Is this the world’s strongest beer?

Social media reviews and reports this week have focused on a Scottish brewery’s 75% ABV beer, which claims to be the strongest beer in the world.

The brew, called Beithir Fire and produced by 88 Brewery begins as a high ABV Scottish-style barley ale, with a brewing process that takes around two months.

Produced in Edinburgh, between several of the biggest whisky distilleries in the world, the beer contains a warning label states due to the extremely high alcohol content of the beer — and a message on the website states that it should only be consumed in 35ml quantities “in one sitting”.

It is the blended with Scottish spirit to create a 75% liquid, and then, after fermentation, is filtered three times to remove any impurities from the product. It was “born out of a relationship between two of Scotland’s most famous products, beer and distilled spirits” — a nod to the country’s most famous alcoholic export: Scotch.

Heat

According to the brewery, it has a kick which “heats the mouth and challenges the taste buds” and has tasting notes of “dried fruit and smokiness, with a very malted barley-like finish”.

Unlike a typical beer which is only 3-4% ABV and retails for around £4-5, this brew is being sold for £45.95 and has a particularly impressive shelf life of 100 years, according to the brewer — making it ideal for cellaring.

According to a product description of the beer, it was named after the legend of the Beithir, which is a serpent or dragon-type of creature that is a popular Scottish folklore character, and has featured in a number of stories and traditional tales fromt he country.

The description of the beer states: Through the mists of time in ancient Scotland, a Legend was born of the deepest water and the purest fire. Too fierce for its native land it was unleashed upon the world. Hope lies in one strong enough to tame the Beithir Fire.”

Reviews

Originally released in 2021, the beer has now started to trend due to several reviewers trying it on social media, with several national newspapers taking up the story as well.

TikTok account @1minutebeerreview tried the beer, in the recommended 35ml quantity, and said: ‘That’s really strong. It tastes like burning. My tongue is now numb.’

Meanwhile, a reviewed for The Sun stated that “it felt like I swallowed a wasp”.

The CEO of 88 Brewery, Andrew Chapman, told MailOnline that the producer made the beer following a “specific request by a distributor in an overseas market” but “after a few years, the secret got out”.

He said: “I’ve never personally felt my tongue go numb when drinking Beithir Fire. However, it is stronger than a cask-strength whisky and should be treated as such.

“I’m more likely to sip the beer slowly rather than taking a large mouthful.”

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