Billed as "the hottest beer this side of hell," Twisted Pine's Ghost Face Killah lands with the kind of bold proclamation that the rapper of the almost identical name can effortlessly toss off at a moment's notice. While the Wu-Tang vet spells Ghostface as one word, the brewers at the Boulder, Colo.-based Twisted Pine likely wouldn't quibble with the star over grammar.

After all, they had hoped to get his blessing.

"We tried to get in touch with him, but we didn't receive a call back," said GM Jody Valenta. "We wanted to contact Ghostface to set up a partnership with him."

Valenta, whose official title is "agent of chaos" (not related to Colorado's Professor Chaos), said the beer is brewed with five different peppers, including the Bhut Jolokia, a pepper so hot it can be weaponized, and one sometimes referred to as "ghost pepper."

Ghostface, therefore, can't take full credit for inspiring the name of the beer. Valenta clarified that, technically, the brewery lifted the name from a character in the kung-fu film "Mystery of Chessboxing" -- and then double-checked with its lawyers.

Ghost Face Killah the Beer is not available in Southern California, and the pepper-infused wheat beverage will be limited to about 100 bottles. It was first introduced last year, and Westword's Jonathan Shikes gave it a detailed review, writing "the smoky warmth of the peppers travels down in the back of your throat, where it simmers. Take another sip, and your lips start to burn, like you're wearing pepper Chapstick."

Ghostface is far from the first artist to get the craft beer treatment: Last year, Petaluma's Lagunitas issued the malt-heavy Wilco Tango Foxtrot. Though partially inspired by shortwave radio lingo, Lagunitas founder Tony Magee confessed a love of Wilco to Pop & Hiss, and sent the band a case of the beer. Additionally, adventurous Midwestern brewery Three Floyds created a beer inspired by instrumental Chicago metal act Pelican. The limited-run doppelbock was named the Creeper.

-- Todd Martens

Image: Ghost Face Killah the Beer. Credit: Twisted Pine