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12 Beers Brewed For Gamers
A couple years ago I scoured the brewery world for video game themed beers, and only found a handful. This past week when I stumbled upon a line of Mortal Kombat themed beers at a local liquor store I thought it might be a good time to revisit the topic. I found an explosion of options for those who want to celebrate their favorite hobby while imbibing on a frosty beverage.
8-bit Pale Ale – Tallgrass Brewing Co.
Beer Advocate Rating: 86
Perhaps the most easily accessible beer on this list (at least for those who live in the Midwest), the Tallgrass 8-bit pale ale is still a Game Informer stand-by and the self-proclaimed official beer of retro gamers. This is the perfect beer to enjoy alongside a gaming session. Tallgrass also used to make a 16-Bit Double Pale Ale, but this beer is retired for the time being. Available year-round in 16-ounce cans.
Goliath Experimental Double IPA – Dangerous Man
Beer Advocate Rating: N/A
To celebrate the release of Goliath, developer Octopus Tree teamed up with Minneapolis brewery Dangerous Man to make this big, bold Double IPA. The beer earned the experimental moniker for its approach to hops, which includes the new TNT hop. This beer was a limited edition release.
Killer Queen Imperial IPA – Pipeworks Brewing Co.
Beer Advocate Rating: 92
Made in collaboration with the creators of the upstart arcade cabinet of the same name, this Imperial IPA out of Chicago is brewed with honey and blueberries. Pipeworks also used to make a video game themed Belgian Tripel called End Boss. Available in bombers.
Konkey Dong Double IPA – Hoof Hearted Brewing
Beer Advocate Rating: 93
This Ohio brewery pays homage to Donkey Kong's glory days with this double india pale ale. Brewed in collaboration with Arcade Super Awesome, this barrel fermented beer features Galaxy, Simcoe, and Dr. Rudi hops. Available in 16-ounce cans.
Pilsnerd – Brothers Craft Brewing
Beer Advocate Rating: N/A
One of the on-again, off-again beers from this Virginia based brewery, the Pilsnerd is a crisp, clean, slightly sweet German-style pilsner. Available seasonally in 12-ounce bottles.
Galactic Imperial Red Ale – Hopworks Urban Brewery
Beer Advocate Rating: 88
This Space Invaders inspired organic imperial red ale out of Portland uses Centennial and Cascade hops. A caramel malt rounds out the flavor. Available in bombers.
Hopsassin’s Creed IPA – 8-Bit Aleworks
Beer Advocate Rating: N/A
We highlighted this breezy session IPA because it was recently named one of the top 50 beers of its kind by UnTappd, but the Avondale, Arizona-based 8-Bit Aleworks has several video game themed beers. Final Fantasy fans will want to check out the White Mage Wit and Black Mage Stout as well. Available as a growler at the brewery.
Fallout Pilsner – Carlsberg
Beer Advocate Rating: N/A
Last year Bethesda teamed up with beer giants Carlsberg to create a limited edition run beer to celebrate Fallout 4. Available only in the UK, vault dwellers quickly raided the stocks to prepare for their journey back to the irradiated wastelands. Given the Boston setting, we're surprised Bethesda didn't tap Sam Adams for the honors of brewing.
Midnight Pale Ale – Black Hops Brewery
Beer Advocate Rating: N/A
This aptly named Australian brewery teamed up with Call of Duty for a limited-edition run of Black Ops III themed beers to celebrate Treyarch's release. But like the elite the military ghosts it celebrates, the beer was here and gone in a flash, their mission accomplished.
Mortal Kombat Beers – Sound Brewery
Beer Advocate Rating: N/A
I saved the best story for last. When Mark Hood retired from making legendary games for series like Space Quest and Leisure Suit Larry, he co-founded this Washington brewery. This year he teamed up with Warner Bros. to create a Mortal Kombat themed beer line starring three of the series most iconic characters. Apparently Subzero is an Imperial IPA fan, his brother Scorpion prefers Imperial Stouts, and Raiden enjoys Imperial Saisons. You can find these bombers a select liquor stores throughout the U.S.
Do you know of other video game themed beers? Share them in the comments section below.
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