BrewDog (Scotland, UK)
Typically here at Craft Beer Explorer, we try to focus our efforts on spreading the love for American Craft breweries. But occasionally a brewery from across the pond will so embody the spirit of the craft beer movement that we must make exception. A number of years ago, I recall my brother telling me about a crazy brewery in Scotland who were making the strongest beers in the world and putting their bottles in taxidermy squirrels… Yes… you read that correctly. (More on that here.)
Fast forward to 2013, when I begin seeing previews for the new Esquire television network featuring the show Brew Dogs with brewery founders Martin Dickie and James Watt. Shortly after, BrewDog products began hitting shelves in the US (sans squirrel) on a regular basis.
Before we go in for the kill, you must learn how to greet your beer properly, as per the BrewDog fellas.
1. Pour your beer into a glass, and stick your nose all up in it.
2. Take a big whiff…
3. Say “Hello”
4. Another big whiff
5. Ask “How are you?”
6. Go in for a sip, swirling the beer around your entire mouth.
7. Mmm… mmm… mmm…
Now you’ve got it.
The first BrewDog offering I’ve had the pleasure of drinking is their Punk IPA. This IPA has more of a hop-malt balance than most of the American variety of IPA, which tend to be more aggressively hop-forward. Punk IPA pours a rich deep golden color. The carbonation is moderate, and the head is light with a medium body. The malt bill is complimented nicely by the brewers use of Chinook, Ahtanum and Nelson Sauvin hops which together create a light tropical fruit sweetness. The initial fruity notes are followed by the welcome hop bitterness.
While the hop head in me longs for a bit more bite from this brew, overall it is very enjoyable. The flavors are complex and subtle, and beg you to come back, sip after sip. Punk IPA would be a great way to introduce a friend who may be interested in trying an IPA for the first time to the style.
More information on BrewDog and Punk IPA can be found here:
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