BrewDog Paradox Smokehead (Batch 015) - Smokehead - BrewDog

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.43/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours jet black. Aroma is wood is not attractive, its rather more like being in a wood store and not the freshest wood. Taste is medium. Not much in taste ratehr than a little whiskey. Finish is smoked peat.Sometimes some of the many attempts by Brewdog are overated.Boozy.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2009 01:59:33 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.78/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Black forest cake with no highlights on this overcast late January morning. A modest escape of CO2 was followed by a slim slice of beige foam that is no longer completely covering the beer. Minimal lace makes it to the snifter. Not the best looking of the lot.

The aroma is three parts peaty Scotch whisky to one part roasted malty stout. It may be because the 'best by' date is a mere three months away, but this iteration doesn't seem as pungent as the others. More of the stout would have been nice.

Smokehead 015 brings it on the flavor front, as all of these Paradox brews do. This is my sixth one and all six have earned 4.0 for both flavor and drinkability. That makes sense since they only vary by the whisky that was previously in the cask.

Even though the Scotch used in this batch is unknown to me, it tastes like something from the Islay region. The beer has that classic phenolic, bandage-like, seaweedy character that some aficionados of the world's greatest spirit crave.

The stout plays a bigger role on the palate. Chocolate malt dominates, with hints of roasted coffee bean peaking in at the edges. The rest is all whisky, in a wonderfully balanced kind of way. Maybe it's age, but this is definitely not boozy beer.

Too bad the mouthfeel has taken a hit, although it's obvious that it was nowhere near Dark Lord thick and chewy to begin with. Enough bubbles have survived to keep things reasonably well-expanded, which helps keep the score at average.

This bottle of BrewDog Paradox Smokehead Batch 015 is more enjoyable than the final score will indicate. Time won't do it any favors, so if you're cellaring a bottle, crack the crown before warmer weather rolls around.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 13:37:15 | More by BuckeyeNation

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.68/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Man, you really got to lik'em smokey. It's much like drinking a lit cigar.

A base beer that straddles the definitions of Stout and Scottish Ales lead to medium roast qualities of highly kilned malts, coffees, and caramel. These a absolutely swamped by the more earthy, peaty, dirty aromas and flavors of Scottish Ale proportions.

The whisky barrels bring on a thinning booze quality that kills the head and body. Those barrels also bring about a smoke flavor and smell that are as intimidating as intriquing. Very rich with smoke, tannin woods, Scotch whisky, and a tawny vinous quality just in case the beer lacked a bit of complexity otherwise.

Ester fruits of burnt currants, dates, prunes, and raisons also decorate the edges. No doubt this beer is as big and complex as they come. It's just so powerful on the whisky and smoke that the beer is difficult to drink even from the very first sip.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2009 19:16:13 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

2.93/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

My second BrewDog ware I have tried,poured into a snifter a jet black,I mean no light showing thru this puppy,a thin almond colored head atop.Wow alot going on in the nose,some good,some not so good,bigtime smokey hard wood and peat mixed with molasses and light vanilla.The peat aromas are very strong,I have never in a beer came close to that aroma of peat and hardwood (alder?),quite intense.Holy smokes the flavors are as smoky as all get out!Intense hard wood smoke and peat flavors mixed with light caramel/vanilla sweetness,that sweetness doesnt hold up to the intense barrage of smoke and wood.This knocked me back a little I didnt expect to drink such a intense beer.I didnt like the flavors but it is original I have to say.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2009 00:32:47 | More by oberon

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Dogfish Head snifter.

Pours a nigh-obsidian with no true head to speak of. The nose kicks off with a healthy dose of smoke, with all else in the background, submissive: toasted malts, toffee, vanilla, and a hint of booze. The taste begins with the usual imperial stout flavors, like coffee, vanilla, and dark malts, but then the smoke kicks in, bringing an extra level of complexity to the proceedings. The smoke goes from BBQ grill to roasted bratwurst to a lighter caramel flavor. Though the body is sonewhat heavy, it is incredibly smooth. This helps keep the drinkability fairly high, despite the best efforts from the ABV and the smoke, which tries its best, in vain, to dominate the stage. Instead, a delightful complexity exists.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2010 02:14:51 | More by TMoney2591

