We hate to admit it, but we've all been known to judge a beer by its label. (Well, hipsters more so. Do you really think they chug PBR because it's delicious?)
With a dizzying kaleidoscope of beer bottles and on today's shelves, standout packaging is more important than ever. Here are 10 brands and breweries that have teamed up with the right designers to create products that beg to be seen.
10. Bard's Beer
Hunt Adkins
Packaging by Hunt Adkins
The niftiest thing about Bard's Beer bottles aren't the labels, as simple and sleek as they are, but the bottle caps, which are printed with weird questions that are perfect for pondering and discussing over a beer. Would most ninjas also excel at dancing? What kind of sweater would Genghis Khan have worn? Can ducks laugh? New York-based Bard's, by the way, makes America's first gluten-free sorghum beer.
9. Red Brick
22Squared
Packaging by 22Squared
Love the charming, down-home labels and carriers of Red Brick, a craft beer made by Atlanta Brewing Company. The description of its Dog Days Ale is, "Like jumping into a swimming hole lips first." Thirsty yet?
8. Hell Yeah Beer
Dirk Behlau for Hell Yeah Beer
You would just feel hardcore while drinking this beer. Its ingredients: "water, hops, malt and rock ´n´ roll."
7. Grimm Brothers Brewhouse
Packaging by Tenfold Collective
Damsels aren't so distressed in these goth-inspired labels for the Colorado-based brewery.
6. The Bruery
OC's The Bruery makes some of the classiest, eye-catching, most elegant labels out there.
5. Pembroke Craft Brewery
Packaging by Gary Head
Okay, this just appeals to the girl in me. You can reuse the bottles as flower vases!
4. Left Hand Brewing Company
These intricate illustrations could be collector's items. Each tells a trippy story.
3. Rush River Brewing Co.
Oh Beautiful Beer
Packaging by Westwerk Design
Again . . . so pretty!
2. Great Divide Brewing Co.
Always bold, distinctive and statement-making.
1. 21st Amendment Brewery
Heads will turn the moment you pop the top on these iconic cans.
By itself, the West|280 bottle opening iPhone case, cleverly called the iOpener, is just another novelty accessory that most people will probably roll their eyes at. But there’s more than meets the eye. As cases go it’s made from a plastic polycarbonate/ABS alloy which keeps it lightweight but also strong enough to endure the rigors of removing a bottle cap. And the bottle opener, which retracts into the case when not needed, is made from 14 gauge, 304 food grade stainless steel, polished with a special process so it shines without added materials like chrome that can flake off over time. The inventors, Clay Baker and Tom Ramies, clearly didn’t skimp when it came to choosing high-quality materials. But they also realized that the case could be more than just a novelty.
So the iOpener incorporates an accelerometer that knows when the encased iPhone has been inverted and moved with enough force to open a bottle cap, which then triggers an accompanying free app called BevConX. (This ensures the odds of it being triggered accidentally are pretty slim.) Once loaded the app automatically asks the user to specify what beverage they just opened, from a list of 1,200+ options. The time and location are recorded, and you can then of course share your choice on various social networks. You can even set the app to play your favorite song every time it launches, if a bottle opening iPhone case isn’t novel enough for you.
At the moment the iOpener appears to only be available in a black or white version for the iPhone 3G/3GS for $29.95, presumably because it took Clay and Tom so long to develop the original version. So hopefully if it becomes a success an iPhone 4 version will soon be on its way.
Check out this exhibit by Cyprien Gaillard at Berlin’s KW Institute for Contemporary Art. It’s called “The Recovery of Discovery” and consists of 72,000 bottles of the Turkish beer, Efes. Apparently, you can climb the pile of cases — at your own risk — and drink away. The rules are you cannot take any bottles out of the room or clean anything.
It runs until May 22 (or, I suppose, until it’s all drank).
More details on what this exhibit is about can be found here.
While all eyes will be on William and Kate next week in a wedding of epic proportions, Brits will toast the newlyweds with all sorts of bubbly, including one named Royal Virility Performance. This isn't the only commemorative beverage made for the special day, but it's the only one containing herbal Viagra. The limited edition brew is only for sale in England, with shipping starting the morning before the April 29th wedding date.
