The boys at BrewDog have become famous (or infamous depending on how you look at it) for their crazy, over-the-top marketing gimmicks and production of some of the strongest beer in the world. I think at times all the attention paid to their one-off uber-beer and fights with the British government overshadow the bulk of their line-up, most of which offers creative, assertive interpretations of beer.
A few weeks back, when prepping a few columns, I decided I should review one of the recent arrivals from their arsenal. Shooting blind a bit, I grabbed a four-pack of the Trashy Blonde. It is their blonde ale with a difference. I opened it not really expecting your ordinary blonde ale – and I wasn’t disillusioned.
My reaction to this beer was complex and mixed. I appreciated what it offered, but something about it didn’t really sit well with me. I will save the details for the full review (which you can read here), but I found it too lopsided. Not every beer needs to be a palate whacker. Sometimes it just needs to offer subtle, well-crafted yumminess. What I want from a blonde ale, or similar style beer, is quiet flavour and roundedness. A light, easy-drinking beer is no excuse for watery, but it shouldn’t have to apologize for being subdued.
My instinct is that the Brewdog boys couldn’t bring themselves to make a quiet beer designed for quaffing. As for their new arrivals, based upon other reports, I may have selected poorly, as some of the others are receiving much more favourable reviews. Oh well, something to look forward to this summer.
June 4, 2011 at 1:41 PM
I had made a point of picking up a bottle of BrewDog’s Paradox Grain(an Imperial Stout, matured in grain whisky casks), to compard-to an extent-to the Silver Star when it came out. I found that they were more-or-less comparable. But I’d have to say I preferred the Silver Star…probably a better stout/starting point. At least that’s my opinion.
June 4, 2011 at 2:25 PM
Trashy Blonde has been out of stock for quite a bit, however it has just come back into the system, and should be available everywhere next week. I believe this is the same shipment that Tactical Nuclear Penguin is in, so allowing for the time it takes CLS to receive it, it should also be available sometime late next week.
June 9, 2011 at 8:43 AM
I find just about every BrewDog beer to be undrinkable.
June 9, 2011 at 4:01 PM
Mark,
That makes me curious. Can you tell us a bit more about what you don’t like about BrewDog?
Jason
June 9, 2011 at 10:40 PM
I find just about everything Brewdog produces to have the subtlety and refinement of a sledgehammer, and not in a good way. I love agressive beers, but it still has to work as a whole. I think the same about most of the Mikkeller and DFH beers I have tried. In my opinion, these beers are rushed through r&d (or not at all) and then rushed through the brewhouse to get it out to market as quickly as possible, and then they are already planning to rush out the next big thing. In my opinion, these breweries never really get good at making anything, they just try to keep NEW and EXCITING beers coming as fast as their fans ask for them. We are already seeing this same thing happen with certain breweries in Canada, and I find the results equally underwhelming.
I would rather drink a well made Pils than a poor IPA or Extreme this or that anyday. Tons of flavour does not automatically make a beer good… it can take years to perfect a recipe and get it to turn out how you want it in your brewhouse. Sadly this concept seems to be lost on most craft drinkers in north america these days, so I just end up sounding like a whiny old fart.
June 12, 2011 at 6:42 PM
Thanks Mark. I appreciate your take on this. I share a very similar view. I want a well-made beer that does what it promises to do – regardless of what the promise is (to a certain limit). However, I am prepared to take DFH and BrewDog beer by beer. In both cases I found beer I really enjoy, and others that disappoint.
They are both brewers of great skill (and marketing acumen), and so I respect their experimentation, even if it doesn’t work out (I am not as big a fan of their self-promotion). Your point about R&D is well taken.
And you are not a whiny old fart – at least not in my books.
Cheers!
June 13, 2011 at 8:53 AM
I lump breweries like Brewdog, DFH and Mikkeller into the “Stone-wannabe” category. Brash beers, brash marketing, but nowhere near the QUALITY and CONSISTENCY of Stone. I agree that these breweries make some ok beers, but I typically avoid most of them due to the cost (in Canada at least), and the likelihood that it is going to be an absolute trainwreck of a beer.