WesWes

New York

3.6/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a deep, dark black color with a thin tan head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a basic patent/chocolate malt scent along with a charcoal/smokey aroma. There is a mild whiskey character, but the overwhelming aroma is of burnt wood. The taste is decent. It has a smooth stout flavor that's more sweet than earthy. It's got a burnt wood taste that really sticks out in the finish. It's like stirring an IS with a piece of coal. The mouthfeel is decent. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is an interesting beer. I wouldn't call it good, but it's a unique drinking experience.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2009 17:39:05 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.18/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On cask at a local beer bar. Beer is served in a snifter. Beer is brown and has no head. No carbonation to speak of, no lacing.

Aroma is quite hickory, almost smoked ham like. Very interesting.

Beer is strong on the palate, like a strong rauchbier. Its not just smoke there are some sweet malt notes and some alcohol but nothing too special. The smoke is clearly the star. Pretty interesting.

Serving type: cask

06-10-2010 19:35:52 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

3.68/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark brown-black with a small beige head.

Very smokey aroma with some oak, but mainly just smoke. Much smokier than the Isle of Arran and Springbank that we tried during the same tasting. The flavor is lots of peat smoke. Very intense, almost charcoal like flavor which hides any more subtle flavors that may or may not there. Medium-thick mouthfeel and light-medium carbonation. Overall I didn't care for the level of smokiness in this beer, but I am still glad I tried it.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2010 18:59:20 | More by Mora2000

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Smokey! Had this on tap a little while ago. This beer poured out as a dark brown color. The head was tan but very thin and eventually disappeared. The smell of the beer is very smokey and has a whiskey essence to it also. The taste was smokey but not salty, thankfully. The mouthfeel was a bit on the thin side sadly. Overall this beer was interesting. I was very glad to have glad to try it on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2011 19:25:18 | More by Knapp85

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on cask at Pizzeria Paradiso. Ksak's choice and my share...

A: Another dark stout, midnight with no moon. The head is lighter than Black Force One, more of an off-white color that has the consistency of a cask pour.

S: The nose is wickedly interesting, combining sea salt, peated whisky and the deep underlying power of a BrewDog stout. Very interesting, especially the barrel and the briny Scotch that it delivers. One helluva pairing.

T: Again, the briny Scotch delivers all that it promises, with sea salt and peat competing for attention. Good news is that both win out, a mouthfull in each sip. As advertised, bittersweet chocolate is below the surface, adding just a bit of depth. Truth be told though, the whisky aspect is what makes the stout sing. The brine lingers in each sip.

M: A stout, a few barrels and Islay? Sign me up any time. The one differs from JW Lee's Lagavulin but still delivers a good punch.

To each his reach and I'll cop this one again.

Serving type: cask

05-22-2011 02:05:11 | More by akorsak

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.6/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Straight up pour, no head, no lace. Midnight black color, no highlights. Light carbonation and medium bodied. Wicked smokey nose and flavor is smokey, burnt dark chocolate. High ABV is hidden. Bottled 8/8/2008, flavor is good but carbonation is nearly gone. $9.50 for a 330ml bottle from Tully's Beer & Wine Wells, Me.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 23:28:32 | More by jdhilt

Jason

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2oz brown bottle with a best before date.

Off of a hard rousing pour comes a lightly crackling tan bubbly lace. The tiny bubble have some retention and the big ones that must have captured some fusel oil start popping right away. Peaty, charred wood, lemon oil, fusel alcohol and ripe plum on the nose. Slick and creamy on the palate with a very light carbonation. Big dry malt character tries to stay afloat as the wood and alcohol trait try and smack it down. Modest hopping here which is fine as it is not needed. Peat flavor throughout is lazily dominant letting both the charred wood and roasted malt flavors to come through. Big breath of alcohol though it never runs hot. Finishes with a sweet fusel alcohol, roasted grain and wood tannin ... obviously dry.