The thousand-bottle, small-batch India Pale Ale reportedly contains 7.5 percent alcohol, and includes cultivated ingredients Horny Goat Weed and chocolate. How classy! To show the guys at BrewDog are not in it for the money, 20% of profits will be donated to the William-approved charity, Centrepoint. Adorned with a crude caricature of the couple, and encouraging phrases like 'Arise Prince Willy', the brewmasters at BrewDog claim that three of their bottles are the equivalent of one Viagra pill. Naturally, they've already shipped off a bottle to the groom, per James Watt, director of stuff (his real title). "We put a bottle in a jiffy bag marked 'Prince Willy, Buckingham Palace,'" he told Fleet Street. "We sent it by Royal Mail as we presume they are most likely to know where he lives. As the bottle says, this is about consummation, not commemoration, so we hope he gets it."
Nothing like a thoughtful gift to kick start the wedding night. I'm sure the queen would approve. Brings new meaning to the term stiff drink.
Samples of the world's oldest beer have been taken in a bid to determine its recipe - and brew it again.
In July 2010, a Baltic Sea shipwreck dated between 1800 to 1830 yielded many bottles of what is thought to be the world's oldest champagne.
Five of the bottles later proved to be the oldest drinkable beer yet found.
The local government of the Aland island chain where the wreck was found has now commissioned a scientific study to unpick the beer's original recipe.
Divers found the two-mast ship at a depth of about 50m in the Aland archipelago, which stretches between the coasts of Sweden and Finland in the Baltic Sea.
The ship was believed to be making a journey between Copenhagen in Denmark and St Petersburg, then the capital of Russia.
The salvaging operation to bring up 145 champagne bottles - since determined to include vintages from Heidseck, Veuve Clicquot and Juglar - had one casualty: a bottle that burst open at the surface, revealing itself to be beer.
The brew has already been sampled by four professional beer tasters.
"They said that it did taste very old, which is no surprise, with some burnt notes. But it was quite acidic - which could mean there's been some fermenting going on in the bottle and with time it's become acid," said Annika Wilhelmson of the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT).
VTT has now been commissioned to get to the bottom of the sunken beer's recipe.
"We're going to try to see if we can find any living yeast or other microbial cells, because that would be very interesting with respect to reproducing the beer," Dr Wilhelmson explained.
"So far we have seen under microscopes that there are yeast and bacterial cells, but we don't know if they're dead or alive yet. If we can't find living microbes, we will look at the DNA and try to compare it to brewing yeasts that we know today, to see how similar or different the yeasts are."
Pinning down which hops have been used on the basis of further chemical analysis may be difficult, Dr Wilhelmson added, meaning that reviving the 200-year-old brew for modern drinkers may prove difficult.
"Whatever we analyse, we're going to have to do a lot of interpreting," she said. "We need to analyse what it is today and start thinking about what it was like when it was made - when it was fresh, because it clearly isn't fresh now."
We’ve all encountered the problem of not having enough space in our mini-fridges because of all the beer we have jammed in there. Well, here’s a quick solution to the problem – for a couple pennies on the dollar, you can be the proud owner of one of these paperclips that make your very own Beeramid!
We know the saying, "don't judge a book by its cover", but what about beer? What if you had to choose 10 beers based solely on the artwork that covered the glass bottle each came in? The ten beers below would be on the top of our list if we to cast aside silly things like beer style or alcohol content.
10. Pass Time Pale Ale, Boulder Beer, Boulder Co. - Nothing makes us want to enjoy a cool one quite like the image portrayed on Pass Time Pale Ale. Sitting in an Andorak chair next to stream with a cooler of beer and a drinking buddy is our kind of afternoon
9. Rhinoceros, Telegraph Brewing Company, Santa Barbara, CA. - We love this label for its use of the rhinoceros. You don't see too many people using the image of these amazing animals on anything. The thought of a rhinoceros pulling a wagon of beer kegs through the streets in the 1920's instantly puts a smile on our face.
8. Dirty Guera Blonde Ale, Nimbus Brewery, Tucson, AZ - Hot chicks, monkey face, and a little cactus. All of the Nimbus labels are little works of art but the Dirty Guera gets us every time.
