About 2 weeks ago I managed to get my paws on some "Brewdog" beers. I was so excited that I almost peed on the floor. They seem to be all the rage right now for all the beer tasters. Also a plus, it is amazing how they can brew these beers and get such high alcohol levels in their beer. To a homebrewer like myself, it just blows my mind. This Craft Brewery out of Scotland is doing all sorts of things that the big breweries don't even think about trying.
I decided to get my pack of tasters together, to try these beverages. Rothy, Jay, Boozer X, and I all had some mixed reviews. So this was another one of those tastings that show you that every ones' taste is different. I have a total of six of their beers, but I did review one that I had on tap, which was "Tokyo", but they changed the labeling and the beer slightly on on the bottle version called "Tokio*". I don't know if it counts as a new review, but it is still being put in this blog. Also one is a collaboration with Mikkeller Brewery.
5 A.M. Saint. Poured a dark rich amber with a slightly off white head. We all got a little citrus, malt, and as Jay said some grassy smell, from when it was poured. The mouth feel was a little light and thin, but refreshing. The taste was a little earthy, sweet toffee taste, followed by citrus and hop flavors in the middle and continues to the finish of the beer. I enjoyed this beer, because it was something different from all the beers I have been tasting lately. Everyone else really said that if it was in the fridge they'd drink it, but they would not spend the money to get it. I would put this with a Vegetarian type of meal like, a Lentil Stew and Curry Rice. 
Punk IPA. Poured a golden yellow with an off white head. The smell had hints of grapefruit, grass, citrus, and little sweet malt. Mouth feel was a medium body and finished a little dry. The taste was well balanced between the malt and hop flavors. The caramel malt sweetness hit your tongue first then comes the citrus hop flavor, and cares on to the finish of the taste. The bitterness hangs on long after you down it. Boozer X pointed out that he got a little bit of spiciness on the back end. All I could taste was the hops at the end. If your a "Hop Head" you would enjoy this. To pair this I would have to go with something with a strong flavor, but with some savory meat flavor. Ah, a Rabbit Stew with tap roots or a Bacon Wrapped Rabbits Leg. I know it sounds weird but I have had both, so don't make faces until you try it. 
Rip Tide. Poured a dark brown with some orange hints when light pasted threw the curves of the glass, and had a thin tan head. The only things we smelled was some coffee, chocolate, and roasted malt. The mouth feel had a medium feel with a bit more carbonation then what I would have liked. The taste was sweet roasted malt, coffee, and a bit of hop bitterness on the back end. I really wasn't sure what to think of this beer, other than interesting. To pair this up with some food, I would put it with some good old fashion Fish and Chips. 
Paradox Islay. This was a little bit of a downer for me. It poured a dark brown almost black with a little brown head to it. The smell had an odd old leather, smoke, whiskey, and could smell the alcohol. The mouth feel was light, smooth and dry. The taste was straight up burnt malt, whiskey or scotch, and old grass. Rothy commented by saying it tasted like "Bug Spray". Now I am not a whiskey drinker, but I think if you were you'd like this. Food pairings for this I could not say, but if I ventured to guess, some smokey cheeses and maybe a nice cigar after it. 
Tokio*. It poured a black coffee color this a dark tan head. The nose on this was of a slight vanilla, with a touch of coffee, some rich malt, some chocolate or mocha flavors, and some fruitiness. The mouth fell was a creamy medium fell, was not as hot like when I had it on draft. I didn't pick up to much of the oak flavor, but I did get the caramel, malt, some dark dried fruit, brown sugar, and a little bit of a sherry taste. This is a sipping beer. I should have not chose it for my first beer because I had to ask for a glass of water to go with it. Just like the other review I would pair this with "Ice Cream", because I think a scoop of vanilla would be fabulous with it. Everyone enjoyed this one. I did give the other one a"7", because I think it tasted better from the keg.
Devine Rebel a collaboration beer by Mikkeller Brewery and Brewdog. Poured a dark reddish nut brown with a thin ring of a white head. The smell had a strong whisky smell, some wood, some malt, and alcohol. The mouth feel was a little syrupy and creamy. The taste was sweet up front with dark malt flavors, some brown sugar, and caramel. As it warmed in your mouth, you got some heat from the alcohol. It finish with some dark fruity flavors like plums, but really just sweetness of dried fruit. This would make a great winter warmer beer. I would have to not pair this with any food, I think this is a great beer to have when your could and you want to sit and warm up by a fire.Check out the websites for more about these breweries!
I've also noticed between other reviews I've read on these beers, there seems to be a bit of differences in the bottle batches. So I might have to try some of these again in the future just to see if I got some that where a little off. Well I hope you enjoyed this, and always, "Be Well, and Drink Well!!"
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