I am very impressed with this beer, the barrel qualities never overpower but are present throughout.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2009 01:36:14 | More by Jason

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Style: whiskey cask aged imperial stout
Brewed by: Brewdog Ltd.
Location: Fraserburgh, Scotland, UK
Rating: 3.8
First had: bottle, special ordered from Scotland

Pours dark opaque brown to black with a tan head. Earthiness in the nose with scents of alcohol and whiskey. Tastes similar, with whiskey, earthiness, and smoked wood. Lots of character. Medium mouthfeel with a bit of filminess and a somewhat harsh aftertaste. Strong, but moderately drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2011 17:05:25 | More by Rifugium

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.08/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Frisco's is pretty good about identifying specific beers on their menu, and their beer menu did not identify this as the speyside version. So I'll assume this is what I ordered, even though the data base shows it to be retired.

The beer pours a blackish brown color with fair head retention and minimal lacing. On the nose, the smoke and peat aroma is just incredible. The beer smells as if it has spent a CONSIDERABLE amount of time in some Islay scotch barrel. I don't think I've ever smell anything like this that didn't have the word Laphroig or Lagavullin on the outside label. There's also some light coffee and milk chocoalte, but the single malt scotch aroma really dominates! On the palate... hmmm.... OK, I like this beer, but I can see where it might not appeal to everyone. There is plety of scotch flavor and smoke, as well as chocolate and light coffee. However, the beer also comes across as slight oxidized, and this sort of reminds me of a beer that perhaps has been open a bit too long (even for cask, this beer tastes pretty flat). However, there are no off flavors, and there's no drop off in the finish, so maybe this is what the brewer was going for. Mouthfee is fairly smooth with a fairly long finish, and I found myself enjoying this bere more and more as I went a long. Alcohol is very well integrated into the flavor profile, though you can tell it's up there a bit.

Again, I can see where this may not be to everyone's taste, but I feel as if I have to give the brewer credit for pushing the envelope in this unusual beer. Definitely a beer for lovers of smokey, single malt scotch (and that would certainly be me).

Serving type: cask

11-20-2011 22:39:53 | More by johnmichaelsen

glid02

Georgia

4.05/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Cask at the Brick Store.

Pours black with dark brown highlights and a one-finger tan head. The head slowly recedes into a thin layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of heavy peat and earthy smoke backed by smooth roasted malts. Also present are hints of dark chocolate.

Tastes similar to how it smells, though not quite as well-integrated. Lightly roasted malt flavors kick things off and are joined almost immediately by heavy peat with a slight saltiness. Earthy smoke flavors come in midway through the sip and temper the peat. Very slight hints of semi-sweet chocolate come into play near the end of the sip before fading out into a mildly bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is OK. It's a bit on the thin side with soft carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I had no problems finishing my glass and could have another.

Overall I thought this beer suffered from the cask conditioning. The peat was allowed to shine a tad more but the body and overall complexity in the flavor profile was lessened. Still, worth a shot however you can get it.

Serving type: cask

02-14-2011 02:04:29 | More by glid02

wl0307

United Kingdom (England)

4.38/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Coming in a slim 330ml slim brown bottle, Batch 015, BB 10/10/10, served cool in Hapkin's branded bulb-shaped sniffer.

A: very dark brown to nearly black in colour, coming with very restrained carbonation and a slowly-dissipating dark beige froth, settling to a thin soapy cap to last throughout the drink.
S: seriously peat-smoky laced with wet peanuts upfront, the aroma is exactly like an Islay or any heavily peat-smoked malt whisky, full of medicinal-phenol and wet-earth notes; somehow the smokiness comes so predominant that other elements find it hard to make their way through. Given a good swirl, dark-date like fruitiness and roast black malts do emerge somewhere from the back, but overall the smokiness from the whisky casks still is the main theme on the nose.
T: interestingly, the foretaste is not unlike the much celebrated Schlenkerla Rauch Märzen in a sense that the smokiness comes with a fine and enticing hint of sea salt, on a par with the juicy black-prune sour-fruitiness or staleness typical of an aged (British) RIS; gradually, the meaty+peaty smokiness develops in a rather soothing way, coupled with spiced nuts, semi-burned red-bean paste, fennel seeds, rather mild roastiness of dark malts, then leading towards a quietly dry and bitter-sweet finish. The peated-whisky aroma is here to stay, so my palate tells my brain, but this is not to annul the efforts of black malts and very dark chocolates in making a kickback, more in the form of aroma actually.
M&D: almost silky smooth if not for the constant stimulation of smokiness, this RIS is mellow and delicious in such a different way than the same brewery's "Isle of Arran" Paradox tasted yesterday. While Arran had a more complex, colourful flavour profile and feature of residual aromatic hops, Smokehead proves how heavy peatiness could be tamed in a perfect harmony with the RIS beer base (Paradox). The result is so enjoyable that I really have problems discerning where Islay starts and where RIS ends. The lighter-than-expected body is also a miracle, in addition to no deliberate presence of alc. and unwanted sweetness - this beer turns out superbly drinkable for me. Absolutely gorgeous, if you like your peat-monster single malt!