7. Delirium Nocturnum, Brouwerij Huyghe, Belgium - White bottle, shiny blue foil, and a pink elephant. A PINK ELEPHANT. Of course we are going to try this one, pink elephants are the best.
6. Mortality Stout, Reaper Ale, Lake Elsinore, Ca - Just like the name suggests, Reaper Ale definitely crosses over to the dark side with the artwork on their bottles. We like the use of the clock and crow to represent your impending doom after drinking this stout. It's only 7.75% but it might do you in.
5. Celebrator, Ayinger, Germany - Goats on a Doppelbock are no surprise (back in the day, ein bock translated to "billy goat" in Munich) but we really like the look of the Celebrator's label and it even has a little goat charm that hangs around the bottle's neck! (Full disclosure; the first time we purchased this beer, it was solely based on the goat charm)
4. Tail Waggin' Double White Ale, Grand Teton Brewing, Victor, ID - This little brewery out of Idaho puts out an awesome line of beers with really cute labels. Their Au natural almost made our list but the dogs beat out the naked lady. They almost make us wish we were sitting in the back of that truck.
3. The Lost Abbey Witch's Wit, Port Brewing, San Marcos, CA - We like the entire Lost Abbey line. They are beautiful and creative mini works of art. Others disagree and feel they are offensive and should be taken off the shelves due to it being offensive and promoting violence against women and witches. When we saw Gerome's painting, The Christian Martyr's last Prayer, we didn't ask The Getty to take it down. Either way, get your hands on one of these now, Port Brewing has announced that they will be changing the label.
2. Polygamy Porter, Wasatch Brewery, Salt Lake City, UT - This label isn't just pretty, it's ingenious.
1. Trois Pistoles, Unibroue, Quebec, Canada - One word --- Pegasus. No other beer label even comes close to being as truly epic as Unibroue's Trois Pistoles. Except for all the other Unibroue beers. But this one is our favorite.
Deciding on a top ten list of anything is usually pretty difficult. Unless you're talking about, say, the top ten numbers one through ten... narrowing down and choosing only ten of whatever often takes a great deal of effort.
When it comes to the world of beer, with the vast array of choices out there, things become extremely problematic. Luckily, choosing ten of the best cities in which to drink a beer isn't quite so difficult. While there are no definitive answers to the best places in the world to sip a brew -- and beer culture in certain areas changes from year to year -- there are certain cities that deserve special attention. In no particular order, here are 24 outstanding beer cities you should definitely try to visit with your mate -- or your bar mate.
Portland, Oregon, USA Portland is a beer lover's paradise. Often referred to as "Beervana" or "Beertown," the city boasts a collection of production breweries and brewpubs totaling a whopping 31 -- more breweries per capita than any other city in the world.
Well-known craft breweries Widmer Brothers and Pyramid call Portland home, as does near-cult status brewery Hair of the Dog, and popular craft breweries Rogue Ales and Deschutes Brewery operate brewpubs practically around the corner from one another. In addition to such a proliferation of great brewing operations, Portland is fairly well-regarded for its beer culture and gastronomy, making the city's title of "Beervana" difficult to refute.
Brussels, Belgium If Portland is leading America in the fine art of beer gastronomy, Brussels is certainly leading the way in Europe. While its sister to the south, France, is content with basking in the fame of the grape, Belgium has taken on the glory of the grain. The country is world-renowned for its unique beer specialties, many of which use spontaneous fermentation by wild yeasts and bacteria, and there's no better place to enjoy Belgium's famed beers and Cuisine à la Bière than its capital city, Brussels. However, if you're looking for a "beer vacation," be sure to check out this essential guide to Belgian breweries by region. San Francisco, California, USA For any lover of American craft beer, San Francisco could be considered the Mecca of the American beer world. It was here that Fritz Maytag purchased the floundering Anchor Steam Brewery in the mid-1960s, reviving not only the brewery but several near-extinct beer styles, and re-introduced Americans to styles like Barleywine, Winter Warmer and IPA.
It's no surprise, then, that San Francisco is thought of by many as the birthplace of the "craft beer revolution" in America, with Maytag the founding father. Maytag and his brewery are still churning out popular beers today, alongside many of the other breweries and brewpubs that have sprouted up, such as the popular 21st Amendment Brewery.
