Update on 2/19/2026: There‘s a new strongest beer!
Before getting into this, here’s a quick question to ask yourself: what do you think the strongest beer in the world is? Better yet, what’s the strongest beer you’d be willing to sit and enjoy?
Let’s start with a high ABV beer I love: barleywine. Barleywines vary, but you can expect somewhere in the 12-14% ABV range. Compared to IPAs in the 6-7% range and light beers closer to 4-5%, that’s pretty steep and hardly feels qualified to be counted as a “beer.”
I’m kidding of course, because barleywine is a beloved beer style. But we’re not here to talk about beloved beer styles.
No, we’re here to talk about the booziest beer ever created.
Previously, the booziest beer in the world was Snake Venom by Brewmeister, which clocked in at a paltry 60%. But Snake Venom’s time in the sun has passed, and we have a new strongest beer.
Scottish Beithir Fire: The Strongest Beer in the World
Scottish Beither Fire by 88 Brewery is a 75% monster that comes with a warning label because, yes, it’s just that strong.
The beer is a barley ale brewed over two months, presumably to pump up the ABV as much as possible. Oh, then it’s blended with Scottish spirit (read: Scottish everclear) to push it to a nice, rounded out 75% alcohol.
You shouldn’t sit and drink an entire bottle of this; instead, you’re advised to enjoy just one shot. Because, you know, it’s got the ABV equivalent of two shots of vodka. No, you can’t reseal the bottle, but I have a suspicion that something made almost entirely of alcohol won’t go back if left open in the fridge for a few days.
Heck, it says best before November 4, 2121, on the label, so it’ll probably be fine for longer.
You can purchase a bottle for about $60. I’m not sure how badly I need to try a beer this strong, but if you’re so inclined, be my guest and let me know how it tastes. If it tastes like anything other than alcohol.
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I’m not sure when it was released, but when 88 Brewery unleashed Scottish Beithir Fire upon the world, it took the title of World’s Strongest Beer at a whopping 75% ABV. And like Snake Venom, it also has a warning label that says not to consume more than a shot’s worth in one sitting. And while neither has a resealable cap on their bottles, at least their insanely high ABVs keep them from going flat when stored.
Oh my god, a record that definitely needed to be broken. I’ll check this out and update the article, thanks for the heads up!