Beer aged at sea

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I've ordered 3 :oops: one to try, two to lay down if I like it.

Although this does mean you might get a sniff james! Not sure about the sourness and salinity they mention in the video but we'll see.
 
So can I sell mine for a tenner a bottle if I lug it around on my narrowboat for a couple of months?
 
Of course you can, doesn't mean anyone will buy it.

I'm just fascinated by what an IPA might have tasted like back in the day (ie not a 3.8% abv insipid deuchars). I made a bit of scratch when I sold some shares so (as well as putting a bit aside) thought I'd treat myself to something I wouldn't normally buy.
 
BrewDog Atlantic IPA Ale (sic - it's what it says on the bottle so there you go)

I haven't got a degree in BS and I'm not known for my nose so this is the best poncey review I can give you.

Just looking at the bottle is a pleasure. Reminiscent of masterful scrimshaw the design tells the tale of this beer's atlantic origins and titillates with the notion of buried treasure and stuff. With a little trepidation then I opened the £10 (plus p+p) bottle and was greeted with a pleasant hiss. The beer is well carbonated and a head forms easily with a fairly tight bead and light tan colour (it looks a bit more white in the photo). The beer appears a little cloudy (although if you let it settle after delivery and pour with due care and attention I think it ought to clear) and chestnut brown in colour. Head retention is very good.



Aroma is spicy, maybe cinammon and raisin rather than the fruity flowery notes I'm used to hops giving. Also almost smokey notes from somewhere.

My nose isn't good, let's taste the bugger! Malty initially with a very oily feel, it's quickly tempered by a substantial (to my mind) co2 tongue prickling with what tastes like a salty and slightly sour run, followed by hot and spicy alcohol chasing down your throat. Aftertaste is loooooong and after a few tastes you start to notice other characteristics, oak, caramel, i dunno, other stuff i guess. Getting further to the bottom and, the balance of the brew is evident, enough bitterness that you can still feel it in the mouth for a while but not a load of overpowering late additions distorting the malt.

Overall I think I always wanted to like this beer so its total lack of quaffability, its seemingly extortionate price, its unknown abv (it's not on the bottle and I can't find reference to it on the web, suffice to say strong, I've been writing this review for 40 minutes whilst drinking it, yes all 33cl is gone now) all seem irrelevant. And, to be honest, they are. This is a unique beer with more flavour in one glass than a wagonful of almost anything else I've ever had. It's like no other beer you can buy today and it's going to be damned hard to keep from drinking the other two bottles I've got.
 
Good review ano :thumb: now you've tried it would you say it is worth the £10 price tag :wha:
 
I think so... for me... It's not everyone's cup of tea. The main stumbling block is the £7 p+p, so make sure you're prepared to buy some other stuff as well to minimise the hit.
 
ano said:
Its unknown abv (it's not on the bottle and I can't find reference to it on the web, suffice to say strong,

:wha:

Trading Standards would have their guts for garters if they find out.
 
Ok, I've bitten and bought one myself. Along with an assorted collection of others to justify the extortionate postage.
 
jamesb said:
Trading Standards would have their guts for garters if they find out.
I thought the same, they must have a figure in mind for tax purposes, I guess it might have been taxed when it went to be aged at sea what with having left the premises and a bit might have evaporated out during that process, and they added priming sugar. You got a refractometer yet?

Also it will be good to have a second opinion to compare my taste to, always wanted to have a tutored tasting. I doubt it will be hoppy enough for you :D
 
ano said:
jamesb said:
Trading Standards would have their guts for garters if they find out.
I thought the same, they must have a figure in mind for tax purposes, I guess it might have been taxed when it went to be aged at sea what with having left the premises and a bit might have evaporated out during that process, and they added priming sugar. You got a refractometer yet?

Yes, but it won't work properly on fermented beer. Won't tell you the OG either.

Send a bottle to Robert at Hamstead Homebrew. He's got the kit to find out.

Also it will be good to have a second opinion to compare my taste to, always wanted to have a tutored tasting. I doubt it will be hoppy enough for you :D

That's why I bought some Hardcore IPA as well :cool:
 
jamesb said:
ano said:
jamesb said:
Trading Standards would have their guts for garters if they find out.
I thought the same, they must have a figure in mind for tax purposes, I guess it might have been taxed when it went to be aged at sea what with having left the premises and a bit might have evaporated out during that process, and they added priming sugar. You got a refractometer yet?
Yes, but it won't work properly on fermented beer. Won't tell you the OG either.
With a hydrometer and refractometer you can work out the abv if you have promash or similar: thread
 
jamesb said:
ano said:
With a hydrometer and refractometer you can work out the abv if you have promash or similar: thread

Still don't get how that would work, although I've found the relevant bit in Promash.
It is down to the way alcohol affects each instrument, and then with a fancy bit of mathematics you can work out the abv . . . its not good enough for HMCE who require the tax point on OG, but is reasonably close . . . of course for an accurate determination you really need an ebulliometer . . . you can't even do your own determination of % alcohol by putting the beer in a saucepan and evaporating off the alcohol as that counts as distillation (Even If you don't collect it!)
 
Aleman said:
jamesb said:
It is down to the way alcohol affects each instrument, and then with a fancy bit of mathematics you can work out the abv

Would this be the fancy mathematics?

Code:
RI  = 1.33302 + 0.001427193*FB + 0.000005791157*FB*FB
ABW = 1017.5596 - (277.4*SG) + RI*((937.8135*RI) - 1805.1228)

          where:
                   FB = Final Brix
                   RI = calculated Refractive Index
                   SG = Final SG
                   ABW = Alcohol by Weight
 

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