What's the most "interesting" beer you've ever tasted?

[Freelancer]

I've also had the opportunity to taste the smoked "rauch" beer on a recent visit to Bamberg, Germany. I agree with chewse's assessment, it has a sort of bacon flavor to it, which is not unpleasant and becomes more and more enjoyable with each pint.

I also visited a pub in Heidelberg which has the world's strongest beer at 33% alcohol (it is listed as such in the Guinness book). It's called Vetter 33. The first impression was that of sipping maple syrup. It's much thicker then any other beer I've tasted and also a bit syrupy. That said, I found it to be quite drinkable and enjoyable. It was said at the time the the Scots were trying to brew a beer with 37% alcohol. They were going to name it "Sink the Bismark"! Don't know if that was fact or fancy.

Years ago, Sam Adams came out with a beer called "Triple Bock". It was yeasty and worty and basically undrinkable.

[Cowher]

Speaking of Sam Adams and high ABV beers. Their Utopias is worth a mention.

[CDNSushi]

It was said at the time the the Scots were trying to brew a beer with 37% alcohol. They were going to name it "Sink the Bismark"! Don't know if that was fact or fancy.

Fact. James Watt of Brewdog, who was responsible for that monstrosity, attended our last year's St. Andrews Ball and spoke about it. It's 41% alcohol.

We never had a chance to try that particular brew, but we did have their 18% Tokyo Imperial Stout, and that was sufficiently strong, thank you very much.

As for Sink the Bismarck, it USED to be available at £40 a bottle until it sold out... Here's a link to an article about it, followed by a link to the sold out product page.

http://www.brewdog.com/blog-article/251
http://www.brewdog.com/sink_the_bismark

[Rab]

it didnt end there, James and Martin took things a step further and went into overkill to finally put a stop to the tit for tat beer strength record and created "The End Of History" 50% mega beer, that cost £500 a bottle!
http://www.brewdog.com/blog-article/341

as I said before these lads do specialise in interesting beers

[robinv]

It has to be one of the very sour Belgian Lambic beers which I had on draft when on holiday in Brussels. The bartender was quite surprised that I wanted one and warned it probably wouldn't be to my (a foreigner's) taste but I had read quite a bit about them and wanted to try so I went for it and genuinely enjoyed... I do generally quite enjoy sour and citric flavours.

I can't remember any of the specific beers I am afraid but I am fairly sure that any genuine Lambic will be "interesting"... hard to get outside Belgium though.

Aye, mine would be Cantillon Geuze, a lambic beer I get every so often from Cornelius Beer & Wine on Easter Road in Edinburgh (a great shop). I'm still undecided about it - sometimes the sourness seems fantastically refreshing, other times it just feels like my tooth enamel is dissolving.

[Woodsheal]

The worst beer I ever tasted was "Chili Beer" made with real peppers. The stuff was so hot, I was unable to drink more than a couple of sips. The best beer I ever had was from a now closed Brewery called The Prior Brewery in Pennsylvannia. They made a "Prior Dark" that was outstanding.

Prior's! That brings back memories. Many years ago it was on tap at a local (now defunct) pub called "The Bull's Head." Never saw it any place else. It was indeed a fantastic porter.

[OC Richard]

we did have their 18% Tokyo Imperial Stout, and that was sufficiently strong, thank you very much.

In a bar in Osaka I had several glasses of a wonderful dark beer. I can't remember its name, nor can I remember much of anything about that night.

[NewEnglander]

As for Sink the Bismarck, it USED to be available at £40 a bottle until it sold out... Here's a link to an article about it, followed by a link to the sold out product page.

In a fit of foolishness (ie we had been at the pub next to the package store for too many rounds) I bought a bottle of BrewDog's Tactical Nuclear Penguin. I've blocked out how much I spent on it. I poured a few ounces for my birthday last year...and manly made my way through it, but I don't think I've uncorked the bottle since then. <shudder>
I don't mind big beers and I don't mind strange beers, but this was definitely not for me.

[AKScott]

Black Flag, brewed (and consumed) in Morocco.

It was served cold, had a pale brown color, was carbonated, and had a bit of ethanol in it. Otherwise it was the low point in a lovely trip visiting a lovely country full of friendly people. The food in Morocco was fabulous.

[James Hood]

Young's Double Chocolate Stout, definitely.