BrewDog Paradox Grain (Batch 013) - Port Dundas 1966 - BrewDog

StoneBrewFanatic

Virginia

4.2/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Batch 013 Bottled 02/02/08

A - Pours extremely dark brown, almost black into my snifter with just a thin later of head that dissipates into a thin ring around the glass, virtually no retention or lace.

S - The bourbon notes are just fantastic, nicely balanced with the sweet roasted malts, notes of oak, vanilla, caramelized sugars, cocoa, and a little smokiness as well.

T - Rich and malty, smoke is more present in flavor, dry cocoa/espresso bitterness, molasses, oak, vanilla, tobacco, and some dark fruit notes.

M - Don't know if it's just the age or how it was made but really lacks carbonation and any kind of creamy balance that comes from it.

O - This smells and tastes delicious, it just really falls short in the mouthfeel and body department. Still would recommend trying if given the chance though.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2011 00:02:32 | More by StoneBrewFanatic

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a dark brown color with not much head, ultra thin head, and mild carbonation.

S - Aroma is thick and syrupy (like a port wine), oaky, dates, vanilla, elderberries, and boozy.

T - Petey, earthy, woody with strong oak tannins, vanilla, and a slight shot of whiskey goodness. Leaves the mouth with a wet blanket coating and bitter chocolate, with whiskey dancing on the tongue (in a subtle way), but still makes its presence known.

M - IMO, too thin, but velvet smooth on the tongue and leaves a coating of oak tannin and mild bitter chocolate.

O - Glad I had the opportunity to try it it, not worthy of the price and wouldn't buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2011 06:21:59 | More by jzeilinger

azdback

Arizona

3.85/5  rDev -3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Sam Adams Lager glass. Light black color with dark caramel highlights. No carbonation bubbles or head at all. Kinda looks like Coca Cola. There is some stickiness hanging onto the glass from the alcohol, but no lace.

Smells like any well barrel aged stout should. Big notes of vanilla, and whiskey. There is some coffee, and cocoa. Some subtle smokiness. It really smells fantastic.

Tastes like a very thin version of Victory at Sea, which isn't a bad thing. The coffee really comes out in the taste. Followed by vanilla, and alcohol.

Mouthfeel is pretty flat and watery. This is where I am most disappointed. But the bottle does say "best before 2/2/10" So maybe I am just getting to it late, but not surprised I was disappointed.

Overall, I am happy to have tried this. Thanks to matttYCE for this great extra. This is by far the best stout I have had from across the pond by a long shot. A must try if you can get your hands on this.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2011 07:48:19 | More by azdback

camil1mj

Michigan

3.7/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I have drank a lot of good beer, but this is my first review.

Bottle says best before 2/2/2010. Poured into my Bell's tulip glass at cellar temperature.
A: Dark as night. No light shines through
S: Chocolate with a slight hint of alcohol.
T: This is a lot less intense than I would have guessed from the description. I would use the term weak. Chocolate and whiskey are the two tastes I can really pick up on.
M: The feel is disappointing. it is very thin for my expectations of a barrel-aged stout.
O: This is an average barrel-aged stout. I have had better and worse. The smell is the best thing going for it.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2011 00:17:22 | More by camil1mj

megahurts4

Louisiana

3.85/5  rDev -3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Brewdog Paradox Port Dundas

Appearance: dark brown, no head, and no lacing.

Smell: caramel and toffee.

Taste: caramel, toffee, and a slight cocoa.

Mouthfeel: medium-light and smooth.

Overall:
This is much lighter than anticipated. The flavors are subtle and rich.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2011 04:50:56 | More by megahurts4

moshiric

Japan

4.33/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- dark coffee black. No head. served in a sniffer glass.

S- lots of malts and alcohol. You know this is potent from the start.

T- the taste is more refined than you would expect from the smell. You get all the hints from the nose. A little bit fruity with a hint of coffee.

