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BrewDog Hardcore IPA

Percentile
79
overall
Brewed by BrewDog
Style: Imperial/Double IPA

Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
3623.36/5.03.35/5.0Special9%18.9Snifter, Tulip
Commercial Description:
ADMIN NOTE: Brewdog have recently changed the recipe for this beer quite significantly. We are currently considering whether this change is sufficiently drastic to warrant a new listing. In the meantime could all raters ensure that they note which version they had in their rating to facilitate a split in due course, should that de deemed necessary. Whether you had the "new" or "old" version can be determined by reference to the batch number and the best before date. The newest batch is 037 and the BBD 03/09/10 (British dating) anything before this date or batch is the old version.

Filtered bottle and sometimes available as a special in the cask.
"Explicit Imperial Ale".
Ingredients: Barley, hops, yeast, water.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
chumba526 (6), Washington, USA
does not count click to see why this rating of BrewDog Hardcore IPA does not count
4.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/59/104/519/20
Jul 3, 2009  
Finally an IPA that combines the style of a classic UK IPA with slight nuances of the "new" American--style IPA. IPA originally was pale ale that was aged slightly; Hardcore IPA is a Double IPA in that style, but updated of course, with modern twists. With this said, if you are seeking a West Coast, heavy carbonated, heavily hopped IPA, this is not your bottle of beer. Hardcore, had little carbonation, no substantial head, even with a sloppy pour. The color was dark orange amber so slightly darker then most modern IPAs’. The Smell was rich; I could tell much of the flavors of the IPA from the smell. The smell is hard to describe, but has a rich malt smell to it that is balanced off with slight citrus overtones. When I first tasted a sip no bitter hop taste punched my palate, instead a bold rich creamy malty taste with a mild almost unnoticeable taste of citrus tasting hop. The after taste does hit you with hoppy bitterness though it hits in a way unlike any ale I have ever drunk. The malty first flavor seems to fully develop and then disappear as a hoppy bitterness appears. It s very sticky in the mouth and the taste lingered on my palate for around thirty minutes. Hardcore contains more malt then most IPA’s which gives it a slight barley wine type taste though without the sweetness. It seemed like BrewDog did it in the traditional UK classic way, but with more hops. Over all one of the best unique imperial IPA’s I have ever had; it truly is far different from any Imperial IPA I have had, it’s a shame I only had one bottle.


 bobinlondon (832), Harrow, Greater London, England
4.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/59/105/518/20
Jun 5, 2009  
Just had to delete previouus rating after drinking 2 pints of handpulled cask at the Rake C/O Tom. I had just tried a second batch mail ordered from the brewery after reading that the hoppage had been upped dramatically. It didn’t taste too different to me. I rolled up late at the Rake last night and was delighted to see this beer on handpull at a bargain £4 a pint. It was superb! I sank 2 in no time and would have had more if closing time had not iintervened. The best cask beer that I have sampled since Sheps/Stones California Double IPA last year. This is a F**king monster! Get down there and neck some if you possibly can. It is so much better than the bottled offering.


 BigBen2120 (688), Derry, New Hampshire, USA
4.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/510/104/518/20
Aug 17, 2009  
550ml brown bottle purchased at The Liquor Shoppe in Tygsboro, MA. Pours a bit hazy golden amber body with a half inch of off-white head that dissipates rather quickly. Grapefruit and toffee equally share the aroma, hinting at a good malt backbone for this DIPA. Orange, lemon, grapefruit hit the palate first, with toffee and chocolate malts shortly thereafter to help balance and bring some complexity to the show. Full-bodied with moderate carbonation. This is a very easy drinking DIPA and is disappearing much faster than I’d like. This beer is phenomenal - bold but balanced, complex yet approachable. I’m impressed.


LordCrabapple (83), Merseyside, England
4.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/59/104/519/20
Sep 19, 2009  
My first bottle of this tasted disgusting (too bitter, perversely hopped, I thought). The following night I had another and rather liked it. What a pity I only have a limited supply. But what does it matter? Nothing lasts, all is transient; tonight, tomorrow.....Yes, a delicious beer. But beware, it has a very powerful hop flavour.


 Nephilium (548), Ohio, USA
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/510/104/519/20
Sep 10, 2009  
(Batch # 190, BBD: 29/10/10; new recipe) Nice piney hop nose, with a touch of caramel in the back end. Pours a clear amber, with a fluffy white head that leaves great lacing behind. Very visible carbonation in the beer itself. The flavor of this is amazing, crisp bitter hops, with a long bitter finish. A touch of caramel sweetness, but this still showcases the hops. One of the better IIPA’s I’ve recently tried.


 badgerben (3596), Blaine, Minnesota, USA
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/58/104/518/20
Aug 8, 2008  
Thanks to a rep for leaving our store a sample. Gold color with a medium head. Big tangerine aroma, finishing with grapefruit and a little acidic bitterness. The flavor is fantastic... A buttery smooth grain base completely awash in rich tangerines. Light bitterness. It seems that all the hops were added as flavoring, not bittering. So friggin delicious and horribly underrated.


 dwyerpg (2529), Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/103/58/105/518/20
Jul 23, 2009  
A pretty tasty aroma-citrusy and flowery. The flavor on this is quite dry, but a tasty dry and some citrus. Great finish. I believe this was the new version.


 harrisoni (6771), Ashford, Kent, England
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/58/104/518/20
Aug 24, 2007    Updated: Apr 26, 2009
Bottle at Blackfriars. Now my problem with this was that I got distracted from it for about 2 hours by Chris and Stephanie from Toronto. Stephanie described it as reaching down into your throat and bringing the bitterness up from your stomach, or something. Certainly very very bitter. Very toffee. Nice though. Could do with a bit more floral hop to balance the bitterness. 3.4/5.0 Re-rate bottle batch 037. Always thought the first time round it was a bit metallic and just too bitter. Hop character definitely seems to have changed, far more aromatic real hop flowers on the aroma. Simcoes and or Amarillos I would suggest. Far better balance of biscuit/toffee malt that has some sweetness with the lasting hops on the finish. Whopping huge hops, but no where near as bitter as it was, better balance. Far more likeable DIPA. Love the aroma. Just so drinkable. And those hops. The resins build and build on the finish. Superb.



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