Dog Beer. Dawg Grog. Pooch Hooch. (O.K., that last one isn’t real, but it totally should be.)
As craft beer exploration and merriment have become more commonplace among humans, and with many breweries and bars welcoming patrons’ furry friends, companies are responding with the next best thing to getting drunk with your dog: dog beer.
A bit of a disclaimer: Dog beer is non-alcoholic, un-carbonated, and doesn’t contain hops. It does contain malt extract, along with a bevy of other healthy-for-dogs ingredients, so you might think of it like a nutritional homebrew, without the fermentation.
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Bowser Beer
Born of Bowser Bits, which are dog pretzels that founder Jenny Brown first created in 2007, Bowser Beer is the natural progression of a festival-inspired, beer-and-pretzel pairing for pooches. This one is almost the real deal: Like real beer, it comes in a six-pack, is sold at beer stores, breweries, and restaurants, and comes in a variety of flavors, including Beefy Brown Ale, Cock-a-Doodle Brew, and Porky Pug Porter.
Bonus: Bowser Brew six-packs are available with customizable labels, and 15 percent of purchase price is donated to charities.
Apollo Peak
Apollo Peak has it all: dog beer, dog wine, cat beer, cat wine, and more. The “pet wine” company based in Golden, Colo. aims to “bridge the social divide between humans and their pets.” It did so by creating beverages with all-organic and natural ingredients. The dog beer collection includes a variety of flavors mimicking the real thing: Mutt Lyte, Twisted Tail Ale, Black Print Pawsner, ESB (Extra Special Biter), and our favorite, Oatmeal Snout. Each recipe comes with a different dog health benefit, from increased playfulness to fresh breath.
Dawg Grog
This one’s for the vegetarians. Launched in 2012 in beer-loving Bend, Ore., Dawg Grog is more supplement than brewski, available in 8-ounce pouches with different serving suggestions, depending on the size of your pooch. This one combines actual brewers wort (the malted barley soup that becomes beer once it’s fermented) with K-9 vegetarian glucosamine, vegan trace mineral supplement, and water from the Oregon mountains, and can be served over dry or wet food, with water, or on its own as a liquid treat. Got a dog who loves ice cubes? Freeze this one up into lickable, bite-sized treats.
Bark Brew
Another gem, from petwinery.com, est. 2016, is Bark Brew. Available in three flavors — Beef Ale, Chicken Ale, and Calm Ale, which adds hemp extract for an extra-calming formula — you’re best bet is to purchase this one in a Pawty Pack.
Snuffle Dog Beer
Should you find yourself on a Belgian beercation with your four-legged ride or die, Snuffle, based in Antwerp, has the dog beer for you. Invented “after a hunting exercise in the Swiss Alps,” Snuffle was first released in 2009 and takes pride in providing “beer in the emotional sense” for dogs, made with human-grade ingredients including beef or chicken, malt extract, mineral oils, and vitamin B. Snuffle also makes Snuffle Fries, which will pair nicely for pooch while you’re enjoying your Belgian frites.