M- smooth. Doesnt stick around on the palate as long as you would expect.

O- this is a great beer. I am Thoroughly impressed. It's nice in the middle of a session.

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2011 12:48:52 | More by moshiric

bobhits

Kentucky

3.58/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 4.5

Best buy 2/2/2010 so not sure when this was bottled but there's a touch of age on it.

Flat, created a quick head that vanishes promptly. Not much body. Sweet to the tongue. Amazingly smooth, the alcohol is non existent. The whiskey flavors here are amazingly subtle though I'd assume the whiskey they made was pretty darn smooth.

I'm not normally impressed by such a thin/watery beer, but this tastes wonderful. This bottle has just vanished, amazingly drinkable. A failure in many aspects but a success where it matters most.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2011 23:01:35 | More by bobhits

GoGriz

Massachusetts

3.23/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Sent from Bosse. Thanks.

This beer has a different label than the version seen in the States as far as I can tell. The one from Europe just says Paradox Grain. But on the back it says Batch 13. Here in the US I have seen it say Port Dundas.

Poured aggresively, the beer renders itself headless. Mostly dark, dark brown with little light getting through. Smell is roasted grain and little else although a little of the cask shows through. Taste is same. This beer is fairly blah and I have let it warm up to give me more flavor. Mouthfeel is like most others...flat. Drinkability is average at best. Pass...especially at $15 for a 12oz. bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2011 23:22:32 | More by GoGriz

nickthetick

Maryland

4.13/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: pure black into my trusted Duvel tulip with a few light tan bubbles.
S: GOOD GOD! This smells like my first shot of scotch all over again but with a little dark cocoa and some roasted malt. Frightening overall smell.

T: surprisingly smooth, not at all what the nose suggest. A oaky wood and vanilla flavor right up front. Some roasted malt sweetness and dark chocolate notes. Smokey in the back and I could notice the alcohol but its not overpowering.

MF: medium body, oily and a tad chewy. Flat as my middle school girlfriend (extremely) and warming in the mouth.

D: a nice beer when you can get over the smell, from what I've read in other reviews flat is not a "my bottle only" problem. The price cuts down on the drink ability also.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2011 23:36:47 | More by nickthetick

madamebeer

Michigan

4.3/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I am normally not one for such dark beers but this one really did blow me out of the water.

Appearance: Very dark with a decent amount of head.

Taste: very balanced with good notes of vanilla, chocolate, hint of malt.

Mouthfeel- very smooth and left and wonderful aftertaste

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2010 15:11:50 | More by madamebeer

artcurtis

Colorado

4.4/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a large snifter.
A - Pours a deep brown. When held to light some comes through, and the edges look a bit like a brown ale, but the center is deep black. Brown head disappears almost instantly, and it doesn't seem to be very carbonated.

S - I get mostly vanilla and alcohol out of this. The combo is pretty nice. Not the biggest nose ever, but smells pretty good. Maybe a bit of chocolate too. None of the flavors is particularly overwhelming.

T - I really dig this. Extremely smooth. Very rich vanilla flavors up front, with alcohol finishing it off. The whiskey barrels have definitely imparted some smoothness, but not much bourbon flavor. Too many Bourbon Barrels taste like they have a shot dropped into them. This doesn't at all. It's there, it's helping, but first and foremost this is an excellent stout. It isn't too hot, either. The booze is there, but not overwhelming. Overall, wonderfully balanced. Some people have noted the lack of carbonation, and normally I would agree with them. However, in this case, I like it.

M - Nice and smooth. Feels...substantial on the tongue. Very enjoyable.

D - One of the few big stouts I've had that I feel I could just grab another right away. Too bad its sitting at 12 bucks a 12ounce.

Overall, a really wonderful beer. If you can find it, I think that it is head and shoulders above the 2010 Odells Bourbon Barrel. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2010 02:52:47 | More by artcurtis

sisuspeed

New Hampshire

3.7/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter. A thin, off-white, film rests on top of a fairly dark body. Light lacing.

