BrewDog Paradox Grain (Batch 013)

Brewed by BrewDog
Style: Imperial Stout
Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

4/25/2009: BrewDog Paradox Port Dundas is smoth and sweet. It has a good maltiness and roasted flavor. It is slightly dry in finish. The alcohol is well hidden. As far as appearance goes, this beer is near black in color with a tan head that dissipates evenly over time. It also has a creamy, soft palate. Overall this beer is very good.

Sample from bottle at Dark Lord Day 2009. Rating #68 for this beer.

Bottle at DLD ... deep black ... deep roast malt nose ... smooth roast ... little coffee ... solid but i found no trace of the barrell.

330ml bottle. Batch 013 BB 02/02/10. Hard to work out which batch I have...so many! Sinfully dark black body, ring of tan lace, leaves whispy legs in its wake. Rich complex aroma. Plenty of smoky wood, burning butter and vanilla, earthy spice, vinous raisins and dried dark fruits, some citrusy hop sharpness to go with undertones of roasted malt cocoa and coffee, which are somewhat overpowered by oak. Dense palate, rich oily texture, low carbonation. Somewhat lean for strength, well hidden alcohol, slight woody dryness. Dark fruits seem to be upfront on the palate, plums and dates, and blackberries, dries out very quickly become intensely oaky, burnt and caramalised characteristics take hold, touch of earth and vanilla, and bitter chocolate with some bitter citrus in there. Finishes very dry and bitter, slight astrigent. Seems like one of those beers the more you enjoy as you get through it. The aftertaste certainly is a bit brutal and lingering though. Seems similiar to oak aged beers i’ve brewed myself, intense oak and probably alot of the original beer missing. I’d say i’m a tad disappointed overall.

Bottle. Aroma of roasted malt and whiskey. Brown-black body, no head. Flavor is roasty, somewhat sweet, with definite whiskey notes. Pretty good, but not suited to my taste.

Pours a one finger tan head that fades quickly, leaving traces of lace. Opaque dark brown color. Light carbonation and medium-heavy bodied. Oak and alcohol nose. Flavor is sweet, roasted molasses, hints of oak and alcohol. Priced over the top at $14.95 for a 330ml bottle from Colonial Spirits Acton, Ma.

11.2 oz brown glass pry-top. Appearance: Deep chocolate brown/black, virtually no head with tan bubbles. Nose: Toasted grain, banana liqueur, "white cherry," some aged vanilla bean, banana leaves, peach and light chocolate. Palate: Medium bodied and slightly boozy. The alcohol lifts out of the beer. Lots of old vanilla, medium toast, some smoked malt, medium caramel, bitter chocolate. Moderately long finish which switches between bitter stout and lifted old whisky flavors. Notes: Alcohol cleans up the finish and leaves the mouth with a lighter-bodied impression. Not bad, prefer the Isle of Arran batch.

Name: Paradox 013 Port Dundas
Date: March 27, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting
Appearance: black, wispy tan head, bits of drippy lace
Aroma: dry roasted aroma, sweet chocolate and vanilla plus dark caramel
Flavor: rich chocolate flavor, lots of oaky character, dark caramel and vanilla sweetness, light earthyness, finishes with the hot scotch
Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 14/20
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

Pours a transparent dark mahogany with a thin ring of light tan head. Aroma of smoky peated caramel malt and bittersweet dark chocolate. Body starts with pretty good fullness and sticky dark caramel and chocolate malt along with a mild balance of smoky peat before a smooth semi-sweet finish. A pretty good beer, but the Scotch character is more muted than the other Brewdog Paradoxes.