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I’ve been trying to lay off the sauce lately - I’m training for a half marathon and alcohol really hampers my efforts (even just a pint or two). But it’s been tough - I have four weekends in a row that are drinking occasions. The first was a class reunion, the second was a Jimmy Buffett concert, this weekend we’re going to Lollapalooza (although I’m not sure I can afford to drink there) and the weekend after is a birthday party for my husband. Needless to say, my willpower has been tested. So you might understand why I was intrigued by the St. Petersburg Times‘ list of Best Beer Names. Do you agree with them? Let us know in the comments.
10 Best Beer Names
10. Unibroue La Fin Du Monde. Mmm, End of the World Beer.
9. Harveistoun Old Engine Oil. Whatever it takes, I guess.
8. Sweetwater Happy Ending Imperial Stout. I’m going to guess that this Happy Ending is cheaper than its namesake.
7. Ridgeway Santa’s Butt. Because nothing makes me want to drink like Santa’s plumber’s crack.
6. Buffalo Bill’s Alimony Ale. The Times says this company bills Alimony Ale as the “bitterest beer in America”.
5. Dogfish Head Golden Shower. This one was only on the market under this name for a short period of time; it was subsequently renamed Golden Era.
4. Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast Pooh Coffee.
3. McQuire’s I’ll Have What The Gentleman On The Floor Is Having Barley Wine. I wonder if you can just say, “Can I have the IHWTGOTFIHBW?”
2. Avery Collaboration Not Litigation
1. Wasatch Polygamy Porter. The slogan? “Why have just one?”
My boyfriend wears his Polygamy Porter t-shirt (complete with slogan) all the time. I suspect he likes the attention it gets him. He says the drink itself is pretty good, too.
posted by mandapanda on 7-29-2008 at 2:51 pm
got two more for you: Red Rocket Ale and Horse Piss Beer
posted by Gabe on 7-29-2008 at 3:01 pm
Number 4 looks like a MadLib.
posted by adrienne on 7-29-2008 at 3:14 pm
I’d probably add Tommyknocker Jack Whacker to the list.
posted by kate on 7-29-2008 at 3:18 pm
What, no Billy Beer?
posted by Sandy on 7-29-2008 at 3:26 pm
I’ve always been a fan of Stone Brewery’s Arrogant Bastard Ale.
posted by Brian on 7-29-2008 at 3:31 pm
Never had a Golden Shower, but I love me some Dogfish Head!!
posted by Cassie on 7-29-2008 at 3:46 pm
So, near Portland OR, there is a small craft brewer, Walking Man. The make a lovely IPA, the Homo Erectus:
ABV 9.0% IBU 100
An Imperial IPA brewed in celebration of being erect for two million years.
So, they decided to make a dry hopped version, and a black malt edition. Named Big Phat Homo, and the Big Black Homo. Obviously.
posted by jace on 7-29-2008 at 3:47 pm
I like “Delirium Tremens”
posted by thomas on 7-29-2008 at 3:49 pm
Mort Subite = sudden death
In either kriek or gueuze
posted by Dick on 7-29-2008 at 3:51 pm
Don’t forget Dirty Dick’s Ale by Young & Co’s Brewery, and Arrogant Bastard Ale, by Stone Brewing.
posted by Larry on 7-29-2008 at 3:55 pm
I have bought Monty Python’s Holy Grail beer before. It claims to have been tempered over burning witches!
posted by Meghan on 7-29-2008 at 3:58 pm
My Catholic husband once bought me something called Jew-bulation (jubilation, get it? :)) that was made by He’brew beers. That’s pretty cool, even if I didn’t love the beer.
posted by TeacherPatti on 7-29-2008 at 4:04 pm
A lot of barleywines get names that double as warnings. My favorite - name and beer - is Victory Brewing’s Old Horizontal.
posted by Colin on 7-29-2008 at 4:07 pm
McQuire’s I’ll Have What The Gentleman On The Floor Is Having Barley Wine sounds intriguing. I have to admit. I want to try this one. I mean if it puts me on the floor, it’s got to be great, right? Who’s up for a party?
posted by Robert on 7-29-2008 at 4:10 pm
In China, we saw some “Dead Guy Ale”. I think it’s from Oregon, but not being much of a beer person, I’d never seen it before, but found it amusing.
posted by kate on 7-29-2008 at 4:26 pm
a story about “collaberation not litigation” - both the russian river brewing co and avery brewing co had a similar belgian ale called “salvation”. rather than go to court and decide who would have the rights, they combined the two. its a bit heavy for my liking but pretty good none the less…
posted by tiffany on 7-29-2008 at 4:42 pm
@ kate
Wow, you had to go all the way to China to get some Dead Guy Ale!
The name is boring, but Rogue’s chocolate stout is to die for.
posted by Nicole on 7-29-2008 at 4:47 pm
Nipple Mountain Nip by Pagosa Brewing company
posted by Jen on 7-29-2008 at 4:59 pm
You forgot Arroggant Bastard Ale
posted by Christian on 7-29-2008 at 5:08 pm
My daughter serves Polygamy Porter at her restaurant (www.hellsbackbonegrill.com) that is right in the middle of Mormon country in Boulder, Utah, and her servers, many of them LDS, do think it’s humorous(although they don’t themselves indulge, of course!). It’s a big hit with the European tourists, too.
posted by Dolly on 7-29-2008 at 5:14 pm
Although not a beer drinker, I have the Fin Du Monde tee shirt. I wore it to my first day of Millenialist Literature class a number of years back –It made my day that the professor got my joke! ::sniff::
The image from the bottle (and subsequently on the shirt) looks like some kind of red-gold blast has lit up a top down view of a map of Quebec and the Gaspe.
