Pabst Brewing Company (1996)

Pabst's 1996 closure of its last brewery made it a 'virtual brewer' - owning brands but contracting all production to Miller. The company that once brewed 20 million barrels annually now owned only trademarks. Pabst Blue Ribbon later experienced hipster revival, but as contract-brewed product. Pabst demonstrated that brands can survive without production capability - the company exists only as intellectual property.