BIRRA ARTIGIANALE (“DEMON HUNTER”)
Birrificcio Montegioco 8.5% ABV – Italy
I
T DOESN’T TAKE A BEER SNOB TO SEE THAT THERE ARE MORE CHOICES AVAILABLE FOR BEER DRINKERS THAN MOLSON, MILLER AND BUDWEISER THESE DAYS.
In the years following World War II, brewers throughout the United States and Canada sought to manu-
facture standardized beers that could be mass-produced and delivered over wide geographic areas, sound- ing the death knell for the regional breweries that had reigned throughout the 1800s up until Prohibition. During the 1950s and 1960s, mega-breweries such as Anheuser-Busch and Schlitz became household
brands in the US. But in the late 1970s, a beer backlash began as San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing Company helped popularize the art of “craft brewing,” a process that enabled exotic beer production on a smaller scale, and featured more nuanced flavours for discerning drinkers. Craft brewing thrived throughout the ’80s and ’90s to the point where, today, one can find hundreds of
craft brews and imports at the local beer store. In a crowded market, brewers have relied on eye-catching names and shocking labels – many of which include horror and occult imagery – to help them stand out from the competition. Here are ten of the coolest spooky beers on the market.
This sickly sweet malt tastes a bit like a cherry Lambic (a form of Belgian beer fer- mented for at least a year), but it’s murkier, swimming with the sediment of spices and hops. Despite its grim name, Demon Hunter is packed with the fruity flavours of wild berries, ap- ples and plums. Available in an imposing 29.4 ounce bottle, wrapped in a paper jacket displaying a decapi- tated demon head dangling from a chain, this beer looks more like a wine. Not for tailgating, but it’s a tasty summer or fall diversion.
SEE ALSO: Les Brasseurs de Gayant’s La Bière Du Démon (“The Demon’s Beer”), Bear Brew Pub’s Black Demon Stout
DEAD GUY ALE Rogue Ales
6.5% ABV – USA
This deep honey-coloured ale may not be seasoned by a rotting corpse crammed into an old wooden keg, but it does pack a distinct punch. A tart brew in the style of a German Maibock, Dead Guy Ale is a tangy, smoky- flavoured ale with a slight hint of chocolate. The dis- tinctive Dead Guy label was developed to celebrate the Mayan Day of the Dead and proved to be extremely popular, especially among Grateful Dead fans. One of the most widely available ghoulish brews out there.
SEE ALSO: Rogue Double Dead Guy Ale
CORNE DU DIABLE
Microbrasserie Dieu du Ciel 6.5% ABV – Canada
A rich American-style India
pale ale (IPA) with a creamy head and a smooth body. Dry hop-brewed, Corne du diable (which translates to “horn of the devil”) is a full-bodied ale with heavy caramel flavours and a hoppy aroma. The label portrays a relaxed Lucifer, kicking back with one hand in his pocket, seemingly scan- ning the room for hot de- monistas. In his right hand, his devil’s horn makes a slammin’ pimp cup.
SEE ALSO: Microbrasserie Dieu du Ciel Péché Mortel (“Mortal Sin”), Rigor Mortis Blonde
CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN
Buxton Brewing Company 7.0% ABV – England
Last summer, England’s Bux- ton Brewing Company signed an agreement with Hammer Films to produce three Ham- mer-themed beers, which is sold throughout Europe. The announcement coincided with the annual Bram Stoker International Film Festival in Yorkshire. Curse of Frankenstein is a very strong (natch) full-bodied India pale ale. Though it can’t be found in stores on these shores, it will be available online at hammer-
houseofbeer.com.
SEE ALSO: Coffin Ale, Dracula’s Desire
RM34
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