Sam Adams' Helium Beer: Where To Buy?

On April 1, 2014, Sam Adams released a video announcing the release of HeliYum, a radical, extreme new beer that leverages the wonderful properties of helium. The video, which featured founder Jim Koch introducing and sipping the helium-infused brew, was an April Fool's joke. Despite this, the concept of helium-infused beer has captured the public's imagination, with numerous copycat videos and articles discussing the possibility of creating such a brew. While it is technically possible to infuse beer with helium, it is unlikely to have any effect on the drinker's voice, and the effort involved in doing so may not be worth the outcome.

Sam Adams' helium beer was an April Fool's joke

Sam Adams helium beer was an April Fools' joke. On April 1, 2014, the Boston Beer Company's Samuel Adams brand released a video announcing they had created a beer infused with helium, called HeliYum. The video was professional, and featured founder Jim Koch, who committed to the joke by sipping the beer and describing its taste in a high-pitched voice. However, the date it was released was a giveaway that it was a prank.

The concept of a helium-infused beer was not original to Samuel Adams. The video mimicked a 1994 hoax about a brand of Japanese beer supposedly infused with hydrogen, created by the fictional Asaka Beer Corporation. On the same day in 2014, Stone Brewing released a satirical ad for a similar product, which only added to the confusion.

The following year, the prank was revived by the Die BierProbierer podcast, who claimed to have gotten their hands on a bottle of the fictional beer. Their video also turned out to be an April Fools' joke, but when it was posted without the disclaimer, it caused further confusion. The Berkshire Brewing Company and the Stone Brewing Company also released their own versions of helium beer promotions, also tied to April Fools' Day.

Despite the prank, some people remained eager to try the unique brew, and speculation continued. This led to articles being published, debunking the idea of a helium-infused beer. It was confirmed that helium is not soluble in water, and would therefore be impossible to infuse into beer. It was also noted that helium turns to gas at -220°F, so any attempt to create helium beer would result in frozen beer.

Helium beer is scientifically possible

In 2015, an article published in Chemical & Engineering News' Newscripts page demonstrated that the dream of helium beer was within reach. The article suggested swapping out the carbon dioxide tank with a helium tank. The team discovered that, although the helium did not dissolve, it effectively piggybacked on the carbon dioxide occurring in the beer naturally, making the bubbles bigger and faster-rising in the process.

The experiment yielded a milk stout with a creamy, stable, well-proportioned head that persisted through the last sip. The mouthfeel was smooth, with very little of the bubbly texture that normal carbonation brings. Tasters did note that the brew was a little flat, though fans of Guinness and traditionally made cask ales would likely not be terribly disappointed.

One conclusion that the team could definitively state was that "the pitch of our voices and belches, sadly, was unaffected."

So, while helium beer may be scientifically possible, it's important to note that it has some drawbacks. The beer is likely to be a little flat, and it won't have the desired effect of changing the pitch of your voice.

Additionally, it's worth mentioning that the majority of sources claim that helium beer is not possible due to the insolubility of helium in water. However, the Chemical & Engineering News team proved that it could be done, albeit with some challenges.

Sam Adams' video was professional and convincing

The video highlighted the unique properties of HeliYum, including its brilliant clarity, light mouthfeel, and lack of odour, resulting from the use of helium, a noble gas. It also mentioned the longer shelf life of the product due to helium's non-oxidizing properties. The professional and convincing nature of the video sparked widespread interest and curiosity among craft beer enthusiasts.

The Sam Adams video was part of an April Fool's prank, and the product itself was fictional. However, the video's professionalism and attention to detail added to its credibility. The subsequent release of similar videos by other companies, such as Stone Brewing's satirical ad for "Stochasticity Project Cr(He)am Ale with Helium," further fuelled the speculation and excitement around helium-infused beer.

Despite the hoax, the Sam Adams video and its professional and convincing presentation sparked a trend and inspired others to create similar content. It showcased the creativity and playful side of the craft beer industry, always eager to push boundaries and capture the imagination of beer enthusiasts worldwide.

While helium-infused beer may not be a viable product due to the chemical properties of helium, the Sam Adams video certainly left a lasting impression and added a touch of whimsy to the world of craft beer. The video's professionalism and convincing narrative contributed to its impact and enduring legacy in the craft beer community.

Helium beer is not soluble in water

The concept of helium-infused beer gained popularity in 2014 when the Boston Beer Company's Samuel Adams brand released a video announcing the release of HeliYum, a "radical, extreme new beer that leverages the wonderful properties of helium". The video sparked widespread interest and curiosity, with many people eager to try this unique brew. However, it was eventually revealed that the video was an April Fool's Day joke, and that helium-infused beer was not a real product.

Despite the prank, the idea of helium beer continued to capture the imagination of brewers and beer enthusiasts alike. Some even attempted to create their own versions of helium-infused beer, with varying degrees of success. While it may be technically possible to infuse beer with helium, it is important to understand the challenges and limitations presented by helium's low solubility in water.

Firstly, due to its low solubility, helium would not dissolve in beer to create the desired fizz. Instead, the undissolved helium would form large bubbles, and escape as soon as the seal on the container was broken. This would result in a messy and unsatisfactory drinking experience. Secondly, even if helium could be forced into the beer and sealed, breaking the seal would cause all the helium to escape rapidly, taking a significant amount of beer with it.

In conclusion, while the concept of helium beer may be intriguing, the fact that helium is not soluble in water presents significant challenges to its feasibility. As a result, it is unlikely that helium-infused beer will ever become a viable product on the market.

Other companies also made similar jokes

On April 1, 2014, the Boston Beer Company's Samuel Adams brand released a video announcing they had created a helium-infused beer called HeliYum. The video showed staff consuming the beer before speaking in high-pitched voices. However, it was later revealed that the video was an April Fool's joke.

The following year, the prank was revived by beer testers Alex and Ralf from the Die BierProbierer podcast, who claimed they had gotten their hands on a bottle of the fictional HeliYum beer. They posted a German-language "review" of the beer, which received 6 million views. While Alex and Ralf noted that their video was an April Fool's joke, subsequent postings of the video did not include this disclaimer, leading many viewers to believe that the pair was discussing a genuine product.

Additionally, the Berkshire Brewing Company produced an ad for a Helium IPA, and the Stone Brewing Company released a video showcasing their crHEam Ale infused with helium. These videos also contributed to the speculation and confusion around the existence of helium-infused beer.

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