22/7/2017 0 Comments Beer Review - New England IPA v2Brewdog x CloudwaterNew England IPA by Brewdog & Cloudwater is arguably in my top 5 beers of all time. It was so good. It was up there with the best that Cloudwater have to offer; v12, v13 & NW DIPA Citra. So it’s safe to say I was rather happy when I heard that V2 was on its way. New England IPA v2 is 8.5% ABV New England Style IPA. Here's what Brewdog have to say about it: "A second team up with Cloudwater sees us brewing an 8.5% ABV New England IPA, hopped with a blend of hops known for their citrus, tropical and berry characteristics. Spicy, zesty and piney aromas give way to an effervescent, tropical IPA, backed up with a hints of clove and pepper. Hopped in the whirlpool with Mosaic hops, and dry-hopped with Citra, Mandarina Bavaria and more Mosaic." If this beer is half as good as the original it would still be a great beer. However, I suspect it may just be as good, or even better... When you open this beer, you'll instantly notice the BIG juicy flavours that we're used to with this style of beer; pineapple, mango & orange are complimented with a huge amount of pine. It pours a hazy amber with a thin white head.
The flavours here are excellent. Those juicy fruit flavours are at the forefront of it all backed by loads of piney bitterness. You also get that slight hint of spice at the end, coming from the cloves. This is such a great beer to drink, and the 660ml bottle ensures it's an extremely boozy drink! Now this is one HAZY beer and it has A LOT of sediment. I'm not sure if it was just my bottle, or that is how it was meant to be, but there was a lot of it. It didn't bother me, but if you don't like sediment in your beer, then this one might not be for you. This beer is AWESOME. You simply have to try it while you still can. It will be interesting to see if Brewdog & Cloudwater continue this collaboration in a similar vein to Cloudwater's DIPA series. Overall I loved this beer, but I think the original just scrapes it for me; that was almost the perfect beer. 4.75 out of 5 hops from me 🍻
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23/6/2017 0 Comments Beer Review - Hazy JaneBrewdogAt this years #PunkAGM2017, one of my favourite beers of the day was Brewdog's own Vermont style IPA. So when I received an email following the AGM asking if I wanted to retain my shareholding, and in doing so I would be rewarded with a 6-pack of their new Vermont style IPA - it was a no brainier. The beer in question is Hazy Jane - a 7.2% ABV New England IPA. This has fast become my favourite style of beer, so I was extremely excited to get these cracked open. Here's what Brewdog have to say about it: "Hazy Jane is a Vermont style IPA, with low background bitterness, loaded with intense juicy fruit character. Pineapple, stonefruit, mango, light resin and hints of lime peel – this juicy IPA is full-bodied and smooth, enhancing the soft ripe fruit flavours. Unfiltered and only available in cans from our online shop and BrewDog bars!" Everything about this beer sounds great so far - I think we're onto a winner. Opening the can, you are instantly hit with a fruit explosion; pineapple & mango are backed up by the slightest hint of citrus from the lime. There is almost a sort of cereal smell about it too - the oats being the likely culprit. It pours a golden hazy yellow, with a small head that disperses quickly. The fruit really shines through again on taste - with pineapple and mango at the forefront, backed by some slight sourness from the lime. Hazy Jane is extremely easy on the mouth, with little to no sign of the alcohol or any bitterness - perfect summer drinking. Overall, I really enjoyed this beer. It hasn't quite hit the heights of the version from #PunkAGM2017 or the collaboration with Cloudwater, but it is still a great beer to drink and I look forward to working my way through them. The added touch of giving them to Equity Punks first for keeping their shareholding was an extremely nice one, and certainly hope that this beer becomes a seasonal staple of Brewdog.
4 out of 5 hops from me 🍻 29/5/2017 0 Comments Beer Review - Pump Action PoetBrewdogI normally get excited when Brewdog release a new small batch beer. More often than not they tend to be something different, and come with can art that rivals Beavertown. Step forward Pump Action Poet, their second small batch release of the year which is a 7.5% ABV Stonefruit IPA. Here's what Brewdog have to say about this one: "Pump Action Poet is loaded with stonefruit and tropical flavour – aromas of juicy peach, apricot and nectarine, pineapple and mango - all piled on biscuity malt. Hopped with Citra, Amarillo and Simcoe and brewed with added wheat and oats, this super smooth IPA has a balanced bitterness and a full-bodied mellow malt base. The addition of peach and apricot enhances the flavours of stonefruit naturally present in some of our favourite US hops, and adds a subtle tart edge to offset the intense juicy fruit character. The second small-batch can release of 2017 is a locked-and-loaded salvo of flavour for the summer." Sounds like a perfect beer for this glorious summer weather we are having... Now this is seriously some of the coolest can art that I have ever seen. Artist Tracie Ching has done an awesome job here. I'd love to see Brewdog release this one as a tee.
