Sink The Bismarck! - BrewDog

davod23

California

2.73/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 1

An odd beer, and a tough review. Poured from the bottle into a wine glass.

Appearance is a thick golden color. I poured several small glasses of this, and found that a couple were more clear than others. Shockingly a head materialized, but obviously dissipated rapidly with the 41% abv.

Smell - interesting. About what I expected. Tons of hops, very oily, which was only offset by the massive smack of booze to my face. Pine, earthiness and tropical presence there too.

Taste... ah. Massive booze, obviously. Even more than expected. Hops are pronounced, but there's also a medicinal quality on the back end of this. Reminds me a bit of fresh 120 Minute, but stronger, harsher. And I don't care for 120 Minute.

Mouthfeel isn't bad. It's oily and medium-full bodied, spirit-like. Carbonation is barely there, if at all.

Drinkability is real bad. Real, real bad. I only drank an ounce, maybe 1.5. I actually took the remainder and poured it back into the bottle. And this isn't me rating this out of some inability to handle strong beer/booze - I love Utopias, bourbon, and scotch. This was far, far less drinkable than any decent bourbon or scotch, and cannot even compare to Utopias (which I could drink a full glass of with no problem).

This is a novelty, a fun effort, and worth trying if you can find 11 friends to split the bottle with you.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2010 23:56:44 | More by davod23

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.91/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

It's incredible that the freeze distilling process finally yields a beer that boasts a whopping 41% abv! The old standards and benchmarks for can be retired. There's new thresholds to be explored!

Much less like beer and much more like cognac, the beer pours a still but deep tawny brown color that looks simply like maple syrup in both its hue and viscosity. Any would-be lacing is foregone by brandy-like legging- all ensuring that this beer must be appreciated a more of a cordial than a traditional beer.

Strong savory aromatics abound from the glass with the overwhelming scents of aged sherry wine, soy sauce, black strap molasses, dried tobacco leaves, cured leather, and a somewhat meaty mesquite note. Spicy alcohols are spirit-like and carry and inherent spicy note of cinnamon, aniseed, and peppercorn.

Sweet and savory flavors weave in the beer's early palate for a sultry and "meaty" character that salivates the mouth and invites larger sips than is preferred. But as the taste extends to the middle of the tongue, the sweetness fades, leaving the earthy and spicy flavors of tobacco, oak, and sherry to carry its grape and cherry taste into a highly spicy finish that reminds me of cough syrups and spiced rum.

Strong spicy alcohol bite just edges out the early sweet texture for command of the mouthfeel early and often. Its a powerful experience that favors strong warmth and hop bite even late for a balance that seems actually beer-like. At heart this drinking experience is a beer- but one with spirit-like power and effect. It's an ale like no other.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 06:09:29 | More by BEERchitect

blee107

Ireland

3.5/5  rDev -3.3%

05-04-2013 16:57:07 | More by blee107

jvillefan

California

3.75/5  rDev +3.6%

03-13-2013 02:43:53 | More by jvillefan

CaptainNomihodai

Illinois

4/5  rDev +10.5%

03-06-2013 06:03:04 | More by CaptainNomihodai

BrewTasting

Nevada

4/5  rDev +10.5%

02-16-2013 19:21:15 | More by BrewTasting

Loganyoung

Georgia

4/5  rDev +10.5%

02-05-2013 19:41:09 | More by Loganyoung

baybum

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -10.2%

01-27-2013 22:41:35 | More by baybum

IPA4LIFE

United Kingdom (England)

4.5/5  rDev +24.3%

01-24-2013 20:49:54 | More by IPA4LIFE

whiterapid

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +3.6%

01-09-2013 04:16:40 | More by whiterapid

FLima

Brazil

4/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Amber color leaving alcohol marks in the glass. Don’t even think about a head, or carbonation.
Sweet malt and woody aroma, smells like cognac. Strangely I could get some pineapple out of it.
Similarly, it tastes like a good cognac or scotch. Such high level alcohol has a numb effect at your mouth as it happens to hard liquors. Body is heavy and oily.
Remove water from your beer and you would get a STB type of beer, picture this if you don’t recognize this as beer. It is a beer amplified. I personally found it to be more drinkable than many malt liquor beers. You have to sip it as drinking an excellent scotch or rum. Actually is very tasteful and superior to most cognacs, rums and scotch, though quite expensive to make it.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 19:15:23 | More by FLima

