First brewed in 1844 in Milwaukee, Pabst was once the best-selling beer in the country. It fell on hard times in the 1990s, leading to the closure of the Pabst brewery and the decision to outsource brewing. In the early 2000s, bolstered by a following among bicycle messengers and young dive-bar patrons, PBR suddenly became trendy and sales unexpectedly skyrocketed. Pabst was fifth in overall beer sales nationwide in 2017, according to the Brewers Association.