Comments on: The Strongest Beer In The World?!

By: Scott-TheBrewClub

Scott-TheBrewClub — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:38:30 +0000

@Bill Z – thanks for sharing! It seems that the ’strongest beer’ thing has died down a bit recently, but I’m wondering who will fire the next salvo and how high of an ABV it will be. Beyond that though, will it even be drinkable???
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Sierra Nevada Kellerweis

By: Bill Z

Bill Z — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 03:17:18 +0000

Actually, I preferred the Sink The Bismarck over the Tactical Nuclear Penguin. It’s very warming from the first sip, and the big notes of citrus and piny hops are complimented by sweet malt, honey, and spices with a resiny finish. Despite its obvious firepower, Sink The Bismarck is a wonderfully complex and thoroughly enjoyable quadruple IPA.

Cheers,

Bill Z.
Bill Z´s last blog ..Draft Horse

By: Scott-TheBrewClub

Scott-TheBrewClub — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 23:47:57 +0000

Interesting comments from all! I think its part of what makes this beer interesting, and also I think, what has made the beer a success. People will debate its merits regardless of it being a tasty beer or not. Great PR for Brewdog I think!
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Rogue Brewery Dead Guy Ale

By: Royce

Royce — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 22:42:37 +0000

I do think Skrambled and waitew raise an interesting point. To what extent is a beer defined as being produced purely by the fermentation process? Does the freezing constitute a distinct process, perhaps an “ice distilled spirit” like Skrambled suggests?

None of this is to say that freezing beer is “invalid” – who’s to determine validity anyway? The real question is whether it makes a beverage that’s worth drinking. By the sound of your Tactical Nuclear Penguin review and subsequent disinterest in tasting Sink the Bismarck!, it seems that while this arms race makes for a nice story, it doesn’t result in a compelling beer/spirit/whatever.

Still, I like what they did with the Tokyo. If they can push THAT envelope further, with flavor and complexity and depth, I’ll definitely try it.
Royce´s last blog ..Music Tuesdays via Grace Boyle – F*cked From Above 1985 by the Bloody Beetroots

By: Bob the Brit

Bob the Brit — Mon, 31 May 2010 15:45:53 +0000

I’m not sure where you’re coming from @waitew, this is fermented to the limit of the yeast’s capabilities – up to around 18% and then the alcohol concentration increased by freezing off the ’surplus’ water.

Whether you consider it to be cheating, it’s a time honoured method by which the strength (%age of alcohol by volume) of an alcoholic drink can be increased.
Bob the Brit´s last blog ..Welcome

By: waitew

waitew — Mon, 31 May 2010 07:22:17 +0000

Concentrating the alcohol by freezing or by distillation makes no difference. You CAN NOT ferment alone to such a strong drink! It’s cheating. Show me your super yeast that can survive such concentrations! You can’t.

By: Skrambled

Skrambled — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 02:55:47 +0000

“Eis”-beers are crap. Chilling the fermented brew to the point where the water freezes and crystalizes–but not the alcohol–and then scooping out the ice in order to leave more alcohol is not a good way to get a good-tasting beverage (Eis-ing only detracts from the flavor, and offers nothing). It’s not even a good way to make a strong beverage. You’d be better off distilling if that is what you’re after.

This stuff isn’t beer by any standard. It barely qualifies as malt liquor. Even the strongest high gravity ale yeasts of any reasonable quality cannot stay active in environments above 25%. Any further processes constitute distillation, IMHO. I would call these “ice distilled spirits” at this point.

But it’s all great marketing, and I’m sure that all parties involved will continue to make big profits off this pissing contest.

By: michael reinhardt

michael reinhardt — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:38:10 +0000

Bob,

We are nowhere near even on the bowing. I think I’ve owed you quite a few…I’m just glad that we are getting some good beer. However, I’m still waiting to see the verdict on this one.

By: Scott-TheBrewClub

Scott-TheBrewClub — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:22:56 +0000

@Barry – interesting stuff, I think that’s what Don was talking about too in his own special way.

You can see here then that the notoriety of having ‘the strongest beer’ works, even if it doesn’t turn out to be real beer in the end. I guess we will see.

As they say, there’s no such thing as bad publicity but if its bogus they risk their reputation, no?
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Beer Review -Yards Extra Special Ale (ESA)

By: Bob the Brit

Bob the Brit — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:44:27 +0000

I bow to you Michale

It was a chance encounter with the late whisky and beer critic Michael Jackson that led to the founding of BrewDog.

“He took one sip of our beer and advised us to give up our jobs and open a brewery,” says Watt. “So we did.”

http://www.brewdog.com/blog-article.php?id=202