Purple Monkey Dishwasher? Jason Hates It!? Arrogant Bastard? Whoever said naming beer had to be serious clearly hasn’t spent much time in a craft brewery.
You ever walk into a brewery, look up at the tap list, and think, who the hell came up with these names?
I mean, seriously.
Some breweries keep things simple. Then there’s the brewery that decides to name a beer Purple Monkey Dishwasher.
And suddenly, I have questions.
Who came up with that? Was there a story behind it? Did somebody lose a bet? And, most importantly, is it any good?
That’s one of my favorite things about craft beer. There’s no shortage of creativity, and I’m not just talking about what goes into the glass. Some of these brewers have turned naming their beers into a sport.
And I’ll admit it. I’ve absolutely been the guy who wanted to try a beer simply because the name made me laugh.
So I went down a little rabbit hole looking at some of the strangest, funniest, and most entertaining beer names I could find.
Here are a few that caught my attention.
Purple Monkey Dishwasher — Evil Genius Beer Company
Okay, we’re starting with this one because I need somebody to explain how these three words ended up together.
Purple. Monkey. Dishwasher.
What?
This is a chocolate peanut butter porter from Philadelphia’s Evil Genius Beer Company. And while the name sounds like something a five-year-old would yell across the living room, the beer itself sounds pretty darn good.
Chocolate? Peanut butter? Porter?
I’m listening.
I can already picture myself sitting at a bar and telling the bartender, “Yeah, let me get a Purple Monkey Dishwasher.”
And then immediately wondering why I just said that out loud.
The best part? Evil Genius has a whole lineup of beers with names that sound like inside jokes. We’ll get to a couple more.
Brewery: Evil Genius Beer Company
Arrogant Bastard Ale — Stone Brewing
Imagine trying to sell somebody a beer by basically telling them they’re not good enough to drink it.
That’s the attitude behind Arrogant Bastard Ale.
Stone Brewing introduced this beer back in 1997, and it didn’t exactly show up trying to make friends.
Even the beer’s marketing has historically suggested that most people aren’t worthy of appreciating it.
Well, damn. Okay.
Now I kind of want one.
At 7.2% ABV, this is a bold, aggressively flavored ale with a personality to match.
You have to give Stone credit. While other breweries were trying to convince everybody how smooth and refreshing their beer is, Stone basically said, “Our beer is awesome. You might not be.”
That’s one way to build a following.
Brewery: Stone Brewing
Jason Hates It! — Aldus Brewing Company
Now here’s a beer that sounds like there’s some serious drama behind it.
Jason Hates It!
That’s it. That’s the name.
Aldus Brewing Company out of Hanover, Pennsylvania, makes this IPA, and I have so many questions.
First of all, who’s Jason?
Second, what did Jason hate?
And third, did Jason eventually come around, or is he still somewhere complaining about this beer?
I tried looking into the story, but the brewery’s website doesn’t give much away. Which honestly makes it even funnier.
It’s an IPA, but forget the tasting notes for a second. I want somebody from Aldus to sit down, crack one open, and tell me what Jason did.
Because there’s a story here. There has to be.
Brewery: Aldus Brewing Company
Pseudo Sue — Toppling Goliath Brewing Company
Okay, this one isn’t necessarily weird in the same way as Purple Monkey Dishwasher.
But come on. A beer named after a dinosaur?
I’m in.
Toppling Goliath Brewing Company, based in Decorah, Iowa, makes Pseudo Sue, a pale ale that pays tribute to the famous T. rex named Sue.
It’s brewed with Citra hops, giving it tropical fruit and citrus character without overwhelming bitterness.
And at 5.8% ABV, it’s a beer that sounds like it could fit pretty comfortably into an afternoon hanging out at a brewery.
What I like about this one is that the name is fun, the artwork stands out, and there’s an actual connection behind it.
Plus, dinosaurs are cool.
I don’t care how old you are.
Brewery: Toppling Goliath Brewing Company
Stupid Sexy Flanders — Evil Genius Beer Company
If you’re a fan of The Simpsons, you already know where this is going.
“Stupid sexy Flanders!”
Yep. Somebody turned that into a beer.
