strongest beer

[hondo]

A Dutch brewer with a penchant for competition has laid claim to creating the world's strongest brew: a beer that is some 60 per cent alcohol by volume.

"You don't drink it like beer, but like a cocktail — in a nice whisky or cognac glass," brewer Jan Nijboer told Dutch news agency ANP.

Nijboer's Almere-based brewery, 't Koelschip (The Refrigerated Ship), sells the new beer, which is 120 proof and dubbed "Start the Future," in a one-third litre bottle for 35 euros ($45) each.

Nijboer told ANP he developed the new brew to keep up with Scottish outfits that were also pushing the boundaries of beer's alcohol content.

His previous record-holder, a beer called Oblix that was 90 proof (45 per cent alcohol by volume), was eclipsed by a Scottish beer that reached 55 per cent.

That beer, dubbed "The End of History," was announced last week by a small brewery called BrewDog. Only 12 bottles were made, each housed inside a stuffed dead animal and sold starting at 500 pounds ($780) each.

"It has become a little competition," Nijboer said.

[ETA]

What's the point? (Of the beer I mean, not the article)

[RogerB]

Why don't they just rebrand an industrial weedkiller and pass it off as beer? Any brewery that is going down this "our beer's stronger than your beer" route is losing any sense of credibility with me.

[Conrad]

Why don't they just rebrand an industrial weedkiller and pass it off as beer? Any brewery that is going down this "our beer's stronger than your beer" route is losing any sense of credibility with me.

Typically though with that loss of credibility they seem to be guaranteed much free advertising. I have to admit that sadly that aspect does impress me.

[oldboots]

Typically though with that loss of credibility they seem to be guaranteed much free advertising.

Free advertising is what it's about (with a little bit of brewing geekery along the lines of "how far can we push the envelope?")

Lots of people have heard of Brewdog how many have heard of Williams Brothers? a similar sized Scottish brewery that makes rather good beer (crap bottle labels, though getting better)

[ETA]

I find it hard to believe that thi sbeer i sactually "brewed" as a beer as such.

My reasoning is that the yeast is surely killed off when the alcohol level reaches around 20%abv. That suggests another process must take place afterwards, effectively making it a liqueur.

If Brewerybird is reading, I know you're a yeast expert - any clarification?

[Wittenden]

I find it hard to believe that thi sbeer i sactually "brewed" as a beer as such.

My reasoning is that the yeast is surely killed off when the alcohol level reaches around 20%abv. That suggests another process must take place afterwards, effectively making it a liqueur.

If Brewerybird is reading, I know you're a yeast expert - any clarification?

I've heard mention of some form of distillation, which begs the question of whether it's a beer at all, or some form of scotch.Brewdog are masters of hype, and the blogosphere rings with praise for them, but I've never seen, let alone tried, any of their beers. A likely source is TESCO. Our local branch doesn't have it, but I don't make a habit of shopping there.

[Conrad]

We have touched on this in the past where oldboots gave me somewhat of an answer.