Looking for some unique beers to try

I've hung onto a bunch of bottles throughout the years for varying reasons. If you're talking pure aesthetics of the bottle then I'd recommend some of the more unconventional shapes--something like a Grolsch swing top or, the pinnacle of bottles, Sam Adam's Utopias (here's an example of the latter: http://cf.badassdigest.com/_uploads/images/26651/sam_adams_utopias__span.jpg)

As for labels, I would seek out anything from the Lost Abbey. They usually have top notch artwork and decent informative back labels. Anything from Stone will be laced with florid, hyperbolic writing--definitely worth exploring. If you're looking for something a little more low brow then I'd check out Against The Grain's "Brown Note"; the label is self-explanatory:

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26850/80692/

 

If you want artwork some of Clown Shoe's labels are very cool, the newest release Ride The Lion really rocks.

 

Orval love the beer and the bottle

 

This one should be a conversation starter. Don't buy more than one.

 

Lagunitas Shutdown and Lagunitas Censored both have pretty good stories behind them.

 

La Chouffe is an awesome Belgian pale. If you drink enough the gnomes come off the bottle....kinda scary in a good way.

 

Ommegang Abbey Ale, fun bottle, good beer.

 

One is too many IMO. Bleh !!

 

You cant say no to the owls on Hitachino Nest labels.

 

21st Amendment cans are pretty artsy. Beer's pretty good too. Or The Trooper(Iron Maiden) with Eddie on the label. Here your paying for the label the beer was simply fair.

Try a gose if looking for a different taste.

 

If beer names can meet your 'unique' criteria, don't buy more than one of this one either: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/395/29204/

And you may not want to give it a prominent display spot.

 

Other European bootles to look out for besides the fantastic Orval, is Viru from Estonia which has a really cool bottle in a triangle shape. In the UK, St Peters brewery do nice oval bottles, although I'm not a fan of there beer. The Austrian Schloss Eggenberg's Hopfenkonig has something you don't see to often, a rip top. For flip tops, the German Flensburger brewery does have them in small stubby 330ml bottles. Or you try getting hold of the French Saint Sylvestre brewery's 3 Monts which comes in a 750 corked bottle. Something you do see occasionally with French Beers. Have fun tasting all this new stuff, I'm still loving it 8 years on!

 

I love the looks of almost all of Stone Brewery's bottles. The names, Pictures, demons, everything. Not only do they have great labels and artwork, but the beer itself is great as well. You wont regret it.

-xICooRsYIx

 

I just recently had their IPA. Their traditional one simply called Stone IPA. I really enjoyed it even though it was a draft from a bar that sells mostly cheap beers so their craft kegs tend to sit for quite some time. Im looking forward to trying all their other IPAs in the future!

-xICooRsYIx