7 Most Expensive Beers
Although wines and champagnes top the list of expensive alcoholic drinks, pricey beer bottles have popped up in the past few decades. And with National Beer Lovers Day coming up, it’s time to highlight these expensive drinks that have become popular despite their high costs. Here are the seven most expensive beers ever sold:
1. Tutankhamun Ale - $7,686
Named after the young Egyptian king and son-in-law of the famed Queen Nefertiti, the Tutankhamun Ale is the most expensive beer in the world. Although the beer’s cost significantly decreased over the years ($52 per bottle), the first bottle that was sold cost a whopping $7,686. It was developed by Scottish brewer Jim Merrington together with a team of researchers but his brewery has since closed down.
The brew was actually a result of a discovery made by Cambridge archaeologist Dr. Barry Kemp in 1990. He unearthed 10 brewing chambers that operated during Nefertiti’s rule in Ancient Egypt. The discovery also included a 3,000-year-old recipe that was passed on to Merrington who eventually developed the Tutankhamun Ale. With the beer no longer in production, some collectors may price it even higher.
2. Vieille Bon Secours - $1,165
Although it has lost the title of being the most expensive beer in the world, the Vieille Bon Secours from Belgian ale brewer Caulier is by no means cheap. One particular 12-liter beer bottle was discovered in the cellar of London’s Belgo Bierodrome restaurant in 2009 selling for £700 ($1,165). Each pint will set customers back £33 ($60).
Only 12 bottles of the Vieille Bon Secours were ever produced, so it isn’t surprising for each bottle to cost a thousand dollars. Some retailers may not even sell their own collection simply because of the beer’s rarity.
3. BrewDog The End of History - $832
Encased in a taxidermied squirrel or stoat (all roadkill as per the packaging), The End of History is a product of Scottish brewer BrewDog and costs $832. Only 11 bottles of this 55% ABV beer were produced which was named after a book by Francis Fukuyama.
Founded in 2007, BrewDog has grown to become a multinational company with multiple distilleries in the United States, Germany, and Australia. Some of its best-sellers include the Punk IPA, Hazy Jane, and Elvis Juice. The company recently partnered with Japan beer giant Asahi in an effort to boost overseas sales.
4. Antarctic Nail Ale - $800
Costing $800, the Antarctic Nail Ale is a limited edition Australian Pale Ale from brewer Jarrah Jacks. Only 30 bottles were produced of this beer partly made of water melted from a block of Antarctic ice. Jarrah Jacks sold the bottles as part of a fund-raising activity for Sea Shepherd Australia, a non-profit organization that aims to protect the ocean ecosystem. The first bottle was sold in auction for $800.
Jarrah Jacks was founded in 2005 and was a recipient of numerous awards, including the best Western Australian beer at the Australian International Beer Show in 2009. Unfortunately, the Australian government shut down the microbrewery in 2011 after it failed to comply with excise tax returns.
5. Carlsberg Jacobsen Vintage - $374
Popular Danish brewer Carlsberg released its exclusive Jacobsen Vintage collection in 2008 with the company listing Vintage No. 1 as the most expensive: around $374 to $400 per 375ml bottle. Made from Swedish and French oak barrels, only 600 bottles of the 10.5% ABV beer were sold.
The Jacobsen, which was only sold to collectors and three upscale restaurants in the Denmark capital of Copenhagen, is also labeled with an original lithographic print by Danish artist Frans Kannik. Carlsberg is one of the oldest and largest breweries in the world. It currently has a portfolio of more than 150 beer brands including Carlsberg (original Carlsberg beer, special brew, Elephant beer), Jacobsen (Denmark), Tuborg (Denmark), 1664 (France), Grimbergen (Belgium), and Holsten (Germany), among many others.
6. Schorschbräu Schorschbock 57 - $275
A creation of German brewer Schorschbräu, the company claims that the Schorschbock 57 is the strongest beer in the world (57.5% ABV). Although the claim is still up for debate, no one is arguing that the Schorschbock 57 is highly expensive costing $275 per 330ml bottle.
Only 36 bottles of the super-strong beer were sold in 2011 with each bottle made from freezing off a portion of the water, then removing it from the beer to increase the body, flavor, and alcohol content. A decade later, Schorschbräu still hasn’t stopped its quest to create the “world’s strongest beer”. It recently partnered with BrewDog to create the “Strength in Numbers”, a 40ml beer comprising 57.8% ABV.
7. Samuel Adams Utopias - $238
One of the most popular breweries in the United States, Samuel Adams also sells an expensive beer in the form of the Utopias. The American strong ale comes in a special bottle and sells between $150 and $600 depending on the edition. It’s also the most expensive beer in the United States despite being banned in 11 states.
First released in 2002, the Utopias is composed of 28% ABV and is made from caramel, smoked malts (Vienna, Moravian, and Bavarian), and four varieties of noble hops (Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, Tettnanger, Spalter, and Saaz). Each batch is released every two years and is aged in Scotch, Cognac, and Port barrels for around 18 months.
In Closing
Much like most drinks, beer hasn’t been exempted from being given the luxury treatment. With the ingredients added in these brews, price tags of a hundred dollars onward are already a given. The most expensive beer may cost $7,000 today but it won’t be long before one brewery tries to make something even pricier.
