One of the World’s Most Alcoholic Beers to Land on American Soil
Avid beer aficionados in the U.S. and those who just love to get bombed will soon have great reason to celebrate. Why? Because one of the latest creations of Scottish microbrewery BrewDog is coming to the U.S. That creation is the 32-percent alcohol beer dubbed Tactical Nuclear Penguin, which according to Beer Advocate is the third strongest beer in the world and the strongest to be sold in the U.S. According to BrewDog, 400 bottles of the absurdly alcoholic beer will be distributed to select stores in California and New York. The list of U.S. locations to sell the beer includes a Whole Foods market.
How did this happen, one might ask? How was this Frankenstein of a beer even brewed to begin with? Apparently, there has been a beer war of sorts raging in Europe. Microbreweries have been challenging each other to up the percentage alcohol content in small batch brews and the result has been beer that could pass for whiskey in its effect on the body. Time magazine covered some of the drama between the microbreweries:
Some alcohol watchdog groups aren’t laughing. The chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, Jack Law, has blasted BrewDog’s high-alcohol products as “irresponsible,” especially at a time when Scotland is experiencing “severe alcohol-related problems.” In December BrewDog received a wrist-slap from a British alcohol regulatory body, the Portman Group, which ordered that retailers pull the company’s 18.2% Tokyo beer brand off the shelves because of the its marketing tactics. A note on the Tokyo label says: “It is all about moderation. Everything in moderation, including moderation itself. What logically follows is that you must, from time, have excess. This beer is for those times.” After the beer was pulled, BrewDog came out with a 1.1% alcohol by volume brew meant to tame the critics. Its name: Nanny State.
The drinking games continued in February when a German Brewer, Schorschbrau, released a 40% alcohol-by-volume beer called Schroschbock. The BrewDog boys fired back a few weeks later: it’s latest high-octane concoction, Sink the Bismarck!, checks in at 41%, enough to reclaim the “world’s strongest beer” mantle (the name is a not-so-subtle reference to the famous German battleship deployed during World War II).
For now, Sink the Bismarck! is only available for purchase on BrewDog’s website, and the 500 or so bottles that BrewDog has produced are already sold out. Watt promises that more are on the way. Because of the painstaking process involved with producing such a strong drink, an 11.2-ounce bottle of Sink The Bismarck! costs some $60, minus shipping. Tactical Nuclear Penguin costs about $53 bucks a bottle, and can also be ordered online.”
At $53 dollars a bottle, Tactical Nuclear Penguin will not be the average Friday night frat party brew. Don’t worry, Natty Ice, your monopoly is safe. For those who can obtain a bottle, through whatever means necessary, it should be the kind of exotic elixir that is savored, contemplated and then gone before you realize the room swirling around you. Of course, it does come with a warning, a cheeky note from BrewDog to the drinker:
“This is an extremely strong beer; it should be enjoyed in small servings and with an air of aristocratic nonchalance. It is exactly the same manner you would enjoy a fine whiskey, a Frank Zappa album or a visit from a friendly yet anxious ghost.”
Last but not least, a video created by BrewDog for the beer. Something else to go viral before their beer does so in the U.S.
via Super-High Alcohol Beer Heads to the U.S. – TIME.
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Tokyo already tastes faintly of ethanol. Can’t really imagine doubling the alcohol content. I’ve had the strongest lager in the world (Samichlaus), but my wallet’s too light to come close on the ale front.
Zach,
I would love to try these beers. I’m a big IPA fan and would rather have one or two good beers that give me a nice buzz rather anything else. How was the world’s strongest lager? What was the alcohol percentage on that?
In response to another comment. See in context »Not very high relative to strong ales… 14% maybe? More info here – http://www.ratebeer.com/Story.asp?StoryID=16
Hit up Max’s Tap House if you’re ever in Baltimore if you want to try the world’s best beers. Just redid their taps; over 100 now I think and a bunch of casks.
In response to another comment. See in context »Speaking as a Milwaukeean, I can only applaud this development. Nonetheless, I have to ask- is a 64 proof beverage really a beer? Tactical Nuclear Penguin (love the name- $53 per 11.2 oz bottle, not so much) seems like something that should be enjoyed by the snifter, rather than by the pitcher or pint. If it’s a liqueur, it might be very tasty, but I’m not sure that it can really still be a beer.
ncfrommke,
I think we should all applaud this development. I do think it is a still a beer, mainly because of what it was made of and how it was made. The price is tough, I agree. I would not be surprised if there is a special glassware to drink this beer. It should come with the bottle. hell, you should get a free penguin with each beer.
In response to another comment. See in context »As a home brewer myself, I find most of these high alcohol beers to be an exercise of technical curiosity and excess. I would still call it “beer” because it is fermented by allowing yeast to convert malt sugars extracted from grain (usually barley).
What makes these beers different is that they probably need more than one breed of yeast to finish fermentation. Conventional ale or lager yeasts do not work well at percentages higher than 20% ABV. I’ve heard of using Champagne yeast to push the fermentation farther.
As for morality, it would be like trying to make a dish with more fat or sodium than anything else of that style. Of course it’s not good for a typical person. Nevertheless, there are gastronomic experiences that some people would like to try. And so, are we going to get worked up over this? Or are we going to shrug and let these brew masters have their day?
Personally, I think it’s interesting. As long as there is a market, and as long as people know what they’re buying, I see no reason to get upset.
Jake,
I am glad a homebrewer chimed in here. There is a whole story about how they got to such a high alcohol content. They froze the beer in an ice cream freezer at low temps to bring the percentage alcohol up. I know this is done with other beers, but I guess they took it to the extreme. I am going to let them have their day, and try to get my hands on one of these Tactical Nuclear Penguins in the process.
In response to another comment. See in context »Ugh. That is similar to the methods used to create Apple Jack. The problem with boosting alcohol this way is that it includes other alcohols besides just ethanol. You’ll be fortunate if the only thing you get from this beer is a significant headache. If consumed in significant quantity it may actually poison you.
For those familiar with ethanol distillation processes, these are the alcohols in the “heads” that one is supposed to discard. If this competition were simply about alcohol content, take a bottle of 190 proof vodka and pour it in your beer. Now that I know more about how this beer was brewed, I have no interest in drinking it. This stuff is basically rotgut in a bottle.
In response to another comment. See in context »But how does it taste? I mean, it’s obviously of a higher caliber than something like Steel Reserve or Colt 45, but I can’t imagine you don’t sacrifice some flavor in pumping up the alcohol content like that.
I’ll stick with my delicious Belgians, thank you very much.
Joseph,
I have no idea how it tastes. But if i can convince someone to send me a bottle I’ll let you know. The other commenter mentioned one of their other high alcohol beers already has a hint of ether to it. Cheers on the Belgians!
In response to another comment. See in context »Sorry that was ethanol, not ether.
In response to another comment. See in context »At least the price will deter irresponsible and frequent drinkers from purchasing, but doesn’t seem like the taste would be all too appealing. Some sources even claim Americans couldn’t handle it: http://bit.ly/d8ykkD
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