Columbia Sportswear releases “Nature Calls” beer made with bear droppings

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Columbia Sportswear, known for its outdoor gear, has launched a unique and unusual beer. It’s inspired by – believe it or not – bear scat! This limited-edition brew is definitely one of the more surprising collaborations we’ve seen.

Columbia partnered with Breakside Brewery in Portland, Oregon, to create a new light lager called Nature Calls, as part of their “Engineered for Whatever” campaign. The beer is advertised as being made with real bear droppings, but that’s a bit of a playful exaggeration – it’s not what you think!

Ben Edmunds, brewmaster and co-owner of Breakside Brewery, says the inspiration came from Columbia. However, they never considered actually using animal waste in their beer because of the strict hygiene standards in brewing.

He mentioned someone proposed a beer brewed with bear feces, but acknowledged there would be significant health and safety concerns with that idea, as he explained to Forbes.

How did a brewery make a beer with bear droppings?

Columbia used water that had once contained bear waste, but it was thoroughly treated and cleaned before being used to make the beer. So, while the beer technically includes material from bear droppings, it’s perfectly safe to drink.

When I first heard about this beer, I honestly thought it was a prank! But seriously, it turned out to be one of the craziest – and surprisingly good – brews Breakside has ever made. I mean, the idea behind it was so out there, but they really pulled it off. It actually tastes fantastic!

We’ve created what might be the most unique beer in the country, and possibly even the world! It’s a playful and exciting brew that surprisingly tastes fantastic. We’ve made many beers before, but this is the first one that truly embodies nature in such a direct way.

Nature Calls is a limited-release beer. You could find it at the Super Bowl Players Tailgate event at Columbia’s booth, or currently at Breakside Brewery’s pubs in Oregon. Breakside distributes its beers to several states in the West, including Washington, California, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, and Colorado.

The company is releasing a new beer designed to evoke the outdoors, letting drinkers “experience the less glamorous side of nature.” They describe the beer as having a smooth taste with hints of honey and huckleberry.

This unusual pairing is part of a recent trend of major brands creating surprisingly unique food products to get people talking.

In 2025, Frida, a company known for parenting products, teamed up with OddFellows Ice Cream to create a unique ice cream flavor made with breast milk.

KFC recently made news with a limited-edition fried chicken-flavored toothpaste that quickly sold out, reportedly within just two days.

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2026-02-16 19:49