Bamberg, Germany No guide to good beer locale can truly be complete without the inclusion of Germany's historic city Bamberg. The city, located in the Franconia region of Bavaria, survived Allied bombings in the Second World War, and its Altstadt is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In Köln, Germany, Kobes (waiters) in the city's Brauereien, keep the 200ml glasses (Stangen) coming until you signal you're finished by placing a coaster over your drinking vessel.
But the city's biggest attraction for beer lovers: it's traditional specialty Rauchbier, or smoke beer, which uses malt dried over beechwood fires. The beer takes on a deep smoky flavor that pairs perfectly with smoked dishes, and nowhere can this specialty be enjoyed fresher or in greater quantity than in its historic hometown.
Dublin, Ireland Brewed and imbibed the world over, the prototypical Irish stout was first brewed up in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. The brewery celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2009, having been founded in 1759 when Arthur signed a 9,000-year lease for the spot at St. James's Gate. While every batch of Guinness stout brewed around the world uses a little of the original, visitors to Dublin know that it's best consumed at the source, served up from a cask at one of the city's classic pubs.
Köln (Cologne), Germany Cologne is another one of Germany's cities with its own special beer tradition: Here it'sKölsch, a pale, subtle top-fermented ale that drinks as easily as a light lager. Perhaps it's because it goes down so well that theKobes, waiters in the city's various Brauereien, keep the small 200ml glasses (called Stangen) coming until you signal you are finished by placing a coaster over your drinking vessel.
And because Kölsch is protected by an appellation, the city is the only place in the world to truly enjoy this delicacy, and to enjoy it fresh at that.
Atlanta, Georgia, USA Though the American South lagged for quite some time behind the rest of the country in embracing craft beer, it's catching up quickly. Next to Asheville, perhaps the greatest city in the South in which to enjoy beer is Georgia's capital, Atlanta.
Two award-winning production breweries operate in the city, Atlanta Brewing Company and Sweetwater, and brewpubs and great beer bars are scattered throughout. But for a real treat? Head to Decatur, where you'll find one of the nation's premier beer bars, the Brick Store Pub. Here you'll find constantly-rotating taps, a second bar dedicated to Belgian beer, an extensive bottle list, and a wonderfully eclectic, beery atmosphere.
München (Munich), Germany Not to mention Munichin a list of great cities in which to drink beer would be like leaving hops out of the libation -- sure, it can be done, but it just wouldn't seem right.
Though the traditional beer culture in many of Germany's cities seems to be slowly withering away, the famous beer halls of Munich's Altstadt, especially the (in)famous Hofbräuhaus, provide a jovial atmosphere full of kitschy charm stoked by huge liter mugs of beer freshly brewed on-premises. Then there is what is undoubtedly the most famous marriage-ceremony-turned-beer-festival in the world, the annual Oktoberfest celebration. Sure, there may be some cities in the world better-suited than Munich in which to enjoy beer, but there are none more well-equipped for drinking it.
Amsterdam, Netherlands Alcohol isn't the drug most associated with Amsterdam, but maybe it should be. Because of its central location, the Netherlands capital is practically overflowing with English and Belgian beers. It's also got cobblestone streets, scenic waterway views and beer bikes. Wait, beer bikes? Yep, in Amsterdam you can rent a bicycle that fits 10 to 20 people – and a full bar. So you can do your sightseeing and beer-guzzling at the same time.
Asheville, North Carolina, USA Underdog Asheville beat out brew king Portland in a battle for "Beer City USA" in 2009 and some Pacific Northwesterners will never forgive them. But they should. Along with a big city-worthy music scene, a drop-dead-gorgeous mountain backdrop and good old southern hospitality, Asheville has one brewery for every 10,000 of its citizens, including the rocking Highland Brewing Company. That puts it right at Portland's heels with the second most breweries per capita in the U.S.
Boston has a history rich in both rebellion and beer drinking. Heck, the rebellion may have started with beer drinking, as colonists met in taverns to plot against the English.
Boston, Massachusetts, USA Boston has a history rich in both rebellion and beer drinking. Heck, the rebellion may have started with beer drinking, as colonists met in the taverns to plot against the English. Some of those old bars still stand today, like the historic Green Dragon and the Warren Tavern, the oldest tavern in the state.