The nose is filled with sweet malts, chocolate, cherries, honey and a touch of sea salt. Nice floral honey notes. Plums and figs. Nice depth. Hint of alcohol.

Vanilla, dark roasted malts, light honey and a touch of dark fruit. Some saltiness and oaky wood. There are some nice notes going on here, but Brewdog has done better than this. Still a tasty brew though.

Mouthfeel is smooth, but unfortunately flat. Some lingering bitterness from the malt and wood. I think the lack of bubbles is hurting this beer the most.

Drinkability is pretty good. This is the third beer in the Paradox series that I've had and it seems that Brewdog knows how to use there barrels. However, the Isle of Arran is still my favorite. Looking forward to trying some of the others.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2010 01:21:31 | More by sisuspeed

wedgie9

Tennessee

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tasted from bottle at Lush Roscoe. Pours a nearly opaque dark brown with a tinge of amber and almost no head, just some lace around the edges. Nose is dark amber malt with some nuttiness and dried fruits. Raisin, prune, and fig are all present. There dark chocolate, coffee, vanilla and molasses on the nose. The flavors are very similar, starting off with the dried fruits and molasses, and moving to the sweet malt and vanilla, and finishing with the bitterness of coffee and dark chocolate. Then comes the oaky finish of vanilla and a hint of cinnamon. The body is heavy with low carbonation and a long oaked finish. This beer is excellently balanced and hides the alcohol content well. Funny, since it says the best by date was several months ago...

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2010 20:12:01 | More by wedgie9

jpell33

Indiana

3.93/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Good beer but my first from Brewdog, so probably had high expectation going into it.

Poured flat and had distinct flavors from the cask.

Very smooth and sweet taste. Whiskey from the barrel has a distinct impact on the flavor. Good start for me with Brewdog. Can't wait to try some of the other batches.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2010 01:29:41 | More by jpell33

Naugros

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Poured flat, with just a few bubbles. I can count them if you want. I had to check other reviews to see if maybe what I received was a bad bottle, but this seems to be a common complaint. Not a good start. It's really dark brown and inky, but so are all stouts.

Smells like whiskey with a wee bit of chocolate...sorry, Brew Dog is in Scotland so it should be spelled without an "E". Also, Port Dundas is a Scotch whisky. LOL, spellcheck is saying that I spelled "whisky" wrong. The programmer must have been Irish.

Anyway, back to this beer. It's time to taste it, but I'm afraid to. Courage Beer Samurai, courage. Ooh, it tastes a lot better than it smells. Chocolate and coffee bring in a sweetness that I hadn't expected. The whisky flavor is still there, but mitigated and it seems that the barrel conditioning did more than pick up a whisky flavor, it brought some oak as well. There's a bitterness in the aftertaste, but I can't tell if it's from a hops presence or due to the roasted grains. With no citrus, floral or grassy flavors to be found I'll go with the latter. Do yourself a favor and drink this at room temperature. The whisky is even further mitigated (even if still thought spelled incorrectly) and the bitterness is taken down a notch, letting the sweetness shine through. Much nicer.

It's 10% ABV and it smells and tastes of whisky. So it's going to sound really strange when I say that the alcohol is hidden pretty well. There's no vinous sensation and no heat. Do not confuse whisky flavor with alcohol heat. The beer is satiny in texture and goes down smoothly. Oh yeah, and it's flat.

Not an everyday beer, but more of a "I want to try something a little different" beer. It's nice, I like it, but for my money I'd rather have a Weyerbacher Heresy.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2010 03:14:13 | More by Naugros

dirtylou

Washington

3.88/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle - Star. best by 2/2/10, hmm

appearance: poured into oversized snifter - flat pour with almost no head and a very small number of beige bubbles, mahogany body

smell: aroma leans towards scotch and butterscotch, dry malts, not overly complex

taste: smooth and well refined - creamy caramel, butterscotch, milk chocolate, scotch. It barely feels like an imperial stout - the scotch aging is less pronounced then i wasnt overly moved by the base stout

mouthfeel: nice smooth body, creamy, but relatively flat

drinkability: fine

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2010 20:44:59 | More by dirtylou

AgentZero

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to bosse for hooking me up with this.

