A little while ago on our beer tour stop in Canton Hill, the home of National Bohemian Beer, we made a mistake in our article. We said that in recent years, Natty Boh and its brother beverages, National Premium and Colt 45, were now owned by the Pabst Brewing Company. However, we later learned that one sibling beer, National Premium, is not a Pabst product but instead is owned by an Eastern Shore native. Tim Miller, from Easton, purchased the rights to National Premium and has since breathed new life into the beer.
Miller is not only a resident of Easton but he is also a Salisbury Alum, in other words he’s Eastern Shore through and through. Before buying the iconic Maryland beer, he worked as a real estate agent for many years. However, when the economy took a down turn, he was encouraged to find another way to support his family. He found it in a brand name auction in New York City.
Miller had always been interested in antique advertisements and their ascetic appeal. However, he never thought that he would soon own one of the many labels for sale. Believe it or not, at the end of the auction he became the proud owner of National Premium and could now do what he liked with the brand’s name.
His nostalgic purchase led him down the path to become an accidental-brewer and learn all about the beer’s history. He reached out to brewers and found help in a former employee of National Premium. After some coaching and critiquing, Miller got Premium’s recipe right, making it up to par with the original flavor and using the same German hops from the recipe, and reintroduced it to its home base Baltimore.
The beer has been met with applause from “Baltimorons” and Marylanders everywhere, from old fans and new ones who were interested in trying Natty Boh’s brother beverage. And now you can enjoy National Premium while watching an Orioles game at Camden Yards. That’s right, Boh’s brother is being sold right next to him at the O’s stadium.
Miller told us “To me the beer represents my high school days playing lacrosse, but also boating, sailing and the Bay.” As you can see, holding a can of National Premium is like having all of Maryland and everything we love about our state in your hand.
