Trying to pick out a beer from a list of 110 (like at Old Chicago Pizza and Pasta) or from the list at Brouwer’s Café in Seattle (that has over 300 bottled beers), is like trying to pick a horse at the race track. You have some information, and maybe some recommendations, but many times you go with a name that sounds intriguing. Regardless of the odds.

With beer, sometimes the odder the name, the more you want to try it.

We looked over the ‘Bier’ list from Brouwer’s, trying to find some with names that are odd. These are ones that caught our eye. All are real beers. All are real names. We added the color commentary.

Avery Salvation – This brew needs to be careful not to overpromise.

Dicks Tripel – Again with the overpromising.

Fish Old Woody – …out of the lake and get him into some dry clothes.

Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws – Sounds like a plea for acquittal on a legal technicality.

Jolly Pumpkin Bam Bier – You’re a happy lush and then, Wham!, you’re out like a light.

Lagunitas Lumpy Gravy – Great on mashed potatoes.

Port Brewing Old Viscosity – Good old 10-w-40. Have one every 3,000 miles.

Russian River Deviation Bottleworks IX – We messed up on the first eight.

Scuttlebutt Old No.1 Barleywine – Rumor has it, it’s very good.

Stone Ruination – Tells you what it does and what it leads to.

Blanche de Moines – Makes you wonder how ‘Streetcar Named Desire’ would have been different if took place in Iowa.

Caracole Nostradamus – Surprisingly unpredictable.

Delirium Noel – Drink enough and the bartender starts to look like Santa Claus.

De Regenboog T’smisje BBBourgondier – This is what I sound like when I’m drinking this and someone asks for directions.

Fantome Black Ghost – Dark and redundant.

Hanssens Kriek – Made with pure ingredients from Hanssens Kriek.

Malheur Brut Reserve Michael Jackson Ed. – It used to be dark, but now it’s a light beer.

Scotch de Silly – When you can’t afford the harder stuff, but you want the same effect.