Beers are usually pretty affordable but some brewers dream up limited edition suds that range from expensive splurges to ones with mind-bendingly brutal price tags that only a person with heavy pocket could imagine paying for, let alone actually cracking open. These rare bottles are available in limited quantities, which isn’t particularly surprising. But what is a little shocking in some cases is what makes them expensive.
Some beers are barrel-aged for seemingly excessive amounts of time, defying the convention that fresh beer is good beer and old beer is digestive distress waiting to happen. Others feature bizarre bottles or unconventional brewing techniques that make them stand out among the crowd. And still others use unique ingredients that drive up the price and pedigree of the beer to levels heretofore unknown.
Sam Adams Utopias: Cask aged and blended from batches of beer spending time in everything from Portuguese muscatel finishing casks to bourbon, sherry, Cognac and brandy barrels, this is a beer with a pedigree. The brew is a strong one at 27 percent ABV, allowing it to age without getting skunked. At these levels, beer comes across more like a liqueur and this one is no exception, with a rich maple syrup undertone and a boozy warmth that’s rare among beers.
Brewdog The End of History: Few men can claim to have drank beer from a squirrel carcass. Fewer still can say they sipped a beer that weighs in at 55 percent ABV. Those happy few are the ones who opened their wallets to the tune of nearly $800 for the privilege of being one of 12 people to own a bottle of The End of History. Brewdog is a U.K brewer known for pushing the boundaries of beer, and The End of History is the culmination of their art.
Antarctic Nail Ale: Nail Brewing is an Australian brewer with a commitment to environmental responsibility. In fact, the founder’s own brother is a crew member on the Sea Shepherd – the controversial eco-crusaders featured on the Animal Planet show “Whale Wars.” To support his brother’s cause, Nail Brewing’s founder, John Smallwood, brewed up a special ale to benefit the cause. The Sea Shepherd brought back ice from the Antarctic to use as the base for a 30 bottle run of Nail Ale. These 30 bottles sold at auction for hefty prices, with the first bottle going for $800.
Vielle Bon Secours: This expensive beer costs around £500 (equivalent to around $1,000) per bottle or about £39 (equivalent to around $78) per pint. It can only be found in a bar called the Bierdrome in London.
Tutankhamen Brew: The recipe of this brew is prepared according to the recipe and brewing method discovered by a team of University of Cambridge archaeologists/Egyptologists in the Queen Nefertiti’s Temple of the Sun in Egypt. The brewery found in the corner of the said temple is believed to have been built by King Akhenaton who is King Tutankhamen’s father.
Carlsberg Vintage 3: It costs around $348 per bottle. The Carlsberg Group, a brewing company founded in 1847 and named after founder J. C. Jacobsen’s son Carl, is best known for their light-bodied lager, Carlsberg Pilsner (also known as Carlsberg Beer or Carlsberg Hof).
