A new limited-edition beer featuring an extraordinary ingredient is set to launch just in time for the Super Bowl, sparking both curiosity and conversation among sports fans and brew enthusiasts alike. The beverage, named Nature Calls, incorporates bear poop collected from American black bears in Montana during its brewing process, creating what promoters describe as a "taste of the outdoors for game day indoors."
Collaboration Between Outdoor Brand and Brewery
Columbia Sportswear has partnered with Breakside Brewery to produce this unconventional beer, which will make its debut on February 8 at the Super Bowl Players Tailgate in Santa Clara, California. According to the sportswear brand's official website, the collaboration aims to push boundaries and celebrate nature in a remarkably literal fashion.
Brewing Process and Ingredients
The Nature Calls beer is crafted using Bull Run River water sourced from Oregon, which is infused with bear feces during fermentation. The brew also contains malted grains grown in the Pacific Northwest, complemented by subtle notes of honey and huckleberry. Despite the eyebrow-raising inclusion of animal waste, both companies have emphasised that the beer meets all safety standards and is entirely safe for consumption.
Joe Boyle, brand president at Columbia Sportswear, explained the philosophy behind the product in a press release statement. "When we say engineered for whatever, we mean whatever," Boyle declared. "Mother Nature hurls bear poop at us, we'll ferment it into a frosty pint. From the inside of a bear to your mouth — we're making nature's crap easier to swallow."
Brewery Founder's Perspective
Scott Lawrence, founder of Breakside Brewery, acknowledged the unusual nature of the project while assuring consumers of its quality. "We've brewed a lot of beers, but never one that celebrates nature this literally," Lawrence stated. "When Columbia came to us with the idea to use bear poop, we thought they were joking. Turns out, they weren't — and now we've got the wildest beer in America and maybe the world. It's crazy, it's fun, and honestly... it tastes great."
Lawrence further confirmed that Nature Calls is brewed with the same rigorous standards applied to all the brewery's products, ensuring consistency and safety throughout the production process.
Availability and Super Bowl Connection
The bear poop-infused beer will initially be available at the Super Bowl Players Tailgate event in Santa Clara, where the Seattle Seahawks will face the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium. Following the tailgate, Nature Calls will also be offered at select Breakside Brewery locations across Oregon, providing additional opportunities for adventurous drinkers to sample the unique brew.
Historical Precedent for Unusual Ingredients
Interestingly, this is not the first instance of animal feces being used in beer production. In 2021, Ant Brew, a Finnish microbrewery, created a stout-flavoured beer using goose droppings gathered from local parks in Lahti, Finland. The company explained that the poop was employed in a food-safe manner to smoke malt, resulting in a distinctive stout beer.
This earlier experiment was part of celebrations marking Lahti's designation as the European Green Capital in 2021, promoting a "wasteless circular economy." The Finnish brewery's initiative demonstrated how unconventional ingredients could be repurposed creatively within the brewing industry, setting a precedent for Columbia Sportswear and Breakside Brewery's current venture.
The launch of Nature Calls beer represents a bold fusion of outdoor culture, brewing innovation, and sporting event marketing, promising to be one of the most talked-about products at this year's Super Bowl festivities.