A - Black colored, not much brown on the edges, doesn't look super viscous, but nice looking. Pretty much non-existant head, although a bit of a cap bubbled up after the pour.

S - Roasted malts, some bitter coffee, carmel smell. It smells nice, nothing groundbreaking, but solid. A bit of a ginsengy type smell, probably wood from the cask aging.

T - Mellow bourbon taste, some roasted/sweet malts, carmel, and great vanilla taste comes through on this. This is actually quite good.

M - Too thin, and needs a touch more carbonation.

D - Starts out tough to drink, but gets better as it gets warmer. This is a nice sipper.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2010 21:44:48 | More by AgentZero

ShadesOfGray

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a snifter tasting glass. Pours a semi-dark brownish black, fills the glass dark as night...with no head at all, just a couple bubbles around the outside edge. No lacing either.

Aroma is wine-like. Bourbon like notes, bitter-sweet dark chocolate, and of course...very malty.

This came highly recommended, but I'd have to say I'm a little let down. There's definitely some sweet and bitter dark chocolate notes, a strong booze flavor and warmth in the mouth and down the throat...and semi-medium body and smooth. Although, there's a complete lack of carbonation and it's killing the mouthfeel and taste slightly. Overall though, there's some great flavors associated with this beer...even a little oak, just was expecting more.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2010 20:16:02 | More by ShadesOfGray

brdc

Wisconsin

3.88/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Small capped bottle, poured into a snifter.
Bottle states best by 02/02/10, not sure when this was bottled.

Dark brown color, golden highlights, minimal short lasting dark tan head, no lacing. Quickly, the beer looks as flat as possible.
Aroma is pleasant but tame, whisky, vanilla, oak, faint roasted malts.
Thin on the palate, with minimal carbonation, which detracts from the overall taste and experience.
The taste itself is also tame, pleasant, but needs a bit more power; vanilla, whisky, some roasted malts.
This is a good beer, but somewhat disappointing particularly considering the absurdly high price ($12).

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2010 01:51:09 | More by brdc

sweemzander

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

11.2oz. bottle poured into a snifter. Best by 02/02/10, but I have a feeling this would last for longer.

(A)- Pours so black, its pure & utter darkness in a bottle! Produced a ton of semi-transparent tan bubbles.

(S)- Deep & rich roasted raisin & molasses. Hints at toffee & brown sugar. Definite but subtle vanilla & oak with a boozy grain.

(T)- Same as the smell; exactly like the smell actually. Finishes with a light creaminess from that subtle vanilla & oak. You can definitely taste the whiskey nuances on the finish; again, subtle though.

(M)- A good carbonation for the style. Very well balanced and smooth too; not overwhelmingly boozy or whiskey-like. I think the age smoothed this out & meshed everything together better. In no way is it boozy like I was expecting either; still present but much less than I thought.

(D)- Ok, so I was wrong in almost every expectation I had before drinking this beer, but I was glad it proved me wrong though. A smooth drinker with a dynamic complexity that is quite tasty. Age helped in this regard, but I think that it doesnt have very much life left in it. 4 to 6 more months & this might probably have gone too far. Good stuff though.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2010 17:16:51 | More by sweemzander

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle, poured into a snifter
(consumed on 1/10/10, from notes)

Pours a dirty engine oil with very few brown bubbles that I can't even call a head.

Scotch heavy nose with oak, raisins, dark cherries, and a pleasant dose of vanilla.

