National Bohemian

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National Bohemian

Brewery	Pabst Brewing Company
Style	Pilsener

National Bohemian, colloquially called Natty Boh, is an American beer originally brewed in Baltimore, Maryland, but now brewed by Miller Brewing in North Carolina and distributed by Pabst. First brewed in 1885 by the National Brewing Company (whose other brands were National Premium and Colt 45), this Bohemian-style beer's slogan has long been "From the Land of Pleasant Living" — a reference to the Chesapeake Bay.

For a time, National's head Jerry Hoffberger also owned the Baltimore Orioles; Natty Boh was served at Memorial Stadium and became the "official" beer of Baltimore in the late 1960s.

After a 1973 merger with Canadian brewer Carling, the Baltimore brewery was closed in 1978 and production moved to the company's facility in Halethorpe, Maryland. "Carling-National" was itself bought out by the G. Heileman Brewing Company in 1979. Heileman added Tuborg to the list of beers brewed in Halethorpe.

In 1996, Heileman was sold to Stroh Brewery Company and, eventually, to Pabst Brewing Company. Brewing stopped at the Halethorpe facility by 2000. The facility was sold to a local interest. The brewing facility was demolished by 2006. Only a few blocks away, the Clipper City Brewing Company currently brews a version of beer named McHenry. McHenry is based on the National Premium recipe.

The company's mascot, the one-eyed, handlebar-mustachioed Mr. Boh, has been a recognizable icon since the 1950s. Although the mascot itself was retired in the early sixties, it is still a highly popular image, especially in Baltimore, where it is considered an unofficial city mascot. A Mr. Boh neon sign currently sits atop the former site of the National Brewery building in the Brewer's Hill neighborhood of Baltimore. The former brewery is now known as Natty Boh Towers and is rented out as apartments and offices. Mr. Boh still appears on all cans, bottles, and packaging; and merchandise featuring him can still easily be found in shops all over Maryland.

The Natty Boh song is

National Beer
National Beer
You'll love the taste of National Beer
And while I'm singing
I'm proud to say
It's brewed on the shores
of Chesapeake Bay!

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