Next Craft Beer Trend: Whale Vomit?

We hope it tastes better than it sounds.

Craft beers have been going through all kinds of additions and make-overs, but this might just take the cake. A report by ABC South East SA claims that a team of South Australian brewers at Robe Town Brewery have debuted Moby Dick Ambergris Ale, so-named for its use of ambergris — more commonly known as whale vomit.

The substance is thought to form in the intestines of sperm whales as a means of aiding in digestion. It is eventually excreted (or regurgitated) into the ocean once the whale dies, where it hardens over time. Gross? Sure, but ambergris is highly valued — and, obviously, pretty hard to come by. 

The Ambergris Ale was crafted especially for a craft beer festival in Melbourne earlier this month. There are plans to brew a larger batch with the remainder of the ambergris they still have. How does it taste? One of the brewers called its flavor “challenging,” telling ABC South East SA, “it tastes a little bit like the sea,” and “a little bit like marine animals.”

Okay then.