Freezing In Camden... Tactical Nuclear Penguin

http://www.brewdog.com/bars/camden

I'm sitting in a brand new pub in North London's Camden Town, sipping at an aptly named pint of Zeitgeist. Zeitgeist is the phenomenal black lager from Scottish punk brewers Brewdog - and it is in their new pub in which I sit. I'd only recently read about this new drinking establishment and being a massive fan of their hoppy produce I had to have a peek. The pub is simple with lots of zesty wood and metal and a row of taps emblazoned with the Brewdog logo. In fact the branding is incredible, from pint glasses through to the generous beer menu the place just screams Equity for Punks. Furthermore the food menu was put together by a Masterchef winner, they offer free pints in exchange for board games and they sell the strongest beer known to mankind. Naturally I reacquainted myself with most of the range; from the 5am Saint through to the outstanding Punk IPA (that I recommend wholeheartedly). At the end of the night there was only one beer left that needed to be drunk. Now the Sink The Bismarck bottling was sold out, but Brewdog's first high alcohol beer was good to go. This malt menace was the cartoony Tactical Nuclear Penguin. This beer is frozen three times and the ice (water has a higher freezing point than alcohol) is scooped off, leaving a beer with a higher alcohol content. Served in a charming glass this was a ballsy end to punktastic evening. I only need to try the food now...

Tactical Nuclear Penguin
32% - Brewed by Brewdog - High Alcohol Beer
Nose: Toffee and heavy malt aromas dominate to begin with but with big, rich, fruity sherry notes banging through later.
Palate: Incredibly thick, almost sugary, with a pungent woodyness shoring up a heavy but velvety beer.
Finish: So long, with burnt toffee followed by that fruity sherry character from the nose.
Overall: I could only drink one of these in one session due to the hugely rich flavour. However in terms of complexity it was fantastic; like a beefy oxidised sherry. This is a brilliant beer to have if a whisky before closing time doesn't appeal. Rock on!

And Now For Something Completely Different...

Tonight's blog is a little different. For a change I'm going to review a beer. The beer in question hails from my homeland in the West Midlands - Shropshire. It is a county that easily slips into obscurity despite its rich history of war with the Welsh and its few prestigious alumni including war poet Wilfred Owen, evolutionary scientist Charles Darwin and Peep Show writer Jesse Armstrong. Despite all of this and its beautiful scenery, no-one really knows all that much about it. This is a shame as it is from this rural province that my favourite beer is brewed. The beer in question is the Station Bitter from the Stonehouse Brewery that is located outside the Marches market town of Oswestry. I am fully aware that I am a little biased when it comes to promoting this ale. It is only readily available locally and this causes me great pain as I sit here in London, typing this. I associate this beer with country pubs, banter and most of all a land where a pint costs less that a fiver. Fanatical upselling aside this beer has won multiple awards including the SIBA Wales & West 2011 silver award for Standard Bitter and bronze for Bottled Beer. Enough nostalgia - here's my review:

Copyright: Mike-in-the-Pub

Station Bitter
3.9% - Brewed at Stonehouse Brewery - Malt & Hops (unspecified)
Appearance: Amber coloured with gently receding head.
Nose: Leathery malt provides undertones of nuts followed by green fruit notably apples and pear with a slight raspberry quality. Perhaps a little meaty gravy on closer inspection.
Palate: Light and creamy yet full-bodied with an acidic edge creating a crisp bitterness amidst its fruity flavours.
Finish: Soft, rich and fruity.
Overall: Excellent balance between malt and hops. This is a bitter for drinking, maybe not as complex as some but great beer garden fare. Occasional beer reviews to follow in the future.