Six Outrageous Craft Brews to Try
Craft beer is all the rage these days, but if you want to take your favorite carbonated adult beverage to the next level, try one of these outrageously flavored beers. From an imperial stout brewed with seaweed and marshmallow to a Stone Crab Stout that’s recipe includes real stone crabs, these are 6 of the quirkiest microbrews on the market.
1. Adroit Theory Brewing, Loudoun, VA: Death of Cthulhu
Bizarre beer No. 1 is by Adroit Theory Brewing and is an imperial stout brewed with seaweed, marshmallows and a variety of coffees, bourbon soaked nuts and honey. The brewery is known for creating quirky beers, so as such the Death of Cthulhu is not alone. The Potion of Healing is another interesting concoction. It’s a light bodied, incredibly aromatic beer brewed with Belgian style yeast and yuzu, birch and orange blossoms.
2. Pleasure House Brewing Company, Virginia Beach, VA: Shark Tears
Pleasure House Brewing Company incorporates local ingredients, including ocean salt from sea water, into its beers. The Shark Tears beer is a kettle-soured beer that is brewed with salt that was reduced in house from 20 gallons of ocean water. Beyond the hint of saltiness, this light-bodied beer includes fruit tones thanks to the addition of chopped rhubarb that was steeped in the souring wort. It’s definitely a one of a kind flavor.
3. Lost Signal Brewing, Springfield, MO: Atomic Wedgie a PB&J Ale
Lost Signal Brewing has created a beer that really tastes like a liquid peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The jelly flavor in this American/English-style amber ale comes from raspberry and blackberry puree added during the brewing process. And of course there is also plenty of peanut butter. The seasonal beer is creamy and delicious.
4. Puyallup River Brewing, Puyallup, WA : Pineapple Ghost Pepper Cream Ale
Sweetness meets spice in this seasonal beer by Puyallup River Brewing. During the brewing process the cream ale has kiln dried ghost pepper pods and pineapple added, and it comes out tasting perfectly of both. The brewery bottles this 5% ABV beer in 22oz bottles and it’s available from late May through September.
5. Coppertail Brewing Co., Key West, Florida: Captain Jack’s Stone Crab Stout
And then there is the Captain Jack’s Stone Crab Stout by Coppertail Brewing Co. It features the most unique ingredient we’ve ever tasted in a beer: stone crab. While using shellfish in beer brewing is not unheard of — oyster stouts were popular for a number of years on the East Coast for instance — we have yet to find another beer made with crab claws. A seasonal dark beer, more than 300lbs of fresh stone crab claws are added during the boiling process of this traditional American brew. They add a distinct, but not overpowering, briny taste to the finished product, which is also rich, toasted and savory in flavor.
6. Jackie O’s Brewery, Athens, Ohio: Paw Paw Wheat
A native fruit of Ohio, the paw paw is a tropical tree fruit that grows easily in Athens, Ohio’s temperate climate. And while there are many fruity beers on the market, few are made with this fruit. But Jackie O’s Brewery brews a 9% ABV imperial wheat ale infused with these fruits that comes out with hints of mango, melon and banana to its taste. The paw paw used in Jackie O’s wheat beer is harvested at a local farm.
