Abstrakt AB:02
BrewDog

Abstrakt AB:02Abstrakt AB:02
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From:
BrewDog
 
Scotland, United Kingdom
Style:
American Strong Ale
ABV:
18%
Score:
82
Avg:
3.52 | pDev: 18.47%
Reviews:
14
Ratings:
23
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 31, 2018
Added:
Jun 21, 2010
Wants:
  6
Gots:
  5
Triple Dry Hopped Imperial Red Ale.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of eric5bellies
Reviewed by eric5bellies from Australia

2.87/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 1.25 | overall: 2.5
OK had this beer in my cellar for some time. Bottled on 16.06.2010. Bottle 734 of 3600

A - Pours a classic cola colour with same head appearance that dies quick
S - Soy sauce and small sweet malts
M - Thinned out medium body with no carbonation
T - Surprisingly heavy barrel aged flavours with minimal soy sauce. Toffee and caramel still very much evident.
O - This beer is way past its best, however its has stood up reasonably well. I don't think the plastic cork helps with the ageing of this beer.
Dec 31, 2018
Photo of heygeebee
Reviewed by heygeebee from Australia

1.95/5  rDev -44.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1
Have had before but left this one too long.
Looked like a beer, smelt like a beer, but when tasted was undrinkable and a drain pour.
I thought I had well-cellared it but a warning to others to temper expectations now :-(
Mar 28, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Dec 04, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by zestar from California

Oct 30, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by bsuedekum from Missouri

Jun 08, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by spicelab from Australia

May 28, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by danieelol from Australia

Jan 29, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by mdagnew from Northern Ireland

Sep 06, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by kjkinsey from Texas

Apr 17, 2012
Photo of crnipeter
Reviewed by crnipeter from Slovenia

3.56/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I'm a bit uncertain how to rate this beer (classed as American Strong Ale here on BA) as it seems to resemble English Barleywine/Old ale more than anything else.

Pours hazed coppery body with almost non-existent beige loose head of agglomerated bubbles.

Nose is strongly malty with biscuity-caramel character and exhibits powerful dried fruits and sweet orange oil-like aroma, and even chocolaty notes. Evident are earthy hops. Considering its 18% ABV and the brewer, alcohol is well hidden.

Full bodied with mild carbonation and warming alcohol. Flavor exhibits dried fruits and caramel-biscuity malt whose sweetness is counterbalanced by evident (earthy) hop-bitterness and a bit too hot alcohol warmth, while finish remains on the sweet side.
Feb 25, 2012
Photo of rarbring
Reviewed by rarbring from Sweden

3.29/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
A clouded light brown, an off-white small head, no lacing and small curtains.

A lot of smell in this one, a hoppy haze with sweet grape-fruits, soy sauce, peas and some tea.

A sweet bread start, apricots, sherry, even alcohol, bitter grape-fruit seeds.

Little carbonation, soft and smooth, a big body, a small dry finish.

Not an easy brew, a bit unbalanced.
Jan 30, 2012
 
Rated: 2.75 by bark from Sweden

Jan 30, 2012
Photo of TMoney2591
Reviewed by TMoