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!

The Day After The Night Before... Greenwich Hospital Porter

Today I made the compulsory post-Christmas march into town armed only with my wallet and a sturdy leather bag. There was only one purpose to my mission – to raid the supermarkets of their discounted festive foodstuffs. A solitary day after Boxing Day and Marks & Spencer’s is transformed into an Aladdin’s Cave of smoked salmon, turkey crowns, duck pate, Stilton and knock-off Buck’s Fizz. With a suitably empty freezer you could live off Christmas food for another month for the price of a single week’s food shop; apart from the obvious drawbacks of turning your liver into Fois Gras, being riddled with gout and pushing your belly beyond the final stud on your belt and into extra-orbital space. This aside it is incredibly satisfying to know that the rich and delicious food you are stuffing in and around your mouth is a third of the price it was three days ago.

Whilst I was eyeing up half-price gammon joints and weighing up the cost against a juggernaut of a salmon terrine, my eyes fell upon an interesting specimen hidden amongst a confusion of Cava and pre-mixed Champagne cocktails. This specimen was a bottle of Greenwich Hospital Porter aged in Islay whisky barrels for four months. A London Porter from the guys at the Meantime Brewing Company is always a treat, but to have some whisky cask influence is always special. A few months ago I tried a glass of their epic Grog. This special release was a combination of eleven malts and one hop variety, aged in Islay whisky casks and bottled at a steamy strength. Aside from the fun of ordering a pint of Grog over the bar, the beer was sensational. So I was excited to try the Hospital Porter.

Greenwich Hospital Porter
6% - Aged in Islay whisky barrels – Brewed at the Meantime Brewery
Nose: Fairly oaky with rich malt notes and Brazil nuts, underneath is a faint suggestion of peat.
Palate: Light body with oak and charcoal notes with.
Finish: Apricot, dry malt and roast chestnuts.
Overall: Not the most spectacular porter I’ve tried but enjoyable nonetheless. There is a curious ashy quality and a fine nuttiness but I would have enjoyed more body and length.

The Calm After The Storm - Glendronach 12 Year

It's been a surreal few days here in London with all the disorder, panic and mayhem. The night was full of the sound of more sirens than usual, the news coverage was feverish, and the politicians had to go back to school early. Of course the pertinent but predictable questions will now be asked. Why did this happen? (The answer isn't political apparently although surely the question is?) Could the police have done more? And what would the News of World have had to say about it? The news coverage was a juxtaposition of 'Broken Britain', I use that term loosely, and the 'Big Society' where people came together to rebuild communities. Twitter became a weapon of the rioters and a tool of the Cleanup Wombles. And now as things start to calm and the analysis sets in, it seems only fitting that we should have a whisky whilst we wait out the repetitious cawing of the press to finish as the heads start to roll.

The whisky I have chosen is one I always enjoy and always forget why I enjoy it. It is from the great Highland distillery of Glendronach. For me it is an armchair whisky. The kind you can sit back with and relax. It fills you up and warms you. Something a little calmer than the past few days.

Glendronach 12 Year Old
43% - Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso Cask matured
Nose: Autumn fruits is certainly the word here, dried apples and bananas follow closely behind with roasted peaches lending a gentle presence.
Palate: The fruity quality keeps coming again and again with a sweetness and a creamy mouthfeel.
Finish: Actual sherry here with trifle to boot. The finish is thick, creamy and long, the reason why I love this whisky so much.
Overall: The nose and flavour are all top standard here, but it is the finish that makes me drop my jaw in awe. Please try the 12 year or any of their other bottlings, all are worth a dram!

(And for your entertainment... http://photoshoplooter.tumblr.com/)