CORVALLIS, Ore. — Now playing in Corvallis, Pi Beta Rho fraternity, brought to you by Pabst Blue Ribbon.

In what marketers believe is the first instance of a beer brand sponsoring a student group, the beer maker has adopted the unaffiliated Oregon State University fraternity.

But that doesn't translate to an unlimited, free supply of Pabst Blue Ribbon for the fraternity brothers, all of whom are over 21. Instead, the Pi Beta Rho brothers have gotten signs, T-shirts and even a dartboard from Pabst.

Fraternity members persuaded Pabst to sign on after a barrage of emails and phone calls to the San Antonio-based company's marketing team.

And ever since The Daily Barometer, Oregon State's campus newspaper, wrote a story about the match-up, inquiries have been pouring in from around the country.

Students from Washington State, MIT, Purdue, North Carolina State and the University of Michigan's rugby team, among others, have all emailed asking how they can start their own Pi Beta Rho chapter.

"I'm overwhelmed," junior Joel Van Dyke, 21, told The Oregonian. "I didn't think it would catch on this big."

The 160-year-old beer brand with the red, white and blue label does no major advertising and so relies on creating a buzz with promotions such as sponsoring the fraternity.

"It's the only one we're aware of," said Neal Stewart, senior brand manager at Pabst Brewing Co. "These are a group of guys who have adopted the brand. Like any subculture — bike messengers, a New York underground film festival — we support their lifestyles."

Larry Roper, Oregon State's vice provost for student affairs who spearheads the school's alcohol education efforts, said the Pabst Boys are on a positive track. It's entrepreneurial, he said.

"Our responsibility is not to mold (students) into a single lifestyle; it's to equip them with the tools to live a life of integrity," he said.

although PBR is a qual decision, I would have gone with the Oly.

np: skip james - washington dc hospital center blues

i frankly don't get why all the neckbeards here in Portland want to drink PBR when there is so much good beer...PBR is nasty. it's usually only a buck cheaper than something good...blech.

It's funny that there are places where PBR is "trendy cool" so it goes for 4 bucks a can.

Pacific Northwest beer is the best.

There were defintely trendy PBR drinkers in Athens, but there were also a lot places you could get a tall boy for $2.

I like $1 High Life bottles better

is that the new version of "white belt?"

for sure...whitebelts are often sported by neckbeards. so are highwaters, chains connected to wallets, and bad tatoos.

And the college allowed this?

Sounds like a brilliant idea though.....

i need to see this neckbeard. my friend had one, but i wasn't aware of it's over growth in the hipster world.

Its all about quantity.

you can either drink 3 or 4 good beers and get drunk or drink 8 pbr's...it's much easier my way

PBR's are $1.50 here for 16 oz cups. My friends and I drink it not to be trendy, but because we are cheap. I like it, anyways.

I wonder which frat here at NC State wanted to be sponsored. I wonder if they sponsor individuals...

Or you can drink 3 or 4 good beers and switch to PBR for your final 8.

Some of like to get drunk.

This will greatly effect my college choice.

If you'd have said "affect," perhaps staying home to attend Northwestern wouldn't be out of the question.

Just funnin' ya, man. I'm 100% certain you will become editor of the Harvard Lampoon.