10 Cult Beer Releases, and What to Drink If You Can't Get Them

The white whales of craft beer may be fun to chase, but don't miss out on easier-to-find brews that are just as good.

Chris Schonberger

In Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby-Dick, a mad fisherman named Captain Ahab is consumed by the desire to hunt down the white whale that chomped off his leg. Since then, the white whale has entered the lexicon as a symbol of any rare, nearly unobtainable objects that people feverishly seek out.

Nowhere is this lust for white whales more apparent than in craft beer, where scant supply, limited distribution, and Internet-fueled praise can transform tasty IPAs, imperial stouts, and sour ales into objects of obsession for which driven drinkers will gladly sacrifice a leg. While Russian River’s Pliny the Younger, the Alchemist’s Heady Topper, and the Bruery’s Black Tuesday are all brilliant beers, the effort and cost required to obtain them borders on the absurd—can any one beer possibly be worth such an investment?

That’s for you to decide. But even if you do chase cult releases, you’ll want to round out your drinking with some easier-to-obtain brews. Here are 10 of craft beer’s biggest white whales and—should your hunt be unsuccessful—their suitable replacements.

Written by Joshua M. Bernstein (@JoshMBernstein)

In Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby-Dick, a mad fisherman named Captain Ahab is consumed by the desire to hunt down the white whale that chomped off his leg. Since then, the white whale has entered the lexicon as a symbol of any rare, nearly unobtainable objects that people feverishly seek out. Nowhere is this lust for white whales more apparent than in craft beer, where scant supply, limited distribution, and Internet-fueled praise can transform tasty IPAs, imperial stouts, and sour ales into objects of obsession for which driven drinkers will gladly sacrifice a leg. While Russian River’s Pliny the Younger, the Alchemist’s Heady Topper, and the Bruery’s Black Tuesday are all brilliant beers, the effort and cost required to obtain them borders on the absurd—can any one beer possibly be worth such an investment? That's for you to decide. But even if you do chase cult releases, you'll want to round out your drinking with some easier-to-obtain brews. Here are 10 of craft beer’s biggest white whales and—should your hunt be unsuccessful—their suitable replacements. Written by Joshua M. Bernstein (@JoshMBernstein)
Cantillon Zwanze

At Belgium’s Cantillon, Jean Van Roy makes some of the world’s most sought-after sour beers, with zealots clamoring for his cultish lambics, gueuzes and krieks. Chief among them is Zwanze, a limited-edition experimental lambic that was first introduced in 2008. To taste the annual sour beer (the recipe changes every year), you’ll need to visit one of just 46 bars around the world that get it on Zwanze Day. This year’s release—which Van Roy says is not a lambic, takes place on Saturday, September 14. Try this instead: New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red Champagne-bubbly and perfectly positioned on the sweet-tart spectrum, this lambic-inspired ale receives its signature hue and flavor from plenty of Wisconsin-grown cherries. Also worthy: New Belgium’s La Folie. and, if you can grab it, anything from Allagash’s Coolship series.
Russian River Brewing Co. Pliny the Younger

Here’s how you can make hop lovers foam at the mouth: mention the words “Pliny the Elder,” Russian River’s fiendishly piney double IPA that helped create a generation of bitterness junkies. While finding that beer can be a pain, sourcing its souped-up sibling, Pliny the Younger—a triple IPA—is downright impossible. The annual draft-only release at Russian River’s Santa Rosa, CA brewpub and a few select outlets across the country is accompanied by queues that recall ration lines during World War II. Try this instead: Hoppin Frog Hop Dam Triple IPA The Ohio brewery built a stainless steel “dam” for the brew kettle to hold back the hops, resulting in a tidal wave of citrus and pine. Other maxed-out IPAs to seek out include Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree IPA and Founders Devil Dancer.
Brouwerij Westvleteren Westvleteren 12

Used to be, if you wanted to try this Rockefeller-rich Belgian quadruple, you had to make a reservation to visit the monks of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren. After swearing that you will not re-sell the indulgent ale—a snifter-worthy pour packed with dark fruit flavors—the brothers would allow you to haul off a crate of Westvleteren 12. Last year, the brothers partnered with several distributors to offer a onetime sale of Westy 12 gift packs (the proceeds helped fund the abbey’s restoration), but sales have once again been restricted to the abbey. Try this instead: St. Bernardus Abt 12 Trust us: There’s very little drop-off from Westy 12 to this strong, fruity, and spicy revelation.
Hair of the Dog Dave

