technique was short-lived, as the bacteria became prevalent everywhere in the brewery, affecting other aspects of the brewing process negatively, and it had to be discontinued. The beer never regained its previous popularity after that point, exacerbated by the gradual changing of tastes in a new generation of beer drinkers who preferred a lighter, sweeter beer. Comedian George Gobel became a spokesman for Goebel Beer for obvious reasons. Later years Goebel was popular in its latter days in the 1970s and 1980s, as a low-priced beer, sold by the case in bottles and aluminum cans. In the mid to late seventies, a case of twenty four bottles cost $4.44 not including the dollar refund when all empties were returned. Eventually, Pabst Brewing Company acquired Stroh's and their other brands (including Goebel), and discontinued the Goebel brand at the end of 2005. See also List of defunct breweries in the United States References Defunct brewery companies of the United States