MILWAUKEE – This morning, in celebration of National Beer Lovers Day on September 7th and this year’s 180th Anniversary of Pabst Brewing Company, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled an officially licensed, limited-edition Beer Bobblehead Series featuring Pabst Blue Ribbon, Blatz, and Schlitz Bobbleheads. The series includes the first bobbleheads of Pabst’s iconic Cool Blue character including a bobblehead featuring Cool Blue in his football attire for the start of football season. The special edition bobbleheads are being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, an official licensee of Pabst Brewing Company.
The first Pabst Blue Ribbon bobblehead is based on original artwork and features Cool Blue holding up three mugs of Pabst with popular Pabst slogans on the base. The second Pabst Blue Ribbon bobblehead features Cool Blue in his football gear and holding a football in one arm with a glass of beer in his other hand. Standing on a base bearing his name and the Pabst Blue Ribbon logo, the Cool Blue bobblehead is dressed in superhero garb with a red cape. The Blatz bobblehead features the smiling, mustachioed, bow tie-wearing Barrel Man mascot holding a frosty mug of beer in his left hand and giving the No. 1 signal with his right hand. The Blatz label is prominently displayed across the longtime Blatz advertising figure’s chest. The Schlitz bobble features the iconic belted globe Schlitz logo, which was first introduced in 1892, on a circular base.
The bobbleheads, which will each be individually numbered to 2,024 for the 180th anniversary of the founding of the Pabst Brewing Company, are currently available exclusively through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. Expected to ship in December, the bobbles cost between $30 and $35 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.
Pabst Blue Ribbon has been a beloved beer in the United States since 1844, making it one of the oldest American beer brands still in existence. Established in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and currently based in San Antonio, Texas, the brand has a rich history and has won numerous awards, including the blue ribbon for “America’s Best” at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.
The Blatz Brewing Company was one of Milwaukee’s industrial brewing giants. In 1851, when a Bavarian immigrant named Valentin Blatz founded the Milwaukee brewery that would eventually bear his name, he was part of a community of brewers whose lagers and pilsners would soon make the city’s name synonymous with beer. In 1875, Blatz was the first Milwaukee brewery to have a bottling department to package beer and ship nationally. The company operated from 1851 to 1959, when it was purchased by Pabst Brewing Company. Blatz is currently produced by the Miller Brewing Company of Milwaukee, under contract for Pabst Brewing Company. Two famous Blatz/Milwaukee beer marketing slogans were “Blatz – Milwaukee’s Finest Beer” and “Blatz – Milwaukee’s Favorite Premium Beer.”
Founded by August Krug in 1849 (with ownership passed to Joseph Schlitz in 1858 when he married Krug’s widow), the Schlitz Brewing Company was one of Milwaukee’s industrial brewing giants. “The beer that made Milwaukee famous” was an important innovator in the national brewing industry and the largest brewery in the United States for a significant part of the 20th century. Schlitz first became the largest beer producer in the U.S. in 1902 and enjoyed that status at several points during the first half of the 20th century. Schlitz was bought by Stroh Brewery Company in 1982 and subsequently sold along with the rest of Stroh’s assets to Pabst Brewing Company in 1999. Although it has fallen from its former title as one of America’s most popular beers, the Schlitz brand is still alive today and remains a sentimental favorite in the Midwest.
“We’re excited to unveil this new bobblehead series in conjunction with National Beer Lovers Day and the 180th Anniversary of the founding of Pabst Brewing Company,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “These iconic mascots and logos are known by countless beer lovers and these bobbles are sure to be popular with beer fans across the world! We’re thrilled to be teaming up with an iconic Wisconsin brand to bring fans these bobbleheads.”
About the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum:
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, which is located at 170 S. 1st St. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, opened to the public on February 1st, 2019. The HOF and Museum also produces high quality, customized bobbleheads for retail sale as well as organizations, individuals, and teams across the country. Visit us online and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.