Pack animals

BrewDog has had visitors. Two collaborations from US-based breweries today, in very different styles.

I liked the name they chose for the west coast IPA: Future Proof. It's nice to think all the classic beer styles will be around forever, even though it's patently not true. Anyway, San Diego's Modern Times was the collaborator on this, and it's a little light for proper west coast vibes at just 6.2% ABV. It's a pale sunset-gold, infused with a fine misting of craft floaty bits. Another check goes in the "smells of grapefruit" box, though there's a sweet aspect too. Is candied grapefruit a thing? The flavour is incredibly grapefruity, but again a sweetness softens it. The can's text begs us to think mango and lychee; I wouldn't go that far but satsuma and hazy lemonade are perfectly apt, the latter with a jaunty sprig of rosemary in the jug to add resins. This is delightful sunny fun, and while I suspect it may be more a recreation of someone's memory of west coast IPA than any real example from the olden days, the clean and bittersweet deliciousness can't be argued with.

Of course, knowingly retro takes on west coast IPA are as much a part of the current craft landscape as silly stouts, which brings us neatly to Roaster Coaster. This is a 9% ABV job, created in collaboration with Evil Twin and made with Vietnamese coffee. It's nitrogenated, and after a flurry of activity on pouring it settles to a thick off-white head neatly delineated over a jet black body. The aroma is milky chocolate more than coffee, suggesting a sweet time to come. The flavour bears that out somewhat. While it's not as sickly as I feared, the coffee, and indeed the dark-malt roast, is on the back foot, with creamy chocolate candy worn up front. The alcohol is well hidden, or maybe that's how they've avoided the usual nitro blandness: by pumping up the strength. Only in the finish does it turn to latte or mocha. While fine, it's not really what I'm looking for in an imperial stout, or a coffee stout. It lacks depth and complexity, and as usual I'm going to blame the nitro for that. It has more going for it than a lot of other nitro beers, though, so if you're OK with the format you're likely to enjoy this example.

Conclusions? BrewDog continues to turn out mostly reliable and enjoyable beer. It's the one thing that keeps me broadly in the "pro" camp for this divisive company. While I don't go rushing for every new release, it's nice to check in with them now and again, and I'm rarely disappointed.