Tuesday 30 September 2008

Brew Dog Punk IPA


Readers of this blog will know I have had mixed fortunes with Brew Dog Beers, but when they get it right, boy do they get it right.

Brew Dog Punk IPA (6% abv) is the best bottled beer I have tasted this year and following after Morrisey Fox Blonde Ale (see previous post) that isn't an insignificant thing to say. Damn, it is one of the best beers I have drunk this year in any format! I can't wait to try it in cask form. The beer is pale gold in colour with a hoppy, fruity, pine resin nose. It opens fairly sweet and has an explosion of tropical fruit flavours before a distinct piney bitterness kicks in. The carbonation is perfect and the malt base easily holds up against the alcohol, through to a deep, fresh, lasting pine and resin finish. Make no mistake about it, this is class in a glass. It has the structure and elegance to stand up against any Yankee IPA as it is less one dimensional, presumably from the use of Motueka New Zealand hops as well as Chinooks.

I was blown away by this beer. Any complaints? Yes. Put it in a bigger 500ml bottle Guys. I wanted more!

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

A brilliant beer and only 99p a bottle in Tesco until 7th October - so stock up now!

We first encountered BrewDog at Dartford Beer Fest in July 2007, where they had the Punk IPA and Riptide imperial stout on cask and we were immediately smitten. I managed to persuade a local landlord to get some cask Punk in for his pub beer fest in a couple of weeks - can't wait!

Also, the new Paradox Smokehead is probably the best Paradox yet.

Tandleman said...

Smoked beer. Yeugh!

Anonymous said...

Not exactly. Imperial stout aged in Smokehead Islay whisky barrels. Yum!

Tandleman said...

Islay whisky. Double yeugh!

Anonymous said...

What's this - dissing Islay malt whisky? Call yourself a Scotsman? ;-)

Tandleman said...

Too many phenols Tom. I'm such an Englishman now!

Boak said...

ooh, that Brewdog IPA is lovely lovely stuff.

And you should definitely give Paradox smokehead a go.

Anonymous said...

I thought this was a bloody good drop of beer. Yes 500ml would have been better.

Kieran Haslett-Moore said...

I had mixed results with the Brewdog beers but Punk IPA was a winner when I tried it.

jefffrane said...

I thought you warned me off Brew Dog bottles!

Your readers don't know that you're anti-whisky?

Anonymous said...

I reviewed brew dog punk not so long ago and thought it distinctly average - maybe this goes back to the discussion we had not so long ago about needing more to get a proper feel. It sounds to me like you've had two bottles in a glass

steve thack said...

So tandleman, what happened? :-(

Tandleman said...

A good question.