World’s most expensive beer

8 November 2010

A new beer from Perth-based microbrewery Nail Ale has claimed the title of ‘world’s most expensive beer’, with a single bottle of the beer, brewed from a chunk of melted antarctic ice, auctioned for $800 last night in support of anti-whaling group Sea Shepherds.

The limited edition beer, of which only thirty bottles were brewed, was created at the Nail Brewing headquarters at Edith Cowan University in Perth. Antarctic Nail Ale was based on the company’s Nail Ale, though brewer John Stallwood says it is slightly higher in alcohol and bitterness.

“Over 90% of beer is water, so the Antarctic Nail Ale could possibly be the world’s oldest and purest beer,” said Stallwood.

 The ice used to brew the beer was brought back from the Sea Shepherds’ most recent trip to the Antarctic, and all profits from sale of the brew will go to the anti-whaling group.

The auction, held in Fremantle last night, featured addresses from Greens senator Rachel Siewert and Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettit, as well as Sea Shepherd Captain Paul Watson.

Previously, the record for world’s most expensive beer was held by Scottish brewery BrewDogs, for their $765 high-alcohol beer, a 12-bottle run of 55% ABV beer, served in a bottle wrapped in roadkill - a choice between a taxidermied grey squirrel or stoat.

“It’s great to sell the most expensive bottle of beer in the world, but it’s all about a good cause. It’s also good that a beer about saving the whales is now most expensive beer in the world, rather than high alcohol beer sold in animal carcasses,” said Stallwood of his icy brew.

Antarctic Pale Ale also overtakes Crown Ambassador Reserve, previously Australia’s most expensive beer at $90 a bottle.

The company’s successful Nail Ale, an Australian pale ale, claimed back-to-back golds in the 2009 and 2010 Australian International Beer Awards in the draught ale category.