craftap draft beer dispensers at the craft brewers conference and brew expo america

A Scottish brewery claims to have made the world's strongest beer

BrewDog brewery in Scotland has launched 32% alcohol content by volume (ABV) beer, named Tactical Nuclear Penguin, which is so strong that it should be served in small measures usually reserved for spirits.

Its label states: “This is an extremely strong beer; it should be enjoyed in small servings and with an air of aristocratic nonchalance. In exactly the same manner that you would enjoy a fine whisky, a Frank Zappa album or a visit from a friendly yet anxious ghost.”

BrewDog brewery, which in the past was responsible for an 18.2% drink called Tokyo, describes itself as making 'progressive, craft beers' and beats the previous records of other audacious breweries. Here's a brief look at some of the world's strongest alcohol by volume (ABV) beers.

Sam Adams Utopias MMII beer was brewed by the Boston Beer Company, weighed in at 24 percent ABV. The beer was brewed with a slew of malts, hops and maple syrup, then aged in port, scotch and cognac barrels.

Samuel Adams Millennium beer was produced to celebrate the year 2000 and weighed in at 21 percent ABV.

World Wide Stout brewed by the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in 2002 had 23.04%
ABV and became the strongest stout in the world. It was fermented using six different strains of yeast for seven months, and then aged for a half year.

Belzebuth is perhaps the strongest beer produced in France, from the Brasseries Jeanne d'Arc SA. When it was first brewed, it towered at 15 percent ABV with its all malt profile and near cherry-like flavors.

Samichlaus brewed by the Brewery Castle Eggenberg in Austria claimed to be the strongest lager in the world at 14 percent ABV. Syrupy with alcohol soaked raisins is the most popular way to describe this beer.

The processes involved to create such beers aren't simple. Brewers spend a lot of research time, money and trial and error to cultivate their super yeast strains that can survive the high-alcohol brewing environment and produce well-attenuated beers.

Based on the following sources:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk
http://beeradvocate.com
http://www.realbeer.com