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2009 16:25:15 | More by wl0307

kojevergas

California

2.58/5  rDev -30.6%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

11.2 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a Guinness goblet in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Cost was $11.99. Bottled on date: 04/15/2009. Batch 015, 10% ABV. Expectations are average; my love for the style is balanced by my disdain for Brewdog. The bottle was purchased from a reputable store in Orange County, California, and I'm certain it was stored properly.

Presentation Note: The pressure cap was a real beast to pry off; this assures me it didn't lose carbonation over the course of its near three years in the bottle.

A: Pours a quarter finger head of light cream, decent thickness, and awful retention (~14 seconds). Colour appears black at first, but upon closer inspection seems to be a very dark caramel-black. The high ABV helps explain the bad head, but I've seen it overcome before.

Sm: A downright strong aroma: heavy peat, bourbon/whisky notes, and heavy smoke. Complex, warm, and inviting. Rich and delightful.

T: Heavy on the peat, with a smokey finish. The body is rich but relaxed, and not too heavy on the palate. It doesn't beat you over the head. The whiskey is present as a tone throughout but is never horribly strong. All in all it's rather simple for an imperial stout, and structurally it feels very brief: the flavours are only present for a very small amount of time. I like what's there, but it needs to be stronger and feature more presence. It's imbalanced in this regard.

Mf: Extremely thin and fragile - to its detriment. Even a bit watery. It should be a heavy dry coarse beer, but it's smooth and wet. Awfully executed for an imperial stout. Nearly ruins the beer. What a shame.

Dr: Drinkable but boring and disappointing, largely on account of its brief flavour profile and terrible mouthfeel. Extremely overpriced. I don't know that the aging did it much good. I'd never have this again, even at a quarter of the price I paid for it. Another unsurprising overpriced disappointment from the gimmicky brewers over at Brewdog.

C-

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 01:58:28 | More by kojevergas

HopHead84

California

3.93/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Consumed on 9/18/2009 and poured into a snifter. Thanks for opening this, Torry. The beer appears black but is actually just very dark brown when held to the light. The small light brown head is bubbly and disappears quickly.

The aroma is chalky, smoky, and peaty. The smokiness is almost bacon-like. There's a touch of roastiness and some chocolate.

The beer opens up with chocolate which quickly segues into peat then into apple wood smoked bacon. I can't help but think of beachwood, as well. The smoke and peat are amplified in the finish. This tastes pretty interesting.

The beer is light full bodied with medium carbonation and a somewhat thin mouthfeel. Interesting stuff, though I wouldn't ever buy it myself at the ridiculous retail price.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2009 22:59:43 | More by HopHead84

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.93/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aroma is strongly of burnt wood with subtle hints of roast quality coffee and molasses. It comes out of the bottle an opaque dark chocolate brown with a thick, fluffy, pale tan head that leaves minimal lacing. Flavor has a strong overtone of charred wood and tones of molasses and fine coffee and a hint of licorice. Texture is smooth, thick and lively, leaving a smoky and somewhat fizzy finish.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2011 03:31:18 | More by Cyberkedi

stcules

Italy

3.98/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Almost black in color, with an evanescent foam.
Smell: well, delicate is not the right word here. Strong, intense, a kick in the face of peat, whisky, with a background of dark malts, and a light roasted, and some saltish note.
Good taste. Peated, saltish, a lot, with vanilla notes, roasted. Full and intense, without compromises. Then hazelnut, dry fruit.
Vigorous aftertaste, again saltish and peat overall.
Structured body, alchol well hidden.
A perfect pairing with dark chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2010 20:59:10 | More by stcules

gford217

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

330ml bottle.