After the Revolution, Boston saw a surge of Irish immigrants – and Irish pubs, many of which are still pouring Guinness. But Beantown's culture of revolution isn't stuck in the past. Boston kicked off the microbrewery trend with one of the country's first craft brews, Samuel Adams.
Montreal, Quebec, Canada As arguably the most European city in North America, Montreal boasts brew houses that resemble British pubs and French taverns and beers that rival the best Irish stouts and Belgian wheats. At Le Cheval Blanc, the city's oldest brewpub, try a Canadian specialty like a maple or cranberry ale. Also like Europe, Montreal patrons like to stay out late – most bars don't open until late afternoon and stay open well into the wee hours of the morning.
San Diego, California, USA A sunny, semi-tropical paradise where serious craft brewers mingle with Corona-swigging surfers, San Diego was named the country's top beer city by Men's Journal. There are a mind-boggling 24 breweries mentioned on the San Diego Brewers Guild's Web site. One such brewer, Green Flash, is named for the phenomena purported to appear over the horizon at sunset as you sit sipping a cold one and noshing on fish tacos.
Fort Collins, Colorado, USA The Rockies don't just taste like Coors anymore, thanks to a certain broken bicycle. Before it swept the nation, New Belgium Brewery's toasty amber Fat Tire was dreamed up in a Fort Collins basement. Host of the Colorado Brewer's Festival, where else can you swig brews from up-and-comers like Big Horn Brewing Company (home of the Buttface Amber Ale), tour the first wind-powered brewery and also visit the home of the country's most famous beer maker, Anheuser Busch Brewery, all while surrounded by Old West storefronts and purple mountain's majesty?
Madison, Wisconsin, USA It can get cold in Wisconsin. Real cold. Fortunately, Cheeseheads have a history of warming their spirits with beer, wine and spirits. Like many U.S. cities, Madison has seen a rush of microbreweries in recent years, like Ale Asylum and The Great Dane Brewing Company. But lest you think the progressive college town's suds scene is getting snooty, remember you're in a state where sports bars still outnumber gastropubs by a long shot. Wisconsinites drink beer because it's their state mascot, because of their region's deep German roots and because, well, they really like beer.
Portland, Maine, USA Portland is home to six microbreweries, including the award-winning Shipyard Brewery. Gritty McDuff's in-house restaurant features outside seating which is dog-friendly. The state as a whole is home to a tremendous number of craft breweries, creating a beer culture that runs through the taps of the finest restaurants and the coolers of the simplest convenience stores. Be sure to pick up a six-pack to enjoy on the Casco Bay Lines sunset cruise, which allows discreet imbibing.
San Antonio, Texas, USA With its pedestrian-friendly climate and the Tex-Mex cuisine that invites pairing with good beer, the Riverwalk of San Antonio is a great city for beer drinking. Whether sitting and sipping beer while people watching, or strolling after sampling the offerings at any of the local brew pubs, the beauty and beer of San Antonio make a combination not be missed.
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
In New Orleans, it's not unusual to find great beer deals, such as "buy one get three free"; you can save enough on beer to cover your flight and hotel.
Nawlins is the undisputed home of amazing food, great music and parties that never end. The Quarter is the center of all of this. To-go cups are common, making it easy to continue the party as the mood motivates movement. It is not unusual to find great beer deals, such as "buy one get three free"; you can save enough on beer to cover flight and your hotel in a heartbeat.
And let's be honest, even if The Big Easy weren't that awesome, the city would still make this list, thanks exclusively to the incredible Abita Brewery.
Key West, Florida, USA Key West has "end of the world syndrome." As the Southernmost point of the North American continent -- and home to the country's southernmost brewery -- Key West boasts an eclectic group of locals and visitors, which translates to a (nearly) judgment-free zone. It is also another one of the few places where beer is offered in to-go cups, allowing you to wander the streets and sample the music in any of the open-air venues before committing to going in to any one of them.
