Is Natty Boh at risk of extinction? Court case involving PBR could decide its fate.

The future of Baltimore’s classic beer label National Bohemian is in jeopardy as its parent company, Pabst Brewing Co., pursues a lawsuit against MillerCoors in court this month.

While National Bohemian has not been brewed in Maryland since 1996, the brand is still widely popular in Charm City. As recently as 2011, 90 percent of sales of National Bohemian, known colloquially as Natty Boh, came from the Baltimore area, the Sun reported at the time.

Those sales could come to an abrupt halt if the lawsuit filed by Pabst Blue Ribbon against MillerCoors in Milwaukee County Circuit Court is unsuccessful.

Here’s what you need to know:

What is the dispute?

Since 1999, Pabst Brewing Co. has contracted MillerCoors to produce, package and ship nearly all of Pabst Blue Ribbon products, including smaller beer labels like Natty Boh and Lone Star. MillerCoors recently notified Pabst of the intention to discontinue the companies’ partnership after the contract runs out in 2020, according to a Nov. 12 report from the Associated Press.

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