Not exactly black out of the bottle and shows some ruby hints around the edges. The head is short lived and bubbly, leaving no lacing, just some boozy legs on the sides.

The scotch just jumps out of the glass with tons of smoked peat and alcohol in the nose. The underlying stout doesn't stand a chance vs. the huge Scotch presence. Maybe some roasted chocolate malts but not much.

The taste is just crazy with Scotch. All kinds of smoke and peat right off the bat. Light chocolate malts I the background, but let me emphasize the "background". Dry barrel-heavy finish.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation and pretty much feels like sipping on Scotch.

This is a full-on Scotch bomb. If you're a big fan of smoke-heavy Scotches, this is your beer. If you're looking for well balanced BA stouts, you'll probably want to pass on this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 03:27:34 | More by gford217

beertunes

Washington

3.83/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into tulip glass. The beer poured a deep mahogany color, not at all black as expected from a stout, with some reddish tint at the edges. The beer had barely any head at all and no retention.

The aroma was pure smoke, I didn't even notice any peatiness behind the smoke, and just a hint of malt in the deep background. The taste was very good, but again, all smoke. On about the sixth sip I could start to pick a little bit of malt taste and there was a bit of a tang on the finish that could have come from some hops. Much like the in the aroma, I didn't get much, if any, peat out of this.

The body was thin for a stout, although enjoyable. Drinkability is very much going to depend on your tolerance for the smoke. Personally I probably wouldn't have 2 in a row, but I'll certainly have this beer again.

Overall, a quite enjoyable brew, even if it doesn't quite fit it's style. Certainly worth your time.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2010 18:55:21 | More by beertunes

bark

Sweden

3.48/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The colour is jet black; the finger thick head is brown - it sinks down to a thin lid and a ring. No lacing.

The smell is peaty and smoky with a hint of heavily roasted malt. Some alcohol... It smells more like a Islay whiskey than a beer.

The taste is first malty and a bit roasted, but those flavours are soon replaced with a distinct woody flavour of casks and peaty whiskey. Some alcohol in the background as well as some smoke and a clean sweetness. The aftertaste is milder and mellow: Notes of matured whiskey, some peat and sweet notes of toffee and brown sugar. Salt and peat in the finish.

The carbonation is medium to mild; the smooth bubbles are small. The liquid is quite light for a cask matured beer of this strength.

If you want a whiskey-matured beer that is more whiskey than beer, this is your drink. I personally think it is a bit over the top.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2009 20:27:34 | More by bark

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.7/5  rDev +26.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

11.2 ounce bottle, best before 8/8/2010. Served in a snifter, the beer pours black with about a 1/2 inch tan head after a vigorous pour. Head retention is low, but lacing is good. The beer smells like peat, smoke, oak/wood, and a bit like Band-Aid bandages. The taste is big, it's strong on the smoke and peat flavors with with some vanilla, oak, bittersweet chocolate and salt noticable. Mouthfeel/body is medium. It is a bit thin for a stout, but the relative thinness works well for this beer. Drinkability is good too, it's very smooth and the low carbonation makes this pretty easy to drink. Even with the price (around $12-13 a bottle I think), I would definitely buy this brew again. If you enjoy Smokehead or other Islay whiskys, I think you'd like this brew a lot. Out of the 4 Paradox beers I've tried, I have to say that this one is easily my favorite. Looks like I'll have to try some Smokehead Scotch now!

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2009 22:55:02 | More by bluejacket74

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

batch 15 bb31/02/11 downed on july23 2009

A quite dark but not quite jet black, the thick head sits heavy for a few sips and just falls leaving a fair amount of lace

S leave it to the Scots to come up with a crazy beer idea and make it work, smoke, earth and booze unlike anything I've put my nose too

T as it smells but I pick up on the whiskey and licorice comes too mind while tasting

M/D not as thick as the color would suggest but not bad overall

had I drank this during the winter it would have gone down a bit smoother. you gotta love the rants on the bottle and I'm left wondering what will they think of next

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2009 05:30:43 | More by wordemupg