All About Beer Magazine - Volume 36, Issue 2
May 1, 2015 By Heather Vandenengel

An Icelandic brewery, Brewery Steji, has brewed a beer with whale testicles. The brewery made the beer, called Hvalur 2, in time for the midwinter monthlong festival of Thorri. Each batch is brewed with a whole testicle from endangered fin whales for flavoring.

Last year the brewery came under fire from conservation groups for brewing a beer with endangered whale meat, and the beer was temporarily banned by public health officials. The ban was overturned and the beer sold out.

In a statement released this year, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation society said, “This is a calculated move, not only to dishonour a beautiful and endangered creature by using its most intimate of body parts as a marketing tool, but also sends a clear ‘two fingers’ to the conservation community and those who love and respect whales.”

Brewery co-owner Dagbjartur Arilíusson told the UK Press Association that, “According to our research the fin whale in North Atlantic is not at risk of extinction.”

As for the Hvalur 2: it clocks in at 5.1% and is filtered and pasteurized. A limited amount went on sale in January.