Creative Beer Names

We’ve all had this experience before when browsing a liquor store: Scanning the vast array of beer options, you land on one that has set itself apart with a catchy name. The beer’s name stuck in your mind long enough for you to bring it up in conversation, and maybe it even inspired a new creative name for your own beer as well. Breweries know that names can go a long way towards word-of-mouth promotion of their beer, and why should things be any different for your home brew set-up? Naming your next beer creation can be very entertaining, especially if it gets a chuckle out of your friends. Here are a few clever names brewers across the United States have applied to their beers (in no particular order):

Moose Drool – Big Sky Brewing Co. (Montana) This creamy brown ale is aptly named, and the label sports a comical rendering of the profusely salivating namesake mammal. At just 5.3% ABV, it’s highly drinkable and pairs well with whatever you’re cooking up on the grill.

Art of Darkness – Brewery Ommegang (New York) With a name that recalls the seminal Joseph Conrad novel, this beer has just got to be good, right? Well, it’s from Ommegang, so that’s always a good sign. Art of Darkness is a Belgian dark ale that packs a punch at nearly 9% ABV. It’s one of those beers that’s best enjoyed out of a chalice or snifter-type glass.

Ninja Vs. Unicorn – Pipeworks Brewing Company (Illinois) Pipeworks has a number of ninja-inspired beer names, so this one fits right into their cartoony line of labels. It’s a double IPA that packs 8 different kinds of hops, so in many ways it’s like an epic battle raging on your palette.

Hoptimus Prime – Ruckus Brewing (New York) Another beer for the toy/movie geek inside all of us, this American double / imperial IPA packs a hoppy punch. This beer can be mimicked by home brewers, much to the hop lover’s delight.

Zombie Dust – Three Floyds Brewing (Indiana) With the recent proliferation of zombie-themed movies and television shows, it’s no surprise that the brewmasters at Three Floyds picked up on the trend. Kind of like pixie dust (but not really), Zombie Dust is a magical, medium-bodied American pale ale made with Citra hops.

Elm City Lager – New England Brewing Co. (Connecticut) New England Brewing Company is located just outside New Haven, and they chose the city’s historic nickname for this authentic German pilsner.

Purple Haze – Abita Brewing Co. (Louisiana) Even if you’re not a fan of Jimi Hendrix, you’ll love this lager brewed with a blend of malts and a touch of raspberries added after filtration. At only 4.2% ABV, it’s very drinkable and not too sweet, either.   Take these examples as inspiration when you’re bottling your next home brew. Whether your next beer is called “Bock to the Future” or “MichAle Jordan,” the possibilities for naming your beer kit creations are as endless as names for children.