Legendary Horror Writer H.P. Lovecraft Inspires New Craft Beers

The Narragansett Brewing Co. has launched a new beer series based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft, the Providence-born author (1890–1930) famous for his works of horror and fantasy. Each of the Lovecraft brews will celebrate a different Lovecraft tale.

Narragansett shares a birth year with Lovecraft, and Lovecraft spent his life in Providence, where he struggled to find success as an author. Unfortunately, his literary acclaim only came about posthumously.

"The deeper I get to know H.P. Lovecraft, the more I really appreciate his literary work," says Mark Hellendrung, president of Narragansett. "The deep connection with Rhode Island and our shared birthdate just makes a lot of sense for me from a partnership standpoint."

The new beers are a collaboration not just with Lovecraft's work, but also with Rhode Island's Revival Brewing, a microbrewery, and with several Rhode Island artists who are designing the labels.

The first brew in the series to launch is The Lovecraft Honey Ale which pays tribute to Lovecraft's short story "The Festival," which tells the story of a bizarre Yuletide rite in Kingsport, Mass. This "prologue" beer is made with Summit and El Dolorado hops, five malts, including honey, and a touch of honey concentrate.

"A honey mead would have been popular during the time that 'The Festival' was written [1923]," says Hellendrung. "It's our brewmaster Sean Larkin's interpretation of what a honey mead might look like in a beer form. It's got a great malty sweetness balanced with a real nice robust hop profile, so I think IPA drinkers will love it as well as people who love good hearty, robust beers."

The Lovecraft Honey Ale will be available in New England, New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., North Carolina, and Portland, Ore.