The story
Baderbräu was originally brewed in the Chicago suburb of Elmhurst, Illinois from 1988 to 1997 by the Pavichevich Brewing Company (1988 to 1997), founded by Kenneth Pavichevich. In its early years, Baderbräu won acclaim, and was called by the late beer reviewer Michael Jackson “the best pilsener I’ve ever tasted in America.” By 1990, more than 200 bars in the Chicago area carried Baderbräu on tap.
Later in 1990, in an attempt to increase sales, the Pavichevich Brewing Company started making medical claims about Baderbräu, which were soon dropped after an investigation by the FDA. Additionally, the company attempted distribution into Washington state, a region that already had many microbrews, which further depleted the company's focus and resources. Boston Beer Company/Sam Adams founder Jim Koch, toured the company in 1990, saying, “He (Pavichevich) could take away all my customers in Chicago and still go bankrupt in two years.” In 1997, the Pavichevich Brewing Company filed for bankruptcy and was liquidated at auction in bankruptcy court. An investment company called Prairie Associates acquired the Baderbräu trademark and formula then promptly sold this intellectual property to Goose Island for an undisclosed sum purported to be more than $100,000 US.
In 1998, Goose Island won a silver medal with Baderbräu Pilsner for the Bohemian pilsner category in the Great American Beer Festival. Goose Island continued to brew Baderbräu until 2002.
From Wikipedia’s article on Baderbräu, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3