It's happened. The edible glitter trend that has made prosecco shimmer and glitter lattes sparkle has infiltrated the beer industry, and people are about to flip their lid. Love it or hate it, the glitter beer trend has arrived.
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We could say we're shocked, but it was only a matter of time. Craft beer is constantly evolving and seeking inspiration from other trends - some that stick around and some that don't. This often results in some crazy sounding suds like beer brewed with fried chicken, a ramen flavored brew, unicorn beer, and even a beer that has the active ingredient in pepper spray thrown in the mix. So the possibility of a glittery IPA hitting your local brewpub doesn't sound so crazy. If anything, it was inevitable.
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From coast to coast, the new sparkly brews can be found all across the nation. Well known breweries like Ska Brewing in Colorado, Three Weavers Brewing Company in California, and Bold Missy Brewery in North Carolina have all caught the glitter bug. While glitter may be the not-so-secret common ingredient, the brews themselves, sans glitter, sound rather enticing.
Bold Missy for instance has a glitter dosed 6.8 percent ABV saison that features lemon and pink peppercorn called Trapper Keeper - in honor of every 90s girl's favorite whimsical school supplies brand Lisa Frank. The one that supposedly sparked the trend, Three Weaver's Mel's Sparkle Pony IPA, even sounds worthy of imbibing.
If you're curious about the brewing process of these shimmering creations, it basically involves glitter bombing kegs. Anyone familiar with glitter knows its irritating ability to stay on your skin for days despite how much you wash it off. Its clinging nature would make it virtually impossible to remove it completely from the brewing system, not to mention the fact it would probably all dissolve before hitting the pint glass.
As a result, brewers like Bold Missy's Carli Smith have found a better way to make sparkly beer and have taken to adding glitter to individual kegs before serving. This way, the beer comes out sparkling and the brew system doesn't get gunked up.
While these breweries may be excited to see what dazzling creation they can concoct next, it should be noted that not everyone is happy about glitter. Specifically, environmentalists. There are environmental concerns that glitter is harmful to our ecosystem. Researchers have found that the tiny microplastic pieces work their way into our water supply, resulting in ocean pollution. Although edible glitter may be considered safe for human consumption, looking into environmentally friendly brands could be worth the effort.
Will the glitter beer trend stick around like the dreaded green beer on St. Patrick's day? Only time will tell, but I'm guessing it's right along the lines of the unicorn food trend.
