I always figured that it was the "small beer" effect. There's not a lot of alcholhal (or at least I think there isn't) in PBR, so you can drink it and still work.

I don't like lagers or pilsners. Ales, porters, stouts. Don't know where those rate on hoppy scales, but don't give me one of those weak american soapy lagers.

<The story for Black Rock is that it was the only beer available in multi-pack cans at the Empire store so became a badge of honor for the DPW crew. That could be a myth>

Actually, the Empire store put PBR on sale for a long time during the build a few summers ago, so it became the drink of choice. Before that, DPW drank any old thing that came our way: Keystone, Natural Ice, whatever, as long as it was cheap - the wateriness was a fortunate side-effect of the cheapness.

And speaking of Sierra Nevada, end of the week parties during the build used to actually feature kegs of Sierra or other good beer, as a special treat after nothing but the cheap stuff floating around. Then PBR became the trendy drink and has pretty much been the only beer you'll find at DPW functions - which is pretty sucky if you ask me. I mean, it's fine for cheap beer, but it's still just cheap beer. I think it's pretty lame that fucking brand identification has taken such a strong hold.

Oh, and as for it's trendiness in the wider world, I think that has a lot to due with the movie Blue Velvet - hipsters and art house movie fans everywhere suddenly got the idea that PBR was all about blue-collar cred.

The Protestants launched a crusade against the Catholic monopoly on a mixure of herbs called gruit. Most beer was made at home back then and the monks had the market cornered.
The mix was a secret, and had herbs that were slightly hallucinagenic as well as aphrodisiacal, and medicinal.
The Protestants would not have any of that, so they battled for almost 200 years before making it illegal to use anything but water, barley, and hoppes (a sedative and anti aphrodesiac). The only thing not on the list is yeast. Back then they believed some magic or god fermented the brew. Using hoppes makes your brew an ale not a beer.
Micro brews, somehow, are not bound by this law, yet they still believe adding way too many hoppes is some kind of gourmet practice. I hate that bitter shit.
My local micro has one called the 395, after our local HWY. During a global hop shortage a few years ago they took our advice and tried other stuff. Juniper and sage, as well as hoppes, makes this one of my favorite store bought ales.

I love the first TOASTED taste of PBR, and, IMO, is the best cheap beer warm. Workable buzz, and mellow hangover. I know many DPW who agree.
Make your own beer and mead at home using local herbs and medicinals. You will be pleasantly surprised by how un-drunk your are.

YEah, I read about it in a book. It was about sort of how producers of beer, shoes, cars, whatever, tap into that irony "no-brand" brandedness. Basically, we're all suckers and slaves to the megacorporations, and if we think we aren't, that just means that we are hooked deeper than we thought.

Back in the 80's they gave out Budweiser (or was it Miller?) after Bay to Breakers!

Ah, Faygo Rock & Rye. Childhood memories.

Nowadays, Faygo is pushed by the Insane Clown Posse. To "get it", you drink Faygo. Thanks, I'll stick to something that tastes better.

Genesee has a pretty good reputation. I've wanted to try it, because my mother grew up in Buffalo. Is it still brewed by the original firm, or was it ressurected?

My take on the PBR "craze" is simply this: it's both the best tasting (COLD, as Jason notes) AND cheap swill beer. If you're working in the sun, it goes down good and doesn't threaten to come up, and it isn't so potent that you (immediately, anyway) become a hazard to yourself and others (drinking Lambic while working on a roof? Prob. not a good idea...). This is particularly so in Utah, where cheap swill beer (and all others from the grocery store) come in 3.2 strength.

As far as "craze", maybe it is to some, but 10 years ago it was the beer of choice in northeastern South Carolina-- almost all the college "dive bars" had PBR for a buck-a-can.

We used to get Rainier beer here in SLC, and IMHO, it's better than PBR-- if it were available, I'd drink it instead. The other runner up (in my book) is Busch. They all taste great COLD. I agree that Genesee tastes better, but it's another regional beer (like Rainier). Another good regional beer is Leinekeugel's, up in the Wisconsin area. The fatal flaw with the popularity of this beer is the name: it's hard enough to enunciate it sober ;- )

And the bonus of schlepping your cheap local tasty swill to the playa: you can turn people on to some "exotic" local tastery!

And hot-as-tea beer? Well, that's just alcohol abuse!!

Agreed. I was a, die hard, long time MGD fan, but have recently switched to the High Life (champagne of beer!). As far as the warm cold taste goes I agree, PBR tastes like a tin can when it gets warm. We have found that Keystone Light (made by Coors) does not gain any metal-ish taste when it gets warm, making it perfect for the desert, college parties, and giving away.

PBR is definitely the best tasting "shit" brew......
Its not as sugary tasting as Bud n Coors n natty etc....

I think thats initially what makes it cool is my guess.....

The punks always thought PBR was the Cool Beer, like over 15 years ago. I had a non burner butch girlfriend in the 90s who would make cool buttons and leather jacket patches out of old PBR cans. Like totally rad!

My criteria are the same, my choice ends up being Keystone light by Coors. I don't know if its a Colorado thing, but around here Keystone is as prominent if not more than Pabst. I have finished off plenty of hour old wounded soldiers and not much taste is sacrificed after warming.

In my experience I've found that Tecate beats PBR in the warm (not tea hot!) taste test by a fair margin. Has anyone seen those tv ads for Natural Light and Natty Ice?

ah... did somebody say beer?

I'd love a pallet.