10 Of The Most Expensive Beers To Spend Your Extra Cash On

For some reason, scientists wanted to test how well barley grew in space. Turns out, it does pretty well. When the space barley returned from the International Space Station, Japanese brewer Sapporo turned it into the world’s first space beer. That’s right, you can drink beer that literally came from outer space (well, parts of it).

Cost: $110 for a six-pack

Australians take their beer seriously. So seriously, in fact, that brewery Crown packages this beer in a champagne bottle and advertises it as an alternative to fine wine. Perhaps that is fitting, considering Ambassador Reserve has 10.2% alcoholic content. The beer itself is aged for one year in oak barrels and each batch only produces 8000 bottles. There have only been four batches to date, making this brew both rare and extremely pricey.

Cost: $90 for 750 ml

Like to mix science with your beer? Then check out this incredible tale. In 1990, a Cambridge University archaeologist unearthed ancient brewing champers during a dig in Egypt. Using a high-powered electron microscope, scientists were able to analyze residue from the over 3000-year old equipment and come up with a recipe. They then joined forces with Scottish brewer Jim Merrington to make just one thousand bottles of the ancient ale. The limited edition first bottle sold for over $7,500 but prices eventually settled down.

Cost: $75 for 500 ml

This brew will hit you hard — in both the wallet and the brain cells. Clocking in at a whopping 41% alcoholic content, this brew took over the world record for strongest beer, albeit only briefly. Brewdog calls the beer a “quadruple IPA,” using four times the hops as traditional beers.

Cost: $80 for 375 ml

Sam Adams boasts America’s most expensive beer with their Utopia brew. It is only released once every two years, but takes up to 18 years to make. Each batch is aged in barrels that belonged to a mixture of other liquors, including sherry, brandy, cognac, and scotch. With a 27% alcoholic content, Utopia is actually banned in 13 different states that have more conservative booze laws.

Cost: $150 for 700 ml

This beer claims to be the strongest beer in the world, coming in at 57.5% ABV. According to the brewer, it would have been made even stronger if German law allowed it. There were only 36 bottles ever made, so scarcity has driven up the price.

Cost: $275 for 330 ml

Danish brewer Carlsberg wasn’t content with just making beer. In 2008, they released a “Vintage” line of beers to challenge the luxury booze market. This beverage is sold at fine dining restaurants in Denmark, and for a hefty cost. Only 600 bottles were made each year from 2008 to 2010.

Cost: $400 for 375 ml

Brewdog makes another appearance on the list, with a beer that they claim might actually bring on the end of existence. Okay, not really. They were trying to come out on top of the race to have the highest alcoholic percentage beer (which we already know they missed out on). Even more outrageous than the cost of this Belgian blond is the packaging — each bottle (only 12 were ever made) is made out of old roadkill that was stuffed by a taxidermist. That’s right, roadkill. To be exact, the 12 bottles are made up of seven weasels, four squirrels, and one rabbit.

Cost: $765 for 330 ml

We know what you’re thinking. Really, PBR is on the list of most expensive beer? It is, but we’re not talking the average PBR swill that thousands of frat boys down by the keg full. In China though, Pabst Blue Ribbon sells a brew that only the richest of the rich can afford. Their 1844 brand of beer is made from German malts and aged in American whiskey barrels. China is the only place you can get it.

Cost: $44 for 720 ml

This is a crazy one. You know those people from the reality show Whale Wars? Yeah, the crew of that show used a helicopter to snag some ice from an iceberg in the Antarctica. They flew it to Tasmania for melting, and then onwards to Perth, Australia, where it was turned into beer. Only 30 bottles were made and all proceeds from the sale of Antarctic Nail Ale go to the Sea Shepard Conservation Society.

Cost: Between $800 and $1815 for 500 ml