Tuesday 18 January 2011

BrewDog Paradox Threesome

Back around May 2009, James from BrewDog kindly sent a mixed box of beers which included a couple bottles of the Paradox Isle of Arran edition (batch 016). Well, that was before I dirtied my bib by publishing this*. I'd been hanging on to these to sample with a whisky nut in work, and since then had also picked up a couple of the Smokehead (batch 015) and Springbank (017) versions, still biding my time. Well, that time more or less went after I moved house to go live in the sticks, but I did know a couple of big whisky fans down where I now live, so New Years Eve was a good opportunity to test drive these beers and share with a German whisky fan.

Paradox Isle of Arran first, pouring a clear, ruby-tinted brown, and exuding rich chocolate and espresso notes, with warming vanilla. Not  as much whisky on palate as expected, but it's there as a delicate counterpoint to the chewy caramel, dried fruits, and lashings of oaky vanilla. As it warms, it shoves out plum jam. Really soft and luscious, with a lightly dry finish. Well worth the wait. One friend said it was like a really good soy sauce, suggesting an umami thing going on. My favourite of the three, perhaps because it had a couple of years on it to round things out.

Paradox Springbank delivers a slightly more peaty note, and feels a little sharper than its Arran sister. A little liquorice, a little more bitter and with light phenolic notes alongside the expected chocolate-caramel goodness. But somehow it has less impact than the softer Arran, and of the three was my least favourite.

And finally the Paradox Smokehead. Just as well we left this till last (well, good judgement I'd say), as it's a powerhouse of peated malts. Turf is prominent, and an iodine-like seaside taste on a strong caramel body. The roasted malts feel more prominent on this, and the heavy flavours made it a great nightcap sipper. Well, that and the Redbreast 12 Year that followed it.

Oh, and the votes of the German jury? Fantastic beers. And they'd be right.


* I can't help wondering if I hadn't broken that news, would the "competition" have developed the way it did, and would Sink the Bismarck have been named as it was. Guess I'll never know. Still, that and this were the most popular posts on this blog. Had to be good for something! :)

4 comments:

BeerReviewsAndy said...

nice one!! love the last photo!!

nice to see you back blogging again hope the house rennovation goes well!

Barry M said...

Thanks, Andy! Nice to be back and consuming :D

Can't beat those Christmas biscuits my wife goes mad making. About 17 different types this year! God Jul were the best... Mmmm.

Yes, house renovation, that's gonna keep me busy for some time! You can follow the progress on my new blog, The Bauernhaus :)

Mark (Halite) said...

Sounds like a great night!

I look forward to following the progress of your cellar on the new blog :-)

Barry M said...

It was good :D I didn't mention the random German beers beforehand, or introducing the Germans to Sierra Nevada Torpedo. That went down really well (as did my 2008 barley wine :)). Trying to forget the shots of green stuff out on the snow bar built by a neighbour... no wonder I was a bit tired next day :D