The Lone Star story can be traced back to 1884 when the original brewery was opened in San Antonio by Adolphus Busch and a group of local businessmen. A modern brewery was started up in 1904, and the actual Lone Star brand was not rolled out until 1940. Early brands were Sabinas beer and, later, Champion beer. Lone Star was based on a premium formula developed by Peter Kreil of Munich, Germany. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Lone Star enjoyed widespread popularity in Texas, competing against other local brands like Pearl, Shiner, and Jax. However, like so many other regional, and even national brands, by the 1970s Lone Star began to falter in the face of stiff competition. Olympia Brewing of Tumwater, Washington bought Lone Star in 1976. Seven years later Olympia was acquired by G. Heileman of LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Stroh's Brewing, of Detroit, Michigan, bought out Heileman in 1996, and Pabst bought Stroh's in 1999. Lone Star has been a Pabst brand ever since, and the parent company has revitalized the brand across Texas with local advertising and promotions.
Lone Star beer, at 4.65% alcohol and 136 calories, is sold in Texas and in seven other states. It is available in bottles, can, and on draft. Brewing is done at the Miller facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The recipe uses Pacific Northwest hops, malted barley from the Central and Northern plains, and corn extract as the adjunct. It was a gold medal winner at the 2007 and 2008 Great American Beer Festival.
Lone Star Light, which uses the same ingredients ratio as the full-bodied Lone Star, has 3.85 alcohol and 111 calories. The same hop level as the original beer is used as well.
In 2012 Pabst brought back Lone Star Bock, which had been discontinued decades ago. Lone Star Bock has 4.5% alcohol and 140 calories.
The consumer will find that the Lone Star line is comparable in taste and body to other major American beers.