Among beer collectors, few words are whispered as reverently as that of Dave, a barleywine that Portland, Oregon’s Alan Sprints originally brewed in 1994. After freezing the beer and removing water (a process dubbed freeze distillation), the brew’s ABV was goosed to 29 percent, putting it more in line with sipping spirits. If you’d like a snifter of Dave, you'd best break out your checkbook. During an online auction in 2010, a single 375ml bottle sold for $1,571. Try this instead: Samuel Adams Utopias By comparison, these Cognac-like special releases from Sam Adams, which clock in at a similarly high ABV, are a relative bargain at around $200 a bottle. The next release is slated for this fall.
The Alchemist Heady Topper

Hop heads are blowing their lids to get their hands on a 16-ounce can of the hugely aromatic double IPA. Even though John Kimmich’s Waterbury, VT brewery is solely dedicated to producing Heady, demand is so strong that the beer sells out soon after it rolls off the canning line. To discourage black-market sales, the brewery will soon distribute decals to authorized retailers. Try this instead: Firestone Walker Double Jack IPA The California outfit’s inaugural imperial IPA is a wonderfully bitter marriage of caramel malt and gobs of grapefruits and tangerines.
Three Floyds Zombie Dust

Yes, we know that the Dark Lord imperial stout is a devilish delight that’s only available during the Indiana brewery’s annual metal-and-beer celebration. However, that beer’s buzz has been devoured by Zombie Dust, a juicy pale ale dosed exclusively with tropical Citra hops. Since it was first bottled in 2011, the pale ale has been perched atop beer-rating websites. Zombie stays in stock about as long as it takes you to scan this sentence. Try this instead: Half Acre Daisy Cutter If you’re in Chicago and seeking out a divine pale ale, look no further than this clean-drinking Windy City wonder that balances pine, citrus, and grassy bitterness. Also excellent: Maine Beer’s MO or Peeper ales.
Founders Brewing Canadian Breakfast Stout

For all the madness that surrounds the Michigan brewery’s annual unveiling of Kentucky Bourbon Stout, an imperial stout spiked with coffee and chocolate and cave-aged in bourbon barrels, there’s an even greater clamor for CBS. It slumbers inside bourbon barrels that previously contained maple syrup, resulting in an extravagance worth sipping for both breakfast and dessert. Try this instead: Goose Island Bourbon County Stout If you’re craving a bourbon barrel–aged imperial stout, there are few finer—or more readily available—releases than this jet-black brew.
Cigar City Hunahpu’s Stout

Over the last few years, Cigar City has become one of Florida’s standout breweries thanks to its standout lineup of IPAs, saisons, and imperial stouts. Chief among them is Hunahpu, which was named after the mythological figure that bequeathed cacao to the Mayans. Fittingly, the burly beer is aged on raw cacao nibs, as well as cinnamon, vanilla beans, and several kinds of chiles. To get a bottle, you’ll have to venture to Tampa for Hunahpu’s Day or enroll in the El Catador Club reserve society. Try this instead: Deschutes The Abyss Partly aged in oak and bourbon barrels, the Oregon brewery’s fall offering is a rich symphony of chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and roasted malts. Like spice? Try Westbrook’s habañero-spiked Mexican Cake.
Bruery Black Tuesday

On July 1, 2008, California’s The Bruery decided to make a massively strong stout. Everything went wrong, with hot grain spraying willy-nilly and the brewery flooding. After the cleanup, the beer was painstakingly fed extra nutrients, helping it reach nearly 20% ABV. Only then was it consigned to bourbon barrels, where it slept for more than a year. The bottled result was Black Tuesday, which has since become the Bruery’s most desired beer. Want a bottle? Join one of the brewery’s membership-only societies or be fast enough to grab a ticket to the release party. Try this instead: BrewDog Tokyo* The Scottish brewery’s high-octane stout is brewed with jasmine and cranberries, then aged on toasted oak chips. Also strong and sublime: Dogfish Head World Wide Stout.
Lawson’s Famous Liquids Double Sunshine IPA

On a seven-barrel system in Vermont’s Mad River Valley, Sean Lawson fashions some of the most in-demand ales on the East Coast. Acquiring his beers requires a trip to the Green Mountain State, where—if you’re lucky—you’ll find a bottle of Maple Tripple Ale, which is made from locally harvested maple sap; piney Chinooker’d IPA; and, best yet, the bright, juicy Double Sunshine IPA. It’s a tropical slice of hop heaven. Try this instead: Stone Enjoy By IPA The incredibly fresh imperial IPA is a dank mélange of trendy hops including fruity Calypso; passion fruit–like Galaxy; and lemony, limey Motueka.

10 Cult Beer Releases, and What to Drink If You Can't Get Them

Cantillon Zwanze

Russian River Brewing Co. Pliny the Younger

Brouwerij Westvleteren Westvleteren 12

Hair of the Dog Dave

The Alchemist Heady Topper

Three Floyds Zombie Dust

Founders Brewing Canadian Breakfast Stout

Cigar City Hunahpu’s Stout

Bruery Black Tuesday

Lawson’s Famous Liquids Double Sunshine IPA

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