11 Strongest Beers in the World For Serious Brew-Snobs

There’s nothing more refreshing than cracking open a cold beer on a hot summer afternoon. But for the few among us who have found themselves trapped in the endless cycle of craft-beer elitism, a simple VB may no longer do. After years of delving into the very depths of the liquor cabinet, seeking out the brews with names that are entirely too hard to pronounce, the taste of 4.5% ABV is just too bitter a pill to swallow. Just like Daft Punk, you want harder, better, faster, and most importantly, stronger beers.

Strongest Beers in the World

Now, whether you believe that the strongest beer in the world is or isn’t in fact a beer, the simple truth is that it will get you loaded. Any ‘beer’ with an alcohol content that puts a bottle of whisky to shame is more than capable of turning the most steadfast of men sloppy. The beers we’ve collated offer an opportunity to tell the missus you’re only going out for one, and truly mean it.

In most cases, actually, even one of these drinks is probably overkill. Here is a list of the 11 strongest beers in the world.

1. 88 Brewery’s Scottish Beithir Fire

The current reigning world champ, the Scottish Beithir Fire skirts the line between beer and spirit, using both in the brewing process to create what is essentially dragon fire in liquid form. After being brewed as a Scottish ale for two months, Beithir Fire is blended with “the purest Scottish spirit” to knock the alcohol content up a few pegs, before fermentation and filtration remove any impurities the process introduces.

The result is hard to argue with: a 75% ABV drink that includes warning labels to recommend you drink no more than 35ml in a single sitting. That sounds like good advice to us.

Brewery: 88 Brewery
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 75%

2. Brewmeister Snake Venom

While it sadly doesn’t contain real venom, the Snake Venom from Brewmeister is just as deadly. At 67.5% ABV, the brew is not only an incredibly potent beverage, it’s also one of the most worrisome. The hoppy, malty, carbonated beast is best sipped like a relatively mild spirit and it has the flavour profile to match. Brewmeister created Snake Venom using everything from smoked peat malt to two types of yeast during production to achieve that high alcohol volume.

Such an astounding ABV was also reached by freezing the brew multiple times during fermentation. If you only plan on having one beer on a night out, the Brewmeister Snake Venom is as much bang as your buck is going to get.

Brewery: Brewmeister
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 67.5%

3. Brewmeister Armageddon

Before there was Snake Venom, Brewmiester shook up the brewing world with Armageddon. The 65% ABV brew was designed as the ideal cross-over between beer and whisky, hitting that sweet-spot we’ve all been yearning for. This beer crafted from wheat, crystal malt, flaked oats, and 100% Scottish spring water, Armageddon is a more pure example of brewing skill without as much innovation technology as the Snake Venom. A true assault on the taste buds, Brewmeister Armageddon is easily one of the highest alcohol content beers we’ve ever seen.

Brewery: Brewmeister
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 65%

4. Koelschip Start the Future

There’s no denying it, the quest for the strongest beer in the world is certainly being spearheaded by the European micro-brewery scene. It seems, each year these passionate brewers take things one step further, pushing the boundaries of what is achievable and most importantly, palatable. After the success with its Obilix, Koelschip went back to the drawing board to craft Start of the Future. At 60% ABV, the high alcohol beer hits hard, on the night and in the morning.

Brewery: Koelschip
Origin: The Netherlands
ABV: 60%

5. BrewDog and Schorschbräu Strength in Numbers

The newest release to make the list and the first to be a collaboration, Strength in Numbers comes as a combined effort from Scotland’s BrewDog and Germany’s Schorschbräu. Banding together to create the a 57.8% beer, the two breweries made use of the traditional eisbock method–which means freezing the beer, removing ice and then re-blending. Add to the mix a combination of Belgian golden ale that’s been aging in whisky casks for 10 years and you’ve got a recipe for the strongest beer in town. While it still hasn’t reached the lofty ABV heights of Snake Venom, BrewDog and Schorschbräu are claiming that Strength in Numbers is the strongest beer in the world, by traditional definition standards.

