Beer for your own funeral?

I mean no disrespect to anyone who's recently been through the loss of a loved one. That doesn't mean I'm not going to make a *little* light of the situation, though.

Tonight I was bottling a batch of beer with my dad, who sells insurance, and I mentioned the fact that I'm probably disappointing him by not buying life insurance. I'm single, and I mentioned that I just need enough cash to pay off the house (I should still have enough equity left) and to get me in the ground. It would be nice to buy a few rounds at the bar for the boys, too. Then it occurred to me...I should really keep a batch of homebrew on hand at all times to make sure no one goes thirsty after the funeral. It would be kind of a neat idea to have something to give your loved ones after you pass on, and I kind of like the idea of everyone hoisting one in my memory and having a good time about it (or at least as good a time as they could).

Unless I wanted to be continually refreshing the batch, I'd want the "have a drink on me" beer to be something strong that could keep. However, I have some acquaintances I haven't convinced to turn their backs on weak-sauced BMC. I've served up witbiers to great acclaim, so I'd probably have to make an Imperial Wit.

What would be the beer you'd set aside for when you shuffle off your mortal coil?

A very interesting idea.

My imperial stout. Thick as thieves, dark as death, and strong as hell. Black Champagne.

you're never gonna manage to keep a pile of cream ale or pale ale fresh on tap forever for those BMC drinkers until you die. But.... a mead would be a GREAT idea for this. brew a big ass batch of mead and let it ride till you die. Even a RIS wouldn't probably be good in over 15 years I would think. I say do a mead or a wine at least. My vote is mead.

Dead Guy Ale*****clone***** just sees fitting to me

An Orval clone.

Jaybird said:

Dead Guy Ale*****clone***** just sees fitting to me

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I agree!

A big, heavy, and thoroughly aged Barley Wine. "Six Feet Under Ale".......

Scotch ale, a "wee heavy" along the lines of McEwan's Scotch Ale, but better.

Hmm.
Perhaps a Black Mead?

I'll have to bug the Wicked Wicca of the West ( aka my sister ) to see if she can procure some decent Blackcurrents for the essential oil extractor.

I wouldn't think you'd need to worry about catering to the BMC guys. They should drink a glass of whatever you leave out of respect. They're not drinking to be drinking.
I second either a Barley wine or a Mead. or both for the various crowd. This is a very interesting idea. And maybe not name it (depending on your group) anything relate to black or death. Make it some about celebrating you. "Scotty's last Hoorah" A celebration Barley Wine, Aged well and smooth like ole' Scotty himself. Brewed to remind friends of the good times and a little piece of his passion for you to remember."

I love this idea. I want to craft a little coffin shaped box to keep the batch in to. Nailed shut, of course, to keep the graverobbers (me) out of it.

As I fully expect someone to find my remains thoroughly chewed by my retired racing greyhounds several weeks after I've died, I'll go with an Imperial Stout and call it "Fast-track to H3ll".

As Irregular said, they should have a small glass of whatever you make out of respect. I know I would (except maybe Cock Ale).

I'm not sure I've converted enough friends or family to homebrew that this would go over well, but it would be great to pass along an Imperial Wit since I can be such a smartass. Ultimately, I think it would be fitting at my memorial service to pour out a bottle of RR Damnation, Avery Salvation, and Rochefort 10 to honor my life.

Love the concept. I say you brew a "memorial brew" every 10 years. If you make it the full 10, you brew a new batch to age and reward yourself for surviving by drinking the previous batch. Hmmm... maybe every 5 years...

this is what my money is going toward: a trip to tibet for all my friends and my dead body, so they can watch me return to the earth through the mouths of vultures:

Sky burial - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

i suppose they can drink my leftover homebrew, too

Great Idea! I think a mead would be fitting. Something that refrects your demeanor or atleast something that has everything in beer or mead that you love. But good luck not breaking into it during hard times.

Maybe an unblended lambic or Kreik

I've been telling my daughters for years that I want a "Viking" funeral. I want to be cremated, then have my ashes (I call them 'leftovers' when talking to the girls) placed in a little pram with a gallon of gasoline. Push me offshore on an outgoing tide and a flaming arrow from shore should complete the deed. I've even got the perfect boat, it's a wall decoration, about 24 inches long by 4 inches wide. Pile up a mess of cinders amidships, pour on the boyscout water and voila.

Oh, and I want them to save some of the leftovers. That part I want them to carry to the top of Mt Washington on a crystal clear bluebird day in February and scatter me to the winds. Seems only fitting that I brew up a batch of something for all the trouble I'll be putting them thru.

Jaybird said:

Dead Guy Ale*****clone***** just sees fitting to me

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DAMN!!! Jaybird beat me to it! And I thought I was going to be so clever!


I would say a higher ABV, special aged beer. Something complex to sip on and fully appreciate.

Something aged on oak, maybe.

I would have to go with a barley wine. Something strong and bitter.

In addition to this I would want someone to brew a batch with my ashes in it. Then I would be swimming in beer forever.

I would call it "Dead Guy (no I mean it a real dead guy) Ale."