Does a bear sh*t in the woods? And is it possible to make beer out of it?
The answer to both of those questions appears to be “Yes” as the outdoor sportswear company Columbia has partnered with Oregon’s Breakside Brewery to craft a beer that infused with… bear poop. Were people asking for that? I wouldn’t say so. But the new brew that turns feces to beer – which may or may not be real – is certainly turning some heads.
If you go to Columbia’s website, they explain their latest, head-scratching endeavor as follows:
“Columbia makes it easier to enjoy the sh*ttiest parts of nature. But on Big Game Sunday, even diehard fans of the outdoors are staying inside to watch football. So to give people a taste of the outdoors they’re missing, Columbia enlisted our friends at Breakside Brewery to create what seems likely to be a first in brewing history. Nature Calls: A beer that uses actual bear sh*t in the brewing process.
How? Fair question. We sent people to the woods to collect American Black Bear scat. Then Breakside Brewery introduced it to the brewing water. Then they made it safe to drink, and turned it into beer. The result is a delicious lager with notes of huckleberry and honey. Good thing bears eat nice stuff. So this Big Game Sunday, drink Nature Calls. And enjoy the sh*ttiest parts of nature, with Columbia and Breakside Brewery.”
Umm… excuse me?
I can at least confirm that Breakside Brewery is real. The brewery opened in 2010, and has locations all over the state of Oregon. Columbia clarified that the only places you’ll be able to try this “Nature Calls” brew is at one of the many Breakside Brewery spots, or at the “Big Game” itself. There will something called “The Player’s Tailgate” outside of Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California (the day of the Super Bowl), and the bear crap beer will be available there.
It’s not exactly out of the norm for a brewery to try out a zany new brew to get beer drinkers intrigued – and hopefully encourage them to come and try the beer out. However, this “Nature Calls” beer that Breakside Brewery has put together combines two things that… let’s just say it, shouldn’t be put together.
Plus, I think the best case scenario when drinking this beer is not hating it. There’s no way people are going to rave about bear poop beer and keep asking for more. I’d bet that it’s just some sort of stunt to shine a spotlight on Columbia (plenty of those happen leading up to the Super Bowl), but if I’m wrong and an Oregon brewery has figured out how to make crap palatable… I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I just might have to try it.
In honor of the poop-infused beer, Columbia rolled out their “Sh*ttiest Beer Ad” earlier today, and I still can’t tell if its all a joke or if it’s a real product:
I still might prefer a bear poop beer over an IPA…
