Kraft.
Pabst-ett was a processed cheese spread, marketed as "not cheese, but more than cheese". It was sold in blocks and spreadable forms, with flavours including cheddar, pimento, and Swiss.
Pabst pivoted to cheese production when Prohibition went into effect in 1920, banning the sale of alcohol nationwide. Selling dairy products helped the brewery survive this period, and the company focused on marketing Pabst-ett as a pure and versatile product.
When Prohibition ended in 1933, Pabst sold the rights to Pabst-ett to Kraft, which discontinued the product a few years later. Kraft had already begun forming a monopoly on the dairy industry by purchasing several competing cheese companies, including Velveeta, which produced a similar spreadable processed cheese.