Seattle, Washington, USA Seattle is also known for having a bit of the "end of the world" syndrome. While the climate is not as bad as it is reputed to be, it is not quite as welcoming as that of Key West. Regardless, the weather is more than compensated for by the music and microbrew culture. Seattle itself is home to a slew of brew pubs and six breweries, including the now bi-coastal Red Hook Brewery.
Burlington, Vermont, USA There is much to be said for the atmosphere of a college town. It doesn't fit the pattern of "end of the world" syndrome, but it still has an atmosphere of acceptance. Even better, Burlington is strongly influenced by the presence of Magic Hat Brewery (located in nearby South Burlington) and is host to the annual Vermont Brewers Festival. Located on the banks of Lake Champlain and surrounded by Vermont's trademark mountains, Burlington is a perfect beer-love nest.
Northampton, Massachusetts, USA NoHo, as locals call it, is far from your average college town. Local schools range from the University of Massachusetts to two of the Seven Sisters. You will be hard-pressed to find an establishment that doesn't have at least one beer you've never tried, with plenty of street performers to entertain you from site to site. A short drive will take you from the city's center to the Northampton Brewery and restaurant to cap off your visit.
Baltimore, Maryland, USA Every city on this list celebrates its beers. To that end, Baltimore hosts Baltimore Beer Week, which, appropriately, is a ten day celebration. The city proper boasts several breweries, and the bars in town pride themselves on the variety of craft beers on tap. Just remember that when the bartender calls you "Hon," it's not flirting – it's just the city's trademark hospitality.
-- The above was written by Cate Kulak, Seed contributor.
If you've been counting, you'll see we've only listed 23 cities. So what happened to City Number 24? Well, we meant to include 24, but when we looked over our research, some of our notes were too hard to read. So we'll just close with this: whatever city you're in, enjoying with friends or family and a cold beer -- that's the 24th city on the list.
When a German brewery announced it had beaten the British held world record for the strongest beer, it was a matter of national pride to win it back.
The beer wars (yes we're going there) started back in November when Scottish firm Brew Dog launched a 32% abv brew, called Tactical Nuclear Penguin, the world's strongest beer.
It instantly took the record from the German brewer Schorschbräu'sSchorschbock 31(a measly 31% abv) - a fact the Germans were non too happy about.
In fact, they spent the next couple of months creating Schorschbock 40, which unsurprisingly came in at 40% and was released a couple of weeks ago, taking the record back east to Germany. It was good, too.
But now the Scots have hit back with a 41% volume ale, aptly named 'Sink The Bismarck!' which will sell for £40 per 330ml bottle and more importantly bring the record back to Blighty.
James Watt of Brew Dog said: "This is just an amazing experience on your palate, there is so so much bitterness there it punishes you.
"There's a sweetness from the malt and there is an avalanche of hops coming at you. Wolfgang is not going to like this."
The beer launch was also accompanied by a light-hearted video jibe at the Germans. Keep reading for that and our league of some of the strongest beers in the world...
Guess where the first place in the UK was to get their mitts on this German potion. Scotland!
The West brewery and bar on Glasgow Green sold 25ml tots of the German brew - which had an alcohol content of 40 per cent - for £10.
Owner Petra Wetzel decided to import Schorschbock 40 after Fraserburgh firm BrewDog launched their 32 per cent alcohol beer Tactical Nuclear Penguin (below).
Petra, from Bavaria, Germany, said: "Schorschbock 40 has a totally unique flavour that will appeal to any beer connoisseur. You have to drink it like whisky, although it really tastes like beer. It's a bit like light, golden beer. There are only 40 bottles of it in the world. We have two. We are restricting sales of Schorschbock to one measure per customer." Harsh... but probably wise.
Tactical Nuclear Penguin - UK - Scotland - Brew Dog - 32% abv - £30 per bottle
Madcap Scottish brewing maestro Brew Dog launched the then world's strongest beer to a volley of criticism from health chiefs, back in November 2009.
The 32% abv brew, called Tactical Nuclear Penguin (great name), took over the mantle as the world's strongest beer from German concoction Schorschbraerm (a measly 31% abv).
The incredible strength was attained when the beer, which started life as a 10 percent imperial stout, was aged for 16 months in two different whisky casks before being stored in a freezer at a ball-shriveling -20°C for three weeks.
