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Saturday, January 16, 2010

BrewDog Rip Tide - Twisted Merciless Stout

BrewDog Rip Tide Twisted Merciless Stout
BrewDog Rip Tide - Twisted Merciless Stout:

This is another import from Scotland (I recently reviewed Williams Brothers' Gooseberry Wheat as well as their Elderberry Black Ale) and another stout that I have reviewed. Pouring this beer (I split it with El Presidente), I could not help but notice that it lacked a head of any real significance. Was the beer flat? Did it not take the trip from the Scotland well? Jet lag? Not sure. Taking my initial sips, I noticed too, how smooth the beer was. This was a bit unexpected as the label indicated that the beer is 8% abv. So what about the taste? Well, when it comes to beer, especially styles of beers I enjoy, like stouts, I like to consider the whole experience.

I was explaining to a friend recently how there was something special about Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout and the Taddy Porter, because you could put your tongue into the volcano like overflowing head and experience a convulsion of the tongue, lips, mouth, and saliva glands, because the head is so bitter, but at the same time, it is delicious, and the first stage of enjoying a great beer. I had a similar experience with De Dolle's Special Extra Export Stout. It had the same volcanic eruption of head, ultra bitter to the tongue, but then the beer itself is excellent.

With Twisted Merciless Stout I am enjoying the beer itself. It tastes of chocolate (getting some coaching from El Presidente on this point), it is quite smooth, and you can feel the warming effects of the 8% alcohol, but you receive no alcoholic aftertaste, which is quite nice. What I think this beer lacks is an overall experience. I have been enjoying the beer for some minutes now, and no bouquet has opened up, no new flavors to report on. It receives high marks for overall taste and product craftsmanship, but it is not what I would call memorable in any special way. At 8%, if you sit down and keep drinking this, you could wind up drunk-dialing Scotland, which is not advisable. But to be honest, I would rather it be a beer that after one beer, you text a friend and tell them to go out right away and buy a bottle. This beer is good, but not great.

BrewDog Rip Tide Twisted Merciless Stout:

Representation: .70
Accessibility: .85
Style: .70
Personal Preference: .80

Total: 3.05 Flags
BrewDog Rip Tide

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