twoplustwoisfive

Texas

2/5  rDev -44.8%

12-02-2012 15:43:06 | More by twoplustwoisfive

Lare453

Florida

3/5  rDev -17.1%

11-12-2012 20:27:34 | More by Lare453

mick303

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +3.6%

11-04-2012 20:06:34 | More by mick303

bennetj17

Arizona

4.25/5  rDev +17.4%

10-31-2012 21:48:08 | More by bennetj17

hockeyfighter19

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +10.5%

10-10-2012 17:11:35 | More by hockeyfighter19

t0rin0

California

3/5  rDev -17.1%

09-02-2012 03:29:10 | More by t0rin0

BS-

4.5/5  rDev +24.3%

09-01-2012 13:13:22 | More by BS-

GONZALOYANNA

Spain

4.7/5  rDev +29.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

330ml bottle (Xmas gift from my wife). Spirit glass. From my notes. Deep amber color, foggy appearance. Very strong flavors & aromas. I love rhum, well, it performs like ir does. Smooth upfront then a burning big bang in mouth. Amazing light body but, after some drop, it makes you feel like being drinking beer for hours. Tastes as an amplified flavor & aroma beer. Nearly unexisting froth but master carbonation.: I had have it after diners for several days & I have to say that everytime I opened it, it sounded “pop”. Incredible drinking experience. Perfect pairing with butter & anise cookies.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 23:31:56 | More by GONZALOYANNA

dragnalus

2.5/5  rDev -30.9%

08-20-2012 09:13:38 | More by dragnalus

WhiskeeTango

Missouri

3.25/5  rDev -10.2%

08-15-2012 17:25:15 | More by WhiskeeTango

CitizenGrain

3/5  rDev -17.1%

08-05-2012 19:48:55 | More by CitizenGrain

TrevorWGrover

Germany

4.55/5  rDev +25.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I had this beer a while back so I can't really justify reviewing it now but I feel like I have to to talk a little about this extremely unique beer.

First of all, we are supposed to compare the beers we review only against other beers of the same style. There are not many beers of this style. The only other that I have EVER heard of is Brewdog's other: 'Tactical Nuclear Penguin'.

BA calls this an imperial IPA, but I don't feel it actually fits in that description. It is like a liquor IPA. Don't take that the wrong way. Sink the Bismarck IS a beer. It is brewed like a beer, from the grain to the boil, hopped like a beer, fermented like a beer and then hopped some more. (no distillery necessary)

Drinking this beer is a lot like drinking a nice Scotch or Bourbon. You definitely get that warming feeling through the back of your tongue and throat but it smells and tastes like a delicious IPA. Something that Brewdog WOULD put out.

If you had Tactical Nuclear Penguin and did not like it so much, that is not a good enough reason to pass on this one. STB > TNP.

I truly loved drinking this brew. I'll just say drink it with an open mind.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2012 12:22:37 | More by TrevorWGrover

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev -17.1%

07-18-2012 12:34:53 | More by tbeckett

MasterSki

Illinois

3.18/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Bottle generously shared by thetomG. Served in a 3 Floyds tasting snifter. First batch, without the resealable bottle.

A - Surprisingly carbonation here. While a hard pour doesn't rouse much foam, there are tons of bubbles present in the transparent dark amber body, and a partial ring is formed on the surface.

S - The smell is actually fairly pleasant, with a nice blend of caramel and red fruit malts, tropical hops, and present but relatively restrained alcohol presence. More malt and less booze than I anticipated.

T - The taste also starts out quite promising, and is exactly what you'd expect if you distilled a high-ABV IIPA. Citrus and tropical hops with caramel and brown sugar malts. The alcohol doesn't manifest much in the flavor, but rears its head in the finish when it combines with some fierce hop bitterness. Starts as a 4.0, but ends as more of a 2.0, so I'll split the difference I guess.

M - Oh God, it burns! Warming and biting alcohol all the way from the back of the throat to the belly. Super, super, dry, with some surprising carbonation tingle. Viscous full body.

D - I actually kind of liked this beer, and it's exponentially better than Tactical Nuclear Penguin. If you go in expecting a hop liquor you shouldn't be too disappointed. Definitely overpriced, but far from undrinkable.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 15:37:44 | More by MasterSki