Acquiring a taste for the Higgs boson

Before CERN's scientists had even announced the discovery of the Higgs boson, others were already attributing some interesting characteristics to it: flavoursome, sparkling and liquid...

The artisan brewery Hopfenstark in Quebec launched its new "Higgs boson" beer in November 2010. Ever since, it has been intriguing enthusiasts with its unique taste explosion.

The boson was a source of inspiration for brewer Frédéric Cormier, the Hopfenstark brewery's owner, who is a big fan of science programmes. "I returned from a trip to Europe in 2010 with the idea for a new beer that would be unlike any other," he explains. "I was always reading and hearing about CERN's particle accelerator in the media, so I did some research on the famous Higgs boson and decided to give my new creation the same name."

For Frédéric Cormier, it's important that the names of his beers reflect their character. For him, the name "Higgs boson" is evocative of a new, hybrid style; his new beer was inspired by beers with smoky notes, German wheat beers and Belgian Saison beers and has a low alcohol content.

As Hopfenstark is a small, artisan brewery, its beers are only available on the North American market for the time being, so you will have to judge whether a trip across the Atlantic is called for…

More information is available on the brewery's Facebook page.

by Caroline Duc