*Guest post by Tim*
If there are two drinks that are suited to cold winter evenings they are a beefy stout and a warming, smokey Islay malt.
It is therefore with great tidings of joy that I can bring news of Paradox Smokehead, a luscious beer produced by the Brewdog brewery in the chilly outpost of Fraserburgh, north of Aberdeen that combines attributes of both.
Opening a bottle during a quiet night in, the first thing that struck me was the smell. An extraordinary waft of smoke and peat hit my nostrils.
This is still very much a beer. But the brewery has aged its stout in whisky casks. In this case they previously belonged to Islay brand Smokehead (and before that they were storing bourbon).
The ageing of beer in whisky casks is not unique to Brewdog. Fellow Scottish brewers Innis & Gunn have done the same with great success.
What made the Paradox brew different was the intensity of the flavour and smell imparted by the Islay kegs.
Underneath that, the flavour was deep and complex. Maybe Christmas is beginning to overwhelm me but there were nutty textures in there. It was little bit like a Guinness but with added layers of sharpness and none of the cloying softness of the Irish brew.
One of the nicest aspects is that at 10% ABV it renders you capable of doing little with the rest of your evening other than dozing contentedly at the lights of the Christmas tree.
Opening a bottle during a quiet night in, the first thing that struck me was the smell. An extraordinary waft of smoke and peat hit my nostrils.
This is still very much a beer. But the brewery has aged its stout in whisky casks. In this case they previously belonged to Islay brand Smokehead (and before that they were storing bourbon).
The ageing of beer in whisky casks is not unique to Brewdog. Fellow Scottish brewers Innis & Gunn have done the same with great success.
What made the Paradox brew different was the intensity of the flavour and smell imparted by the Islay kegs.
Underneath that, the flavour was deep and complex. Maybe Christmas is beginning to overwhelm me but there were nutty textures in there. It was little bit like a Guinness but with added layers of sharpness and none of the cloying softness of the Irish brew.
One of the nicest aspects is that at 10% ABV it renders you capable of doing little with the rest of your evening other than dozing contentedly at the lights of the Christmas tree.
I need to get me some of this. I'm told you can pick it up at The Whisky Shop in the City (EC4M 7DY).
ReplyDelete