TOP 10 WEIRDEST BEER INGREDIENTS

In the latest issue of Beer & Brewer we take a look at Extreme Beer. Not for the faint hearted, here is our list of the top 10 weirdest beer ingredients…

 

(1) Chicken carcass

Big Red (Cock Ale), Bacchus Brewing Co.

ABV: 6.1%, Style: Scottish ale

A Scottish recipe from the 1500s that involves brewing with a chicken carcass.

 

(2) Human saliva

Chicha, Dogfish Head Brewery

ABV: 5.7%, Style: Chicha

Based on the native corn beer of Central and South America, this beer is made using authentic ingredients like organic pink Peruvian pepper corns, yellow maize, Peruvian purple maize chewed by the chicha-maker. In other words, this beer contains human saliva.

 

(3) Lobster

Choc Lobster, Dogfish Head Brewery

ABV: 5.6%, Style: American porter

That name isn’t just for pun’s sake. This beer has been brewed with live lobsters and dark cocoa powder.

 

(4) Caviar

Throbbing Biological Urges, Moon Dog Brewery

ABV 9%, Style: English barleywine

Doesn’t the name say it all?

 

(5) A man’s beard

Beard Beer, Rogue Ales

ABV: 5.6%, Style: Belgian ale

Probably the most hipster beer available, Beard Beer is brewed with a yeast created from Rogue brewmaster John Maier’s very own beard.

 

(6) Cannabis/Hemp

Cannabia, Kronenbrauerei Wahl

ABV 4.9%, Style: German Pilsener

Cannabia is partially brewed as a traditional organic Pilsner, but then in the second step a “secret special organic hemp, source water and organic sugar blend is added before fermentation has ended”.

 

(7) Oyster

HenHouse Oyster Stout, HenHouse Brewing Company

ABV: 4.95% Style: dry stout

Brewed with Pacific coast oysters.

 

(8) Meteorite dust

Celest-jewel-ale, Dogfish Head Brewery

ABV: 5%, Style: German ale

Celest-jewel-ale is made with lunar meteorites that have been crushed into dust, then steeped like tea in a rich, malty Oktoberfest.

 

(9) Coffee sourced from elephant poo

Un, Kono Kuro, Sankt Gallen Brewery

ABV: 6.5%, Style: stout

Yes this beer is really made using coffee beans that have passed through an elephant. Japanese brewery Sankt Gallen calls the beer a chocolate stout, despite it not containing any chocolate.

 

(10) Bull testicles

Wynkoop Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout, Wynkoop Brewing Company

ABV: 7.5%, Style: stout

A meaty foreign-style stout, Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout is made with Colorado base malts, roasted barley, seven specialty malts, Styrian Goldings hops and 25 pounds of freshly sliced and roasted bull testicles. No bull.

 

Have we missed any? Email us here.

Check out the full Extreme Beer article in the Winter Issue of Beer & Brewer here.