This eisbock beer is made by freezing a doppelbock brew then removing the ice to concentrate the flavour and alcohol content. It is deep copper in colour with ruby highlights and tastes intensely hoppy and sweet.
The bock is a traditional brew that goes back to the 14th century, when apparently, binge drinking was still a bit of a problem.
Sam Adam's Utopias - USA - Boston Beer Company - 24% abv - £56 per bottle
Not only is it one of the strongest beers in the world, Samuel Adams Utopias is also among the world's most expensive. Only 8,000 of the limited edition brew were made and came in this odd copper kettle (left).
Boston Beer Company, the brewer responsible for Utopias, said the beer was designed to be enjoyed slowly as an after dinner tipple.
Brewery founder Jim Koch said: "We are passionate about brewing quality, one-of-a-kind beer that amazes beer lovers and aficionados alike."
World Wide Stout - USA - Dogfish Head - 23% abv - £12 for 6 (plus £25 p&p)
This burly little stout is a pitch black malty number designed for sipping rather than gulping. Head retention can be a problem due to it's hefty alcohol content, but by the time you've finished a bottle you probably won't care.
This Delaware based brewers has garnered a reputation for supremely crafted ales in a very short space of time since they started churning out beers in 1995.
Tokyo - UK - Brew Dog - 18.2% abv - £47.35 for 24
According to the Brew Dog website this Stout was inspired by Space Invaders.
They also claim: "The irony of existentialism, the parody of being and the inherent contradictions of post-modernism, all so delicately conveyed by the blocky, pixelated arcade action have all been painstakingly recreated in this bottles contents."
Which oddly makes us want to try it. We've never tasted contradiction before, well apart from, like, kinder eggs.
Beer is like bacon, you can add it to anything and it will improve in quality exponentially, but you can only make so many clock, bottle opener, and beer queso dip variations before you have to start getting creative. These products are the result of ingenious engineering, baking, botany, and – in some cases – mad science. Feast your eyes on the products you probably thought about making that someone else is getting rich off of.
Giving showers a nice hops or malt aroma makes the daily ritual more of a party than the chore it really is. With Beer Soap you might actually want to take a shower before the game on Sunday.
Integrating beer into every aspect of your life isn’t so much a goal as it is a calling. With Regenerativ beer shampoo you can make your hair harder, better, faster, stronger without making your stomach jealous.
Now you can get that fresh brewery smell without all the equipment, botany, and waiting and at a cost that will still leave you a couple of bucks for a sixer to enjoy.
Talk about planning for the future, this dude isn’t even dead yet. Hopefully PBR hooked this guy up with free cases for life because if he loves it enough to get it on his coffin it’s probably not going to last too much longer.
Men love cake almost as much as they love beer. Cupcakes remove the need for a fork and adding beer is like adding bacon to ice cream – you don’t need it, but damn is it good.
Instead of recycling beer bottles on the curb, Barlite chose to green them into light fixtures. Because it’s art and she will have to might let you hang it in the living room.
Putting a handle on a can of beer is the beverage equivalent of tits on a bull – totally unnecessary and mostly insane – but we still love it. Keeps your beer cold, your hands warm, and comes in a six pack – just like beer.
You could keep all your daily thoughts, musings, and phone numbers in a moleskin, but these days those things are as ubiquitous as iPods. Plus you don’t really want your black book to actually be a black book, it’s just too easy. If your journal is made out of your favorite beer case your much more likely to write in it and less likely to lose it.
This is one tie no man would have a problem wearing to work (Just make sure you buy one for your boss so he doesn’t have a problem with you wearing it). Then, when you get home – or to lunch – you won’t even have to worry about finding an opener.
We’ve all lived around that one guy that made everyone else look bad when it came to decorating for the holidays. These trees make that guy look like the Grinch. These are technically individual products so much as they are a testament to what you can do with a weekend, a few buddies, and a dozen (or so) cases of beer. Next time she takes a “spa day,” make something out of the empties (she might not be as pissed when she gets back).
This is one beer belly none of us would mind having. In what is sure to become the “next big thing” at sporting events, this covert apparatus allows you sneak up to 80oz into whatever event you want. Don’t get drunk on power and try to sneak it into the baby shower or you’ll ruin it for the rest of us.
