Colt 45 (malt liquor)

Lore & Background

Colt 45 was introduced by National Brewing Company in 1963, at a time when the only major national brand of malt liquor was Country Club. The label featured a kicking horse and horseshoe, meant to suggest an 'extra kick' compared to competitors. According to a 'Fun Fact' on the Pabst website, the brand was named after Baltimore Colts running back Jerry Hill, who wore number 45, and not after the .45 caliber handgun ammunition. However, Hill himself described this claim as a 'rumor' and stated he never made endorsements or received royalties. In a 2020 interview, he said, 'They wanted to name the product Colt 45 … I just happened to be the Colt who was wearing 45.'

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Colt 45 was marketed toward the suburban white-collar middle class. A memorable ad campaign lasting over 15 years featured actor Billy Van as a gentleman in suit and tie sitting calmly at a small table, waiting for a waiter to bring a schooner glass and a can of Colt 45. The surroundings grew increasingly bizarre—a busy beach, an airport runway, a hockey rink, a bullring, and even an encounter with a shark after the release of Jaws. The Nairobi Trio appeared alongside Van in one commercial. Van won a 1975 Clio Award for one of these spots.

By 1978, the 'waiting man' commercials were replaced with ads using the slogan 'That Dynamite Taste.' Beginning in 1980, actor Billy Dee Williams became the face of the brand, appearing in print, television, and billboard ads with the slogan 'It works every time.' Williams responded indifferently to criticism of his involvement.

Reader's Guide

Colt 45 holds a distinctive place in American brewing history as one of the early national malt liquors, introduced at a time when the category was dominated by a single competitor. Its origin story is unusual: the brand name is officially attributed to a football player's jersey number, though the player himself disputes that account. This ambiguity has become part of the brand's lore. The advertising history of Colt 45 is particularly notable. The long-running 'waiting man' campaign, with its surreal settings and calm protagonist, won a Clio Award and became a cultural touchstone. Later, the association with Billy Dee Williams gave the brand a suave, enduring image. The brand also experimented with several product variations, including a mint-flavored derivative called Cool Colt, a lower-alcohol clear version called Colt 45 Silver, a double malt version with higher alcohol content, and the fruit-flavored, high-alcohol Blast by Colt 45 promoted by Snoop Dogg. In 2026, Stroh Brewery Company began selling Colt 45-branded hard soda in Canada under the Colt 45 Kick trademark. These innovations reflect the brand's attempts to adapt to changing tastes while maintaining its core identity as a malt liquor.

Did You Know?

• Colt 45 was named after Baltimore Colts running back Jerry Hill, who wore number 45, according to a Pabst 'Fun Fact'—though Hill called this a 'rumor' and said he never received royalties.
• Actor Billy Van won a 1975 Clio Award for his 'waiting man' Colt 45 commercials, which featured increasingly bizarre settings like a bullring and a shark encounter.
• In the early 1990s, Colt 45 briefly marketed a mint-flavored derivative called Cool Colt, designed to pair with menthol cigarettes.
• Blast by Colt 45, introduced in 2011, is a 12% ABV fruit-flavored malt beverage promoted by Snoop Dogg and does not contain caffeine, taurine, or guarana.