Evil Genius Beer Company made a German pilsner with the name, and I have to imagine the people who came up with it were laughing the entire time.
This is what happens when craft beer meets pop culture.
And I love it.
Because let’s be real, sometimes you don’t need a deep, meaningful name inspired by the brewing process or the history of a small German village.
Sometimes you just need a ridiculous television reference that makes somebody smile.
Mission accomplished.
Brewery: Evil Genius Beer Company
Me Think, Why Waste Time Say Lot Word, When Few Word Do Trick — Evil Genius Beer Company
I’m not even going to pretend this is a reasonable beer name.
Read it again.
Me Think, Why Waste Time Say Lot Word, When Few Word Do Trick.
Fans of The Office will recognize the reference to Kevin Malone’s attempt to simplify the English language.
And somebody at Evil Genius apparently thought, “You know what? That would make a great beer name.”
It’s a key lime pie sour ale.
Now imagine you’re three beers into a brewery visit and trying to order another one of these.
Absolutely not.
I’m pointing at the menu.
“This one. Right here.”
The irony of giving a beer an incredibly long name based on a joke about using fewer words is pretty fantastic.
Brewery: Evil Genius Beer Company
Dead Unicorn — Toppling Goliath Brewing Company
Well, that’s depressing.
What did the unicorn ever do to anybody?
Toppling Goliath has had a beer called Dead Unicorn in its rotational lineup, and I’m not sure whether I’m supposed to laugh, be concerned, or ask what happened.
Maybe all three.
But that’s the beauty of a name like this.
It gets your attention.
You see Dead Unicorn written on a tap list, and suddenly you’re curious.
Not because you know anything about the beer.
Not because you’ve studied its hop profile.
But because somebody decided that Dead Unicorn was an acceptable name for something people would willingly drink.
And somehow, it works.
Brewery: Toppling Goliath Brewing Company
I.P. Freely — Evil Genius Beer Company
And finally, we’ve got I.P. Freely.
Go ahead.
Say it out loud.
I’ll wait.
Yep.
Evil Genius strikes again.
This American pilsner has the kind of name that makes you wonder whether the brewery’s brainstorming sessions involve a group of grown adults laughing at jokes they probably learned in middle school.
And you know what?
I’m not judging.
Sometimes a beer name doesn’t need to be clever in some sophisticated, artistic way.
Sometimes it’s just funny.
And if it gets a laugh while somebody’s ordering a pint, I’d say it did its job.
Brewery: Evil Genius Beer Company
So, does a weird name actually make you want to try a beer?
For me? Absolutely.
Now, I’m not saying I’m going to buy every beer with a ridiculous name. I’ve got my preferences, and there are certain styles I gravitate toward.
But there’s something about walking into a brewery and discovering a beer you’ve never heard of that makes the whole experience a little more interesting.
Maybe it’s the name.
Maybe it’s the artwork on the can.
Maybe it’s the bartender telling you there’s a hilarious story behind how the beer came to be.
That’s the stuff I enjoy about craft beer.
It’s not always about finding the highest-rated IPA or chasing some limited release that everybody’s talking about online.
Sometimes it’s just about sitting down, having a good beer, and enjoying the conversation.
And let’s face it, a beer called Purple Monkey Dishwasher is probably going to start a better conversation than one called American Pale Ale Number Three.
No offense to American Pale Ale Number Three.
I’m sure you’re delicious.
Here’s what I really want to know
What’s the weirdest beer name you’ve ever come across?
I’m talking about the one that made you stop in the middle of a brewery, look at the menu again, and say, “There’s no way that’s actually what they called it.”
Did you order it?
Was it good?
Or was the name the best thing about it?
I’d love to hear about it, especially if it’s from a small brewery somewhere that most people haven’t discovered yet.
Drop the name and the brewery in the comments. Maybe we’ll put together another list featuring some of your favorites.
Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned about craft beer, it’s that there’s always another strange name, another interesting brewery, and another good story waiting to be discovered.
And I’m perfectly fine doing a little more research.
Preferably with a pint in hand.
Cheers!
Explore. Pour. Drink. Repeat.
— Ale Yeah! Adventures