Nature Calls: Breakside Brewery’s Bear Scat Lager

I may be a little late to the “game”, but Breakside Brewery, in collaboration with Columbia Sportswear, has unveiled one of the most unconventional craft beers ever produced: Nature Calls, a limited‑edition lager brewed with water infused using sanitized American black bear scat collected from trails in Montana. While the premise sounds like a punchline, both companies emphasize that the beer is completely safe—and surprisingly enjoyable.

Created as a bold tie‑in to Columbia’s “Engineered for Whatever” brand platform, Nature Calls pushes the boundaries of what a craft lager can be. The brewing process begins with water infused with bear scat, which is then sanitized and combined with Pacific Northwest malted grains. To balance the wild origin of the water, Breakside adds notes of honey and huckleberry, the very flavors bears themselves forage for in the wild. The result is a crisp, clean‑tasting lager that aims to give drinkers a “taste of the outdoors”—quite literally.

Both partners admit the idea started as something that sounded like a joke. Breakside founder Scott Lawrence recounted his initial disbelief before embracing the project wholeheartedly, calling it “the wildest beer in America and maybe the world.” Columbia Brand President Joe Boyle leaned into the humor even more, noting that if Mother Nature throws bear poop their way, they’ll “ferment it into a frosty pint.”

Nature Calls is debuting in conjunction with the Players Tailgate at the Super Bowl, offering football fans a once‑in‑a‑lifetime tasting experience. Limited quantities will also be available at Breakside Brewery locations across Oregon. Whether seen as a marketing stunt, a brewing innovation, or simply a hilarious conversation starter, Nature Calls represents craft beer creativity at its most daring.

About Breakside Brewery:

Breakside Brewery opened in 2010 in Northeast Portland as a restaurant and pub brewery and has grown to be a highly regarded regional brewery producing 30,000 barrels annually. The brewery is known for its broad portfolio of award-winning, innovative beers. In 2013, Breakside expanded operations to Milwaukie, OR with a production facility and taproom capable of producing 40,000 barrels of beer per year. Today, Breakside operates eight locations in the Portland area as well as a taproom on the Oregon Coast in Astoria, Oregon. In 2019, Breakside became one of only a handful of employee-owned breweries in the country.

In addition to winning many national, international, and regional awards for its beers, Breakside was named Brewery of the Year in 2017 and 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 at the Oregon Beer Awards and the 2018 Best of Craft Beer Awards. Breakside sells beer on draft and in package in Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, California, British Columbia, Alberta and Japan.

Breakside Brewery is an award-winning craft brewery founded in Portland, Oregon, in 2010. Known for its flavorful IPAs and innovative, high-quality beers, Breakside has expanded to multiple locations in Oregon and Washington. The brewery was named “Brewery of the Year” at the Oregon Beer Awards in 2017. 

Locations
Breakside operates several establishments, including brewpubs with full food menus and taprooms. 

Portland Metro Area: The original brewpub is in NE Portland, with additional locations throughout the Portland area.
Astoria, Oregon: A taproom featuring a seafood bar opened in Astoria in 2023.
Vancouver, Washington: A new location in downtown Vancouver opened in 2025.
 
Beer and brewing
Breakside is celebrated for its wide range of beers, including: 
IPAs: The brewery is especially known for its hoppy and aromatic IPAs, such as Wanderlust IPA and Rainbows & Unicorns IPA.

Award-winning beers: Breakside has won multiple awards at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup for beers like their Session Brown, Passionfruit Sour, and Lunch Break ISA.

Experimental brews: The brewing team is encouraged to innovate, resulting in a diverse tap list that also features collaborations with other breweries. 

Food and atmosphere
Many Breakside locations are brewpubs that serve a full food menu in addition to beer. 

Brewpub fare: Offerings often include burgers, sandwiches, salads, and shareable appetizers like nachos and wings.
Food cart pods: The Beaverton location features a bar with indoor and outdoor seating connected to a pod of food carts, offering diverse cuisine from various vendors.

Atmosphere: Locations vary, but many feature casual settings with indoor and outdoor seating, making them family- and dog-friendly (in outdoor spaces). 

Founding and growth
Founded by Scott Lawrence in 2010, the brewery started as a small “nano brewery” in a basement in Northeast Portland.

From its humble beginnings, the business has grown significantly, distributing its beer to multiple states.
Its success is attributed to a focus on quality, innovation, and a positive customer experience. 

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