Brew Dog Tasting

The Jug Shop had a Brew Dog tasting Friday, as they had just started carrying their line. Brew Dog is a craft brewery from scotland, and they finally have gotten their production of their award winning beers up to capacity to ship to the states. They have a lineup of three rather pale ales, and a robust imperial stout, which they love to age in scotch casks. I couldn't expect any less from Scots, would you?

The lineup started with the Physics, a lightly complex amber ale that won at the 2007 World Beer awards for best strong pale ale. Nice start. The Punk IPA was next. They explained it as "not being west coast style", but it nonetheless showcased the hops more than any other beer, had a nice light body and lingering bitterness, and was my favorite of the lightest ales. The hardcore was next, which was much too sweet and had a crisis in hop identity. The Rip Tide was definitely delicious, roasty, very nutty, smooth and warm, I can see why they used this as their base beer in the casks: it has enough to stand on its own, but not so much flavor and complexity to fight with the barrel. It was also a 2007 World Beer awards for best imperial stout.

Now, about those barrels? Thats what we're all after, isn't? We've had pale ales and stouts. We've even had beers on wine and bourbon barrels - but scotch barrels? The Pardox line does just that. They had two from the Pardox line, which takes the Rip Tide stout and lays them on casks for 6 months. The ones they had this time were on Glen Moray 1991 Speyside Casks and on Ardbeg 1991 Islay Cask. They also used the Islay cask to make a Storm IPA. The Storm was very distinct, possibly more suited for the name Pardox, as the Peat and the thin, hoppy IPA are really a dichotomy. The Pardox Islay was incredibly unique, and the flavor were much more melded together, the peat and the chocolate. The Pardox Speyside was hands down the winner for the night, and the only one on sale, at $13 a 12oz bottle (yeouch!). It is very deep, complex, almost port-like, but smoother and less sweet, and brandy like, but richer and thicker. The Speyside will soon be gone, on to different casks, looking forward to seeing what cask they can throw at us next.

The Physics
American Amber
Nose of toffee, biscuit, light earthy hops. Medium to light orange, dry, light body. Light toffee and caramel, but mostly bread, grain and fruity esters, plum and pear, with light earthy, pine and citrus in the end. Very nice take on a bitter with an American slant. 3.9

Punk IPA
American IPA
Earthy-pine-citrus nose, light yeast esters. Really resinous. Light amber color. Very dry mouthfeel. Flavor very resinous, similar to the nose, with more orange and light grapefruit. Light biscuit, grainy background. Lingering bitter finish. 3.8

Hardcore IPA
Imperial IPA
Overt resin and fruity nose, grapefruit, banana, caramel, orange, biscuit. Deep orange color with rouge highlights. Medium bodied. Very carmel, biscuit flavor, with strong bubblegum, orange and tropical fruits. Light warming, with a rather sweet finish. Really to intese and confused. 2.8

Rip Tide Stout
Imperial Stout
Chocolate, roast, cream and light cherry flavors in the nose. Deep chocolate color, almost black. Creamy, silky mouthfeel, very nice. Flavor is very nutty, toffe, chocolate, cream, espresso, toast and light cherry. Light bitter finish. 3.9

Storm IPA
Barrel Aged IPA
Complex nose, peat, toast, vanilla, grain and cistrus hops. Pale amber color with gold highlights. Very dry mouthfeel, slightly puckering, with strong peat flavors, followed by toast, oak, vanilla and citrus. Lingering bitter and puckering finish. Couldn't drink a lot of this, but one of a kind. 4.1

Paradox Islay
Barrel Aged Stout
Rich nose, chocolate, roast, peat, toast, vanilla, molasses, light cherry. Deep chocolate color, ruby highlights. Rich yet dry mouthfeel. Strong chocolate, molasses, peat and toast flavors, with hints of cherry, vanilla. Medium to dry finish. Really adds an edge to the rich, creamy stout, and some complexity, but not entirely sold. 3.7

Paradox Speyside
Barrel Aged Stout
Almost a brandy like nose, with sweet caramel, dried fruits, cherries, grapes, spice, licorice, tannins, and light bread, toast and peat. Deep chocolate color with an amber hue. Medium mouthfeel, very rich. Flavors of chocolate, dried fruits, cherry, grapes, pepper, clove, peat and vanilla. Warming, bitter and medium to dry finish. Stellar. 4.4