It pours a golden yellow, leaving a big foamy off-white head. The aroma is very sweet with big juicy citrus fruits, backed by some nice piney hops. The sweetness continues on taste, with little to no bitterness present. Extremely drinkable - you wouldn't think of this as being 7.5% ABV. This beer hugely reminded me of another Brewdog beer; Elvis Juice, however the bitterness of the grapefruit has been replaced with a lovely sweetness from the apricot & peach. It is extremely easy to drink and very refreshing on a hot day. 4 out of 5 hops from me 🍻 https://www.brewdog.com/item/2234/BrewDog/Pump-Action-Poet-cans.html 11/4/2017 0 Comments #PunkAGM2017Annual General MayhemThis Saturday past saw the #PunkAGM2017 descend on the Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre. Thousands of beer punks made their way there to take in the epic beer, food & music. I ventured there with my wife and on entrance we were handed two full beer token cards. This equated to approximately 4 beers depending on what you ordered - great touch. The place was absolutely jam packed full of people and it took a good 10 minutes of queuing at the bar until we got our first drinks. This was a bit of a pain, but it was worth it for the awesome beers on offer. Over the next few hours we made our way around the venue, checking out what was on offer; from the various bars, excellent choices of food, Q&A sessions and live music - there was so much on offer. BrewDog certainly know how to put on a show! Without doubt my favourite beer of the day was the 7.5% ABV BrewDog Vermont IPA V3. This beer was epic! I couldn't get enough of it. It's definitely up there with the New England IPA collaboration with Cloudwater.
I also got a chance to try Lone Wolf gin, complete with their own brand tonic, which was great - extremely refreshing. Gin has fast become my spirit of choice, so I'm glad it's finally fully released. My one gripe however, was that at Bar 7, where Buxton was pouring - I am 100% certain that at one point they had the Original Ice Cream Pale Ale & the Lemon Meringue Ice Cream mixed up. I even ordered it twice to see if it was a mistake first time, but there was no way either time I was given the original. I was a little disappointed with that as the original is such a great beer - not that there is anything wrong with the lemon...I have a bottle in the fridge (review to follow soon). The biggest news from the event was that BrewDog have sold a 22% stake for a £213 million investment from American group TSG Consumer Partners, that now sees them valued at more than £1bn. Incredible! https://www.brewdog.com/lowdown/blog/agm-announcement I think that's more than enough cause for them to throw a party like that 🍻 25/3/2017 0 Comments Beer Review - New England IPABrewdog x CloudwaterBefore they conjured up Coffee & Cigarettes with Beavertown, Brewdog had released a collaboration with one of the UK's hottest breweries - Cloudwater. Arguably the biggest name in UK craft beer teaming up with the brewery that seems to be the talk of the town right now is a hugely exciting prospect. Released in 660ml bottles, New England IPA is a 6.8% ABV IPA. Acquired through Westhill Service Station, this was one beer that I was greatly looking forward to (especially after missing it first time round). Here's what Brewdog have to say about it: "North East Scotland meets North East USA in our BrewDog Vs Cloudwater showdown. This New England IPA is low in bitterness but loaded with explosive fruit flavour. Redolent with tropical fruit notes, fresh squeezed orange juice, pineapple, fragrant cut grass, and hints of pine dust, the aroma is complex and alluring. On the palate, the bittersweet balance emphasises the sweet, juicy fruit character, while the addition of oats adds a silken mouthfeel, giving the beer a full and rounded finish. If it wasn’t for the subtle bitter edge and the slight hint of alcohol warmth, you’d swear you were drinking juice. This beer is unfiltered and intentionally hazy. Very hazy." This beer comes with a huge amount of expectations on its shoulders. To say I was looking forward to cracking this one open is an understatement... Straight from popping the bottle you know that you're onto a winner. Sweet, juicy fruity aromas fill the air; pineapple, mango and a hint of grapefruit fill your nose, followed by that familiar piney/hoppy smell.
This is a HAZY beer! It pours a thick, pulpy hazy golden yellow, leaving a foamy white head on top. The fruitiness comes back in play when you taste the beer; pineapple, mango & grapefruit all come flooding through before the piney hoppiness kicks in to finish it off wonderfully. These flavours, combined with the thick, pulpy texture off the beer all work together to pack a serious punch. This is a fantastic beer. I certainly hope there's more collaborations between these two to come. This is up there with the best beers I've ever had - probably in my top 3, and if they can recreate anything like this...I for one will be happy. I urge you to try this beer if you are lucky enough to find it anywhere, it will not disappoint. 5 out of 5 hops from me 🍻 |
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