BrewDog Paradox SmokeHead (Batch 015)

Brewed by BrewDog
Style: Imperial Stout
Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Serve in Snifter

My new favorite beer. I think two things clouded my judgement with this one. First of all, I am an Islay Whisky freak. Then, this was my beer of choice to watch the Patriots take out the Bronco’s. But still, I found this a wonderful expression and a great use of whisky casks. The peat and cured meat drown any abusing alcohol notes. A bit thin for a stout, this is still a nice smoky, pitch black pour.

Bottle from El Irlandés (330 ml, room temperature). Batch #15. Smokehead pours a deep dark blackish-mahogany color with some burgundy hues. It has a medium beige head that leaves a good film. Aroma is great malty, smokey with loads of peat, smoked ham, licorice, rye bread, some phenols and coffee. Under that first layer you can still smell some coffee, tar and whisky. Tremendously interesting. Flavor is overpowering smokey, peaty, tarry and ashy. But a second level of prunes, licorice, rye, tobacco and Scotch can be perceived underneath. The alcoholic finish balances this a little in the end. This is a very interesting taste but the smoke is too dominant too consider it at the same level of marvelous Paradox Isle of Arran. Body is big and smooth with a wonderful mouthfeel. The nicely warming alcohol and low carbonation help enhancing the taste of the beer. I would pair this with a strong spicy beef or gruyere cheese. I’m glad I tried this one. Very different from anything I’ve tasted before, including the Paradox Isle of Arran batch. I compare this to smoking a strong dark tobacco cigar and that is the sensation it leaves in the mouth: But with some booze. Very good.

Une fois de plus, j’ai l’impression que Brewdog va me décevoir, pourtant j’adore les bières fumés et le whiskey. Au nez c’est un gros nuage de plastique brûlé avec un armada d’alcool mal camouflé. Le goût est assez semblable, comme si on avait brûlé du plastique dans un feu de camp. La présence en bouche est cependant merveilleuse mais l’alcool détruit tout. Expérience décevante et difficile à compléter.

Straight up pour, no head, no lace. Midnight black color, no highlights. Light carbonation and medium bodied. Wicked smokey nose and flavor is smokey, burnt dark chocolate. High ABV is hidden. Bottled 8/8/2008, flavor is good but carbonation is nearly gone. $9.50 for a 330ml bottle from Tullys Beer & Wine Wells, Me.

9/5/11 notes: bottle. Pours pitch black with almost no head. Aroma is a blast of salty, meaty smoke. Heavy stuff. Palate is also weighty and slightly oily. Flavors augment this sensation with a blanket of smoky minerally stuff, over roasts and espresso. Bacon and BBQ present through middle. Finishes strong in flavor, smoke. A bit clunky, without balance. But who said Brewdog is trying to achieve balance here with “smokehead”?

27/03/2011 Ma che siete venuti a fà (tap). Spillata a pompa, nerissima impenetrabile. Aroma complesso di caffè, con note legnose e alcoliche. In bocca è davvero complessa, caffè, vaniglia, liquirizia. Si sente la permanenza in botte di whisky, con forti note legnose e affumicate, forse anche un filo eccessive. Ottimo corpo, consistenza oleosa al palato, gradazione alcolica importante ma non eccessiva. Interessante, ma totalmente sbilanciata. Sullo stesso genere c’è di molto meglio in giro.

This was very divisive among my friends. Gosh, it’s big, and I love that deep salami, smoke, peat flavor. But the strike against this is a particularly thin body, which isn’t becoming in a beer of this strength (by abv and flavor) and the expectations produced by knowing that it is an Imperial Stout.

Wonderful aroma -- certainly can ascertain the islay influence; however, after that, the beer is a bit flat -- in taste not necessarily carbonation. Nice beer, sure, but not worth the relatively high cost.