Old Style 30Pk Cans

Old Style 30Pk Cans is a 30-pack of 12 oz cans of the classic American lager brewed at 4.6% ABV, first introduced in 1900. A Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup medal winner, Old Style remains one of the Midwest's most recognized heritage lagers, built on a grain bill that blends six-row and two-row barley with flaked corn and noble hops.

Quick Facts: ABV: 4.6%  |  Origin: La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA  |  Style: American Lager  |  Brewery: Pabst Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Old Style debuted in 1900 and spent decades as a Chicago-area staple, building its reputation partly on the kräusening process — a traditional German double-fermentation technique in which high-kräusen wort from a new batch is added to a fully fermented batch, introducing fresh yeast to boost carbonation and flavor complexity. Pabst Brewing Company, which now owns the brand, has publicly confirmed that kräusening is no longer used in current production. The grain bill features Pale 6 Row and Pale 2 Row malts, Flaked Corn, German Melanoidin malt, and CaraHell specialty malt, hopped with Domestic Hallertau and Saaz — both noble hop varieties that contribute a restrained, European-leaning bitterness.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Light cereal grain and mild breadiness lead the nose, followed by a faint floral hop character from the Hallertau and Saaz additions. The overall impression is clean and approachable with no aggressive malt sweetness.

Taste: The entry is soft and lightly sweet, with a bread-like malt quality that carries through the mid-palate. Flaked corn lends a smooth, slightly creamy texture, while a gentle bitterness balances the malt without asserting itself. Some drinkers detect subtle tea-like or faintly toasty undertones, likely from the Melanoidin and CaraHell malts.

Finish: The finish is clean and moderately dry with a delicate aftertaste that fades quickly. It leaves a mild malty sweetness on the palate without lingering heaviness.

How to Drink Old Style

Serve cold — around 38–42°F — straight from the can or poured into a pint glass to release the subtle grain aromas. Old Style is a session beer built for volume drinking in casual settings, but it also holds up in simple beer cocktails. A Michelada works well here because the bread-like malt stands up to lime juice, hot sauce, and Worcestershire. A Shandy made with fresh lemonade plays off the light sweetness without overpowering the lager. A Boilermaker paired with a shot of bourbon complements the corn-forward grain bill naturally.

Best For

• Stocking a cooler for a backyard cookout or tailgate
• Chicago sports watch parties where Old Style is a tradition
• Casual summer sessions where a low-ABV, easy-drinking lager is ideal
• Fans of Midwest brewing heritage looking for a legacy brand

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Old Style taste like? Old Style has a lightly sweet, bready malt flavor with a smooth body from the flaked corn and a restrained noble hop bitterness that finishes clean and dry.

How does Old Style compare to Old Milwaukee? Both are American lagers brewed under the Pabst Brewing Company umbrella, but Old Style uses a more complex grain bill that includes Melanoidin and CaraHell specialty malts alongside six-row and two-row barley, giving it a slightly richer, breadier character than Old Milwaukee's leaner profile.

Is Old Style good for casual drinking? At 4.6% ABV with a light body and clean finish, Old Style is specifically designed as a sessionable lager suited for extended, relaxed drinking.

Where is Old Style made? Old Style is brewed by Pabst Brewing Company at their facility in La Crosse, Wisconsin, after production was moved back to the state from other locations.

What foods pair well with Old Style? Grilled bratwurst and Chicago-style hot dogs match the Midwest identity and malty sweetness. Pizza — especially deep-dish — works because the carbonation cuts through cheese and tomato richness. Fried chicken pairs well as the crisp lager cleanses the palate between bites. Soft pretzels with mustard echo the bread-like grain character.

What sizes does Old Style come in? Old Style is widely available in 30-packs of 12 oz cans as well as smaller pack sizes including 12-packs and individual cans.

Is Old Style worth the price? Old Style positions squarely in the value-tier American lager segment, delivering a fuller flavor profile than many competitors at the same price point thanks to its specialty malt additions and noble hop selection.

Why Old Style?

Old Style has survived over 120 years in a category that ruthlessly eliminates brands without loyal followings. Its grain bill — featuring six-row and two-row barley, Melanoidin malt, CaraHell, and flaked corn — is more layered than what most mass-market American lagers use, and the Hallertau and Saaz hops give it a subtle European accent that sets it apart from domestic competitors leaning on generic bittering varieties. Medals at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup validate that the recipe holds up under professional blind evaluation. For drinkers who want an American lager with genuine heritage and a touch more character than the category standard, Old Style delivers without pretension.