Pabst Brewing Co

Pabst to Shutter Milwaukee Brewery: Pabst Brewing Co. said it will close the plant and lay off 250 workers, ending 150 years of Blue Ribbon beer in the city that once dominated the industry. Pabst, which will continue to be brewed elsewhere, already had shifted about two-thirds of its production to Stroh Brewing Co.'s La Crosse, Wis., plant. The decision to cease operations by year-end was prompted by reduced demand and first-quarter losses that were significantly greater than anticipated.

America has discovered a new beer, one that seems right for a country facing bad times. Pabst Blue Ribbon, a forgotten if not forsaken brand, once the solace of the working man and, regrettably, a beer often associated with what people in polite company call "trash," has staged a surprising comeback. The resurgence is mostly among young adults, led by snowboarders and indie filmmakers. Perhaps it's a sign of the times, or a remembrance of the way it was, or a toast to blue-collar virtue.

Pabst Tells Union of Payroll Cut: The Milwaukee beer maker has notified the Brewery Workers union that two-thirds of the approximately 400 employees at its plant there will be laid off by December under a plan to shift production elsewhere. Pabst Brewing Co. had said earlier this year that it would hire G. Heileman Brewing Co. of La Crosse, Wis., to produce some of its beer if it could not cut production costs through employee concessions.

Pabst to Shutter Milwaukee Brewery: Pabst Brewing Co. said it will close the plant and lay off 250 workers, ending 150 years of Blue Ribbon beer in the city that once dominated the industry. Pabst, which will continue to be brewed elsewhere, already had shifted about two-thirds of its production to Stroh Brewing Co.'s La Crosse, Wis., plant. The decision to cease operations by year-end was prompted by reduced demand and first-quarter losses that were significantly greater than anticipated.

America has discovered a new beer, one that seems right for a country facing bad times. Pabst Blue Ribbon, a forgotten if not forsaken brand, once the solace of the working man and, regrettably, a beer often associated with what people in polite company call "trash," has staged a surprising comeback. The resurgence is mostly among young adults, led by snowboarders and indie filmmakers. Perhaps it's a sign of the times, or a remembrance of the way it was, or a toast to blue-collar virtue.

Like many people, Evan Cunningham spends time on Facebook and Twitter while at the office. He sends out party invitations or chats about beer. But unlike most people, he gets paid for it. And he gets a title. Cunningham's job is one of the newest in corporate America: social media manager. It's also known, depending on the company, as social media wizard, social media ninja, social media diva or just plain online communities manager. No matter what they're called, experts in marketing a company's name and wares on social network sites — such as Facebook, Twitter and special interest forums — are in demand.

As expected, William F. Smith Jr., president and chief executive of Milwaukee-based Pabst Brewing Co., resigned both posts in the wake of the company's takeover by California investor Paul Kalmanovitz. Executive Vice President John C. Brzezinski also resigned.

Milwaukee-based Pabst Brewing Co. said its board would support an offer of $10 a share, or about $64 million, for the company's stock by S&P Co., headed by California brewer Paul Kalmanovitz. Because of a dispute in court between Pabst and two other brewers, however, the company had to officially take a neutral position on the Kalmanovitz offer, a spokesman said. A court hearing is scheduled in Detroit in late March on whether to permanently bar G. Heileman Brewing Co. of La Crosse, Wis.

Harris Perlstein, former president and chairman of Pabst Brewing Co. under whose auspices a single beer maker first sold its products on both the East and West coasts, has died at the age of 93. Perlstein died of heart failure on Sunday. He was a member of the board of directors at Pabst for 47 years, from 1932 to 1979. He also served as chairman from 1954 to 1972, president from 1932 to 1956 and chairman of the executive committee from 1972 to 1979.

Lorraine Dunn Davis, 61, a Washington, D.C., accountant who in her youth represented Panama in 1960 and 1964 Olympic sprinting events, died Oct. 16 at North Arundel Hospital in Glen Burnie, Md. The cause was a heart attack. Born in Panama, where her father was an accountant for the Panama Canal, Davis came from a family of athletes but pursued competitive running only when a friend said she could travel abroad if she were a member of the Panamanian national women's track team.

Pabst Tells Union of Payroll Cut: The Milwaukee beer maker has notified the Brewery Workers union that two-thirds of the approximately 400 employees at its plant there will be laid off by December under a plan to shift production elsewhere. Pabst Brewing Co. had said earlier this year that it would hire G. Heileman Brewing Co. of La Crosse, Wis., to produce some of its beer if it could not cut production costs through employee concessions.

The dismantling of Hostess Brands Inc. continued this week as bidders, including the owner of Pabst Brewing Co., emerged to buy the bankrupt company's bread and cake brands. C. Dean Metropoulos & Co., the private equity firm that owns the popular Pabst beer label, is one of the likely stalking horse bidders for Hostess cake brands such as Twinkies, Ho Hos, Ding Dongs and CupCakes, according to a person close to the deal. Metropoulos would be joined by Apollo Global Management, a private equity firm that owns major companies such as Carl's Jr. parent CKE, the source said.

Just like its popular Duncan Hines cake mixes, packaged foods company Pinnacle Foods Inc. was on the rise Thursday morning after raising $580 million in an initial public offering. The company -- which owns an array of popular brands including Birds Eye, Aunt Jemima, Log Cabin, Mrs. Butterworth's and Hungry-Man -- debuted on the New York Stock Exchange under the PF symbol. Wednesday night, the Parsippany, N.J.-based business sold 29 million shares for $20 apiece -- on the top end of its suggested $18-to-$20 range.