Cuffs are no longer just for rock stars and Wonder Woman. Now you can help support your favorite brewery and stop errant quarters, darts, or bags with style. Well, as much style as you can possibly have while essentially wearing a beer can on your wrist.
The hoodie is man’s go-to piece of clothing for lounging around. When you’re lounging, nothing hits the spot like an ice cold brew, but bad things happen when you leave rings on the table. Abstain no longer because now you can keep your arms and legs inside the recliner and still work on that buzz.
Is there any greater combination than beer and football? No; so why not permanently combine the two by showing NFL Network through your home bar. If you wired it creatively you would never even have to leave your barstool for a refill.
Sometimes even Delirium Tremens cannot fill the beer sized void in your stomach. When that time comes, it’s time to get down and dirty and start brewing your own. With a Beer Garden, you can grow your hops, barley, and wheat in something so manly the only words out of your buddies mouths will be “when can we drink it?”
God only knows what crazy combination of geek and engineer dreamed up (and created) a beer filled usb drive, but he’s a genius in our book. The only question that remains is how you get the beer out after a hard day at the office.
Not looking forward to attending the great nephew’s Christening? Now with Tiger Piss, Clown Tears, and Diet Wow! you can still get your Tecate on without incurring the wrath of the wife or mother-in-law. Just make sure you bring enough for all the boys or you’ll end up off the Vegas list.
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All you art collectors out there. Here is a chance to get a Giclee copy of some of Ian M Sherwin work. Ian is planning on doing a whole series of Marblehead, Massachusetts paintings. His work is amazing.
Deciding on a top ten list of anything is usually pretty difficult. Unless you're talking about, say, the top ten numbers one through ten... narrowing down and choosing only ten of whatever often takes a great deal of effort.
For any lover of American craft beer, San Francisco could be considered the Mecca of the American beer world. It was here that Fritz Maytag purchased the floundering Anchor Steam Brewery in the mid-1960s, reviving not only the brewery but several near-extinct beer styles, and re-introduced Americans to styles like Barleywine, Winter Warmer and IPA.
Though the American South lagged for quite some time behind the rest of the country in embracing craft beer, it's catching up quickly. Next to Asheville, perhaps the greatest city in the South in which to enjoy beer is Georgia's capital, Atlanta.
A sunny, semi-tropical paradise where serious craft brewers mingle with Corona-swigging surfers, San Diego was named the country's top beer city by Men's Journal. There are a mind-boggling 24 breweries mentioned on the San Diego Brewers Guild's Web site. One such brewer, Green Flash, is named for the phenomena purported to appear over the horizon at sunset as you sit sipping a cold one and noshing on fish tacos.
Portland is home to six microbreweries, including the award-winning Shipyard Brewery. Gritty McDuff's in-house restaurant features outside seating which is dog-friendly. The state as a whole is home to a tremendous number of craft breweries, creating a beer culture that runs through the taps of the finest restaurants and the coolers of the simplest convenience stores. Be sure to pick up a six-pack to enjoy on the Casco Bay Lines sunset cruise, which allows discreet imbibing.
There is much to be said for the atmosphere of a college town. It doesn't fit the pattern of "end of the world" syndrome, but it still has an atmosphere of acceptance. Even better, Burlington is strongly influenced by the presence of Magic Hat Brewery (located in nearby South Burlington) and is host to the annual Vermont Brewers Festival. Located on the banks of Lake Champlain and surrounded by Vermont's trademark mountains, Burlington is a perfect beer-love nest.
When a German brewery announced it had beaten the British held world record for the strongest beer, it was a matter of national pride to win it back. 
Schorschbock 40 - Germany - Schorschbräu - 40% abv - £45 per bottle
Tactical Nuclear Penguin - UK - Scotland - Brew Dog - 32% abv - £30 per bottle
Schorschbock 31 - Germany - Schorschbräu - 31% abv - £45 per bottle
Sam Adam's Utopias - USA - Boston Beer Company - 24% abv - £56 per bottle
World Wide Stout - USA - Dogfish Head - 23% abv - £12 for 6 (plus £25 p&p)
Tokyo - UK - Brew Dog - 18.2% abv - £47.35 for 24
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