Brewery: BrewDog, Schorschbräu
Origin: Scotland, Germany
ABV: 57.8%

6. Schorschbrau Schorschbock 57

The Germans know their beer, and while Schorschbrau Schorschbock 57 did fall short of the strongest beer in the world title, it did capture the attention of the craft beer world. Like some of the other heavy brews on this list, Schorschbrau Schorschbock 57 is probably more of a scientific achievement than an exploration of flavour. Reports suggest this high alcohol beer burns on the way down and on the way up.

Brewery: Schorschbräu
Origin: Germany
ABV: 57%

7. BrewDog End Of History

Scottish brewery BrewDog has made a bit of a name for itself in the strongest beers world. With a dedication to innovation that is rarely seen amongst the craft beer world, BrewDog has chalked up some heavy hitters over the years, but The End of History is one you simply can’t go past, and for good reason. This ultra-limited blond Belgian ale is wrapped in a dead squirrel. Yep, that’s not a typo. At USD$780 a bottle, the beer contains hints of juniper berries, mead, and nettles.

Brewery: BrewDog
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 55%

8. Koelschip Obilix

Koelschip’s second appearance on the list is a good one. The Obilix really set the tone for the brewery’s foray into the world’s strongest beer category. While the limited-edition brew came and went quickly, it was around long enough to make a massive impression on the industry, revealing our demand for high alcohol beer was stronger than ever.

Brewery: Koelschip
Origin: The Netherlands
ABV: 45%

9. Schorschbrau Schorschbock 43

Another addition to the strongest beers list comes by way the German micro-brewery Schorschbräu. While much lighter than the Schorschblock 57 or Strength in Numbers, the Schorschblock 43 is still a heavy brew. With an overwhelming spicy flavour, this one wasn’t a massive winner with beer drinkers, but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming a cult favourite.

Brewery: Schorschbräu
Origin: Germany
ABV: 43%

10. BrewDog Sink The Bismarck

A quadruple IPA isn’t something you see every day, but Sink the Bismark isn’t your run of the mill brew. At 41% ABV, this release from the Scottish icon is one of the strongest beers in the world and surprisingly, one of the most popular. Where other releases have sacrificed flavour for alcohol content, BrewDog has actually managed to craft a brew that is high on taste and on execution.

Brewery: BrewDog
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 41%

11. Baladin Esprit de Noel

The strongest beer Italy has to offer, the Baladin Esprit de Noel is a decidedly more upmarket release. With a brewing process that is befitting of the country’s famed wine regions, Esprit de Noel has been aged in oak barrels for three years. A true craft beer connoisseur’s piece, this straw yellow coloured beer is smooth, with light wood and chocolate notes.

Brewery: Baladin
Origin: Italy
ABV: 40%

Strongest Beers in the World

While the pursuit for a brew that packs the ultimate punch may take you down a dark ale path, you still might not be ready the strongest beer in the world. How strong, you ask? Forget your 11% IPAs, we’re talking in excess of 60% ABV. The strongest beer in the world isn’t just a moniker given to high alcohol beer, it’s an unrelenting quest from brewers across the globe to truly capture the peak of beer-gineering. Are you game to tackle these heavy hitters?

Beer Definition

Now that we’ve dived into the list of the strongest beers in the world, it’s worth getting reacquainted with our terminology. Put simply, beer is brewed through cereal grains, most commonly from malted barley. During the brewing process, fermentation of the starch sugars in the wort produces ethanol and carbonation in the resulting beer. Most modern beer is brewed with hops, which add a certain level of bitterness that we’ve come to enjoy. In commercial brewing, the natural carbonation effect is often removed during processing and replaced with forced carbonation.

The reason this knowledge is important is that the very definition of what is and isn’t a beer is highly contentious. Some people argue that changing the traditional brewing process isn’t innovation, but blasphemy. It’s a big reason you’ll see more than one brewery claiming to have the strongest beer in the world. Technically, they’re all correct, it just depends on what definition you are running off.

Snake Venom from Brewmeister, for instance, is undoubtedly one of the highest ABV beers in the world, however, the beer is fortified with additional alcohol, meaning many people disqualify it. Similarly, BrewDog and Schorschbrau are using “freeze distillation” to raise the alcohol levels, which some traditionalists argue is just not cricket. Whatever your ideology, it means little to us. We’ve counted them all, from freeze distillation to alcohol additives. When it comes to high alcohol beer, we don’t discriminate.

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