No more Natty Boh? Lawsuit may make it extinct

Will Maryland beer drinkers soon have to give up National Bohemian, the brew beloved for its classic ties to Baltimore?

The future of Natty Boh is in doubt as its parent company, Pabst Brewing Co., has sued MillerCoors, contending that MillerCoors wants to put it out of business by ending a longstanding partnership through which it brews Pabst’s beers.

Pabst, which brews its signature Pabst Blue Ribbon, Old Milwaukee, Natty Boh, Lone Star and other beers, argues that the company’s very existence relies on the partnership with Chicago-based MillerCoors, which produces, packages and ships nearly all its products. MillerCoors, meanwhile, says it’s not obligated to continue brewing for Pabst and that Pabst doesn’t want to pay enough to justify doing so.

While National Bohemian has not been brewed in Maryland since 1996, the brand is still widely popular in Baltimore. As recently as 2011, 90 percent of sales of National Bohemian, according to the Baltimore Sun.

Those sales could come to an abrupt halt if the lawsuit filed by Pabst Blue Ribbon against MillerCoors in Milwaukee County Circuit Court is unsuccessful.

The trial in Milwaukee County Circuit Court is scheduled to run through Nov. 30.

The USA Today Network contributed to this article.

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