BrewDog Paradox SmokeHead (Batch 015)

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

Serve in Snifter

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Bottle and served in my Bells Expedition snifter: Basically opaque with a small but mostly lasting frothy head and some oily legs. The aroma is big ashy smoke and peated scotch whisky nearly covering up any other characteristics. I did get a bit of tangerine and herbal hops around the edges. The taste was utterly one note as well, lots of smoky malts with biscuity tone as well. Even the whiskey seems dominated by the cheap liquid smoky character. What hops and sweeter malts could have been here have been beaten into submission. Oh, there is some anise and oak about the finish but at that point who cared The mouth feel is thin, chalky and flabby, a tad iodine medicinal as well.

Wow, I expected to like this but was sadly mistaken. I like smoked beers. I like scotch, I do not like this. This beer lacks depth, any sweet malt or hop character and is a drain pour. Of course this is what happens when you use way too young Ardbeg (or possibly just a blend of young Islay scotch, as there is still a debate among the Scotch community to begin with) as the whisky(s) for Smokehead to begin with. Simply far too brash and too aggressive, perhaps time will mellow it slightly but my cellar will not find out.

330ml Bottle. Fantastic smoky, with great robust toffee flavours. Rich and smooth, with an intense bitter kick on the final palate. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

12 ounce bottle. Huge peaty smoke character. Some chocolate and roasted malts. Hammy quality, lots of smoke, light body for such a big beer, fairly dry finish.

Scotch cask prevalent in aroma. Pretty dark reddish brown color. Unlike some reviewers we experienced very little lacing. Scotch taste really dominant, and after not enjoying a bourbon cask stout on another occasion, smokehead was a big pleasant surprise! Like most cask stouts I’ve tried, found the body slightly weak. Nice "other flavored" ale!

On tap @ Cypress Street Pint & Plate in Atlanta, and served in a snifter. An opaque dark brown with a thin beige head that quickly disappears. Lots of lacing remains. Aroma of peat smoke and leather. Salty taste predominates, reminiscent of bacon and oak. Bittersweet roasted chocolate malts come forth briefly, but they are quickly consumed by the smoke. Oily mouthfeel with some light carbonation. In sum: a beer that, for all of its smokiness, is quite complex. I don’t taste much in the way of whisky, but the oakiness and peat are definitely there. Worth a try.

Bottle sample at a tasting at Dagan’s place. Thanks Tomer G. Dark brown opaque, with a condensed tan head. Burnt tires, smokey aroma and bitter-liquid smoke taste. Smooth, smoked finish, light carbonation. Pretty amazing.

12oz bottle. Let me start by saying I’m rarely a fan of BrewDog’s beers and find them to be some of the most overpriced brews on the market. Deep brown pour with very little head. Nose is incredibly medicinal - I like some peaty scotches but this was just too much. Flavor is roasted with some chocolate.

Fy fan vad det här är gott, en fullständigt underbar öl. Mustig, humlig, maltig och precis så man önakar en öl strax efter två på natten.

Ass kizzle, Gag. WTF was this? It smelled and tasted like a dead cat from a house fire! You should not be drinking smoke. (My Opinion)

Dark reddish brown appearance. Mild chocolate and alcohol aroma, big bacon smokiness. Big smoky palate, light bacon chewiness but not particularly thick for an imperial stout. Mild chocolate, drinks pretty easily despite the big alcohol.

Very good, persistent beige head over black beer. Tarry, phenolic, smoked nose, beachwood or surfbreakers. Tar, phenols à gogo, wood, black chocolate, Islay malt, but as if reduced to a thick sauce. Very oily-viscous, slick (tarry, maybe), sharp MF, feels well-carbonated, too. Not subtle by any standard, typical BrewDog punch-on-the-nose.