The Worst Beer in the World?

Henry Weinhard has an array of interesting-sounding beers, and none more so that the invitingly-named Belgian-Style Wheat, which boasts the use of coriander and "orange." In my recent survey of Weinhard's beers, I bought two of these, thinking it would be an always reliable wit. Not only is it not a wit, but Brussels should sue SABMiller for impugning their national heritage.

What it is: "Orangina," Sally noted, seconds after curling her mouth into a grimmace and horsing down the last swallow she'll ever have of the beer.

Seriously, it's an orange soda, from the fizzingly Fanta-like nose to the artificially-flavored soda palate. (It may not be artificially-flavored, but it manages to taste like fake orange flavoring nonetheless.) It's even orangy-amber. It's shockingly bad.

Many beers are at the bottom-level of mediocre. Your Busch Lights, for example. Others are infected or unintentionally damaged. But I've never had a beer that tasted this bad intentionally, not as a result of neglect or misuse, but because someone, somewhere crafted it this way and said, "Hey, I think that's a winner!"

I almost want to urge you all to buy a bottle so as to behold the badness. But I don't want it on my conscience. Still, if you've stumbled onto it accidentally and would enjoy relating your experiences, by all means do. And, if you know of another beer that's worse, let me know. This could become a theme.