Beard Beer Brews? Beard Yeast Apparently Works Wonders

Hipsters can now combine their two loves in one: beards and craft beer. Last year, news broke that Oregon brewery Rogue Ales was developing a beer made from beard yeast, and now, it has finally been unveiled.

FoodBeast reports that the Beard Beer is now available on Rogue Ales' website, and it's fermented with yeast found in Brewmaster John Maier's beard (the notorious beard even has its own website devoted to it).

Last year, KPTV chatted with Rogue Ales' president Brett Joyce about the project, who jokingly decided to harvest a new yeast strain from an unconventional place: Maier's beard, which he had not shaved since 1978. "John has had the same Old Growth Beard since 1983 and for over 15,000 brews, so it is no great surprise that a natural yeast ideal for brewing was discovered in his beard," the beer description says. The brewery took nine follicles from his beard, and lab workers found a yeast that "turned out to be perfect for fermenting beer."

"This really is the needle in the haystack," Rogue Ales' John Couchot told KGW. "To find it on our brewmaster is really phenomenal."

Beard Beer is reportedly a "sweet, distinct ale," sans beard hairs, and it's on sale at Rogue.