Unibroue makes some other amusing beers such as:
Eau Benite - Holy water (you’ll have to look at their old page for this. Apparently they’re not making it any more, but the graphic is of a male angel /demon in a bathtub)
Trois Pistoles - three pistols
Maudite - The Damned - This is actually the name of a French Canadian story about a flying canoe.
La Terrible - Umm…. I think this one speaks well enough on it’s own….
Sante! Cheers!
posted by ACute Angle on 7-29-2008 at 5:56 pm
La Find du Monde is sooo good! It’s my favorite. It’s like champagne and beer had a love child. mmm
posted by Kristen on 7-29-2008 at 6:00 pm
One of my favorites is the “Freak Out Ale”– obviously not the most exciting name, but the fact that a brewery specifically brewed a beer to celebrate the anniversary of a Zappa & the Mothers album, and got permission from his estate to use the album cover on the beer label, is pretty cool…
my ReCaptcha word for this post is “brewster”– coincidence? Hmm…
posted by merv on 7-29-2008 at 6:03 pm
Here are some beers with interesting names (though some may or may not be interesting enough for the list) but they are on my top ten list for delicious beers:
Avery’s Hog’s Heaven Barley Wine
Abita Turbo Dog
Great Divide Brewing Co.’s St. Bridget’s Robust Porter
and one from my hometown of Houston, Texas… St. Arnold’s Lawnmower; so named because it is refreshing enough to drink when you’ve finished the menial task from which it got its name
posted by Kristina on 7-29-2008 at 6:05 pm
Yay! for full RSS feed!
Let’s celebrate with What The Gentleman On The Floor Is Having!!!
posted by Mariano on 7-29-2008 at 6:37 pm
I quite like Daddy’s Little Helper, it’s a malt liquor, but made by Rogue, so I think it still counts.
Love beer with funny names, and always order ‘em.
posted by Mandy on 7-29-2008 at 7:56 pm
Hoegaarden! It’s Belgian and delicious. Also there’s He’brew “the chosen Ale” haven’t tried it yet.
posted by Erin on 7-29-2008 at 10:22 pm
A word of warning on both Ridgeway Santa’s Butt Porter, and also Rudolph’s Revenge (same brewery.) I can say with authority that they are tied for THE WORST beer I have ever tasted. I remember a taste of stale cigarettes and rotting vegetation.
On a happier note, for Christmas one year, Dad got me “Blithering Idiot” Barleywine, by Weyerbacher brewery. Great, rich, lovely stuff. Strong, though. Do they have t-shirts?
posted by The Wailing Wench :-) on 7-29-2008 at 11:32 pm
Also missing is Bierbiztch Pilser. It’s slogan? “Get your hands off my bierbitzch.”
posted by Mike on 7-29-2008 at 11:35 pm
It’s McGuires, not McQuires (I work there). I have bad news for you guys, we no longer make the I’ll Have What The Gentleman On The Floor Is Having, sorry!
posted by Lisa on 7-30-2008 at 12:40 am
Moose Drool is pretty good. And I love the Arrogant Bastard Ale (you aren’t good enough to drink our beer)
posted by theYerg on 7-30-2008 at 6:35 am
I always liked Avery’s New World Porter.
@Kristina I love going to the St. Arnold brewery when I’m in Houston! I’m madly in love with the Elissa IPA.
posted by nikki on 7-30-2008 at 7:30 am
I LOVE La Fin Du Monde. Excellent beer.
Other fun names:
Flying Dog “In Heat Wheat,”
Ridgeway’s “Seriously Bad Elf,”
Brouwerij Riva “Lucifer”
Four Peaks “Kilt Lifter.”
posted by bre on 7-30-2008 at 8:57 am
Don’t forget Flying Dog’s Doggie Style IPA.
posted by Gina on 7-30-2008 at 9:24 am
Warthog Ale by Big Rock Breweries
Damn fine beer!
posted by Cardinal Fang on 7-30-2008 at 10:47 am
Stupid beer name joke -
How can you tell if a guy likes Moosehead?
-He has antler scrapes on his thighs…
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
posted by tiffany on 7-30-2008 at 12:10 pm
Anyone ever have Big Butt Beer?
posted by Bill on 7-30-2008 at 12:28 pm
When my brother was in the Peace Corps in Guinea, West Africa I went over to visit him. He introduced me to the most vile beer I’ve ever had (tasted like it had formaldehyde in it), but the name and the slogan cracked me up:
Skol–”Je mousse pour vous” (I foam for you)
posted by Heather on 7-30-2008 at 1:35 pm
One of the local Shepherd Neame beers where I grew up in the UK is called “Bishop’s Finger”. Amusing enough, but not as funny as its nickname–”Nun’s Delight”!
posted by Peter on 7-30-2008 at 2:36 pm
Nikki:
If you like Saint Arnold’s “Elissa”, I’d like to recommend you try it at a location that has it “Cask Conditioned”. Gingerman is one such location (Dallas, Houston come to mind).
Cheers
don
posted by Don in E Texas on 7-30-2008 at 2:47 pm
@ Don in E Texas
I used to work at the gingerman and had the glory of drinking quite a bit of it in my time there. Thanks for the recommendation, though!
recaptcha: auspiciousness DUPES
posted by nikki on 7-30-2008 at 6:30 pm
“I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy”… Tom Waits
posted by oltimingman on 7-30-2008 at 10:38 pm
come to think of it, our party staple San Miguel Beer is named after a saint
posted by jaime on 8-1-2008 at 9:49 pm
i live in Pensacola (where McGuire’s is) so it kindof irks me that it’s spelled wrong.
“I’ll Have What the Gentleman on the Floor is Having” is a fairly accurate name, for the record.
posted by Emily on 8-2-2008 at 2:49 am