A rich dark malt bill with a touch of smokiness, wood, and vanilla from the barrel. Cocoa powder, raisins and dark cherries round out the flavor profile with a sturdy dose of blackstrap molasses.

To say this is undercarbonated is a gross understatement. This guy is flat. So, with the best buy date of early Feb, I won't judge too hard. Otherwise, oily slick and medium bodied.

This is a big, bold beer with a ton of flavor. A sipper to be enjoyed over time. For me, carbonation issues aside, I found this to be enjoyable in doses. I needed to take my time to digest all that was going on.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2010 23:40:40 | More by ColForbinBC

JerseyDevil980

New York

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is the 2nd beer I have had in the Paradox Series and I must say I enjoy the beers from BrewDog and want to try more. It pours as dark as can be and has no noticeable head. Its got a ncie aroma probably as a result of the aging in the Port Dundas Whiskey cask, its smooth and not an over pouring scent. It has a slightly sweet taste that is highly enjoable and it finishes very smooth. This was part of Batch 13

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2010 04:20:48 | More by JerseyDevil980

brc

Michigan

4.13/5  rDev +4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Best by last week. I'll risk it.

There was a bit of a hiss when popped, but this is basically uncarbonated. A few soapy bubbles when poured into my flute, emphasis on few. Pitch black liquid.

Smells kinda boozy - more like spiced rum than whisky to me. It does have a rich earthy or woody smell underneath.

Very sweet; tastes alot like toffee pudding with raisins. (In a good way). Toasty and chocolaty upfront, with the raisins kicking in later. Hint of blackberries, maybe. Bitterness is very low, coming from roasted malt. No noticeable hop character at this age.

Mouthfeel is a bit thin for an imperial stout, or very thin compared to some. Feels coating rather than thick.

Very smooth and drinkable. The flavor is really enticing, opening up as it warms. No alcohol flavor or feel. Strange head behavior aside, this is a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2010 23:35:14 | More by brc

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Looked on the back of the bottle and this is clearly marked Batch 13.
 
I received this one a little while back and decided to grab it out of the fridge last night and give it a try. I wasn't overly thrilled with the first one I tried but this one suited me much better. Served cold and poured into a snifter, this one was consumed on 02/03/2010.
 
Pitch dark, black as night it comes out of the bottle and hits the glass. Not much at all in the way of carbonation, in fact it leaves a bare top with no lacing here what so ever. Really nice looking color and I have come to expect this look with the style. Aroma is loaded with woody notes. Hints of tobacco and leather start to come through immediately. Rich, smoky, and not as sweet as I would have thought. Old aged leather would be the best descriptor of the aroma. Smooth, even keeled feel here. Not highly carbonated at all, but not thin either, it seems to work for me. Rich enough to keep me interested for sure. Flavor is smoked malts, leather and tobacco again, with a hint of dark wood like notes. Light touch of vanilla, but very light and the finish is dry with an almost licorice like bite at the end.
 
Overall this was pretty darn good I have to admit. Could not taste the ten percent here at all, and the barrel really seems to shine here, showing that it can enhance the natural flavors and not go overboard. A fine, fine example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2010 18:15:57 | More by mikesgroove

merlin48

Kentucky

4.15/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Numbered 11.2 ounce bottle. Pours into a snifter an opaque deep dark brown body with no head. Some spotty lacing.

Aroma has toffee, dark chocolate, dried figs, and some Scotch whisky booziness.

Mouthfeel is about medium bodied, seeming even thinner. Low carbonation enhancrd the smooth character.

Taste is the highlight of this interesting brew. Notes of old leather, dark chocolate, toffee, figs, vanilla, peat, charcoal,oak, and Scotch whiskey play off each other well. Alcohol is hidden very well, to my surprise. There is a vague fruitiness in addition to the figs and raisins that is hard to place.

Surprisingly easy to drink, but I think a tad more carbonation would have enhanced the experience.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2010 21:07:16 | More by merlin48