Colt 45 to Debut Fruity, More Alcoholic Drink on 4/5

Colt 45 is adding a new member to its lineup.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the new owners of the brand have partnered with rapper Snoop Dogg to infuse fruit flavors into their malt liquor which will debut next month under the name, Blast. A seven-ounce bottle of the beverage, which contains 12% alcohol by volume or double the level of the original Colt 45, is equivalent to about 1.5 light beers.

The move into the highly-contested arena of high-alcohol-content, fruit-flavored malt beverages may prove to be a challenge for the Metropoulos family, which acquired the Pabst Brewing Co., the parent company of Colt 45 and the fifth-largest U.S. beer supplier by sales, last year. The new drink will face likely stiff opposition from groups that see similar fruity, alcoholic beverages, such as Four Loko, Joose and Tilt, as holding a dangerous appeal to underage and irresponsible drinking.

Metropoulos brothers Evan and Daren say Blast is the company's first of a number of attempts to refresh certain arms of the Pabst brand, of which its flagship beer, Pabst Blue Ribbon, is enjoying a newfound appeal.

The owners said they plan to expand the marketing demographic of the product to women in addition to Colt 45's traditional African-American audience. The drink will be available on shelves on April 5th (4-5 for Colt 45) and will be sold as six packs of seven-ounce bottles or as single 23.5-ounce cans that include strawberry lemonade and raspberry watermelon flavors.

Sales of "progressive adult beverages," a category that includes Mike's Hard Lemonade, Tilt and Four Loko, rose 19% to $959 million in store sales in the 52 weeks through Feb. 20, according to market research firm SymphonyIRI.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Colt 45
• Blast
• Four Loko
• Joose
• Tilt
• Flavored Malt Beverage
• 12% Alcohol
• Pabst
• Brewing
• Snoop Dogg
• Malt Liquor
• News

[haroman82]

BLASTS ALL DAM DAY =)

[Titsbongripsnbeer420]

@broxxx1138 yeah tilt suck's i had a 16oz green tilt yrs ago almost didnt finish it and a little pain to stumich from it.

[Titsbongripsnbeer420]

They came out day b4 my b-day. That be cool if they were 30 something oz cans. I live in canada and we don't get them. So,are they saying 7oz bottles = 1 in half light beer's. How can something 12%= that,but other day i was able out of town to get the strawberry lemonade 24oz can(23.5),but havn't had it yet. will video review it if not this week on my channel then mabye another month b4 it's expired in the 10th month of the yr. cheer's.

[Trunkyard]

Check out my channel for the original Crazy Rap ( colt 45 and 2 zig zags ) lyrical video :) !

[TheClubMantra]

This is the same dude invited to the Royal Reception? Total SELLOUT. Snoop is not making money from his music so he'll take the money and allow Pabst to exploit him. Another cheap drink for college students and youth.

[poeticpisces2007]

Awesome!  I want some. :)

[ftlleadershipgroup]

American business doing what it always does; exploit urban America and make hudge profits! Learn more at rebranding black america .com this is an old game.

[Lifter85]

you suck

[broxxx1138]

blast is nasty nasty like tilt 

[royxale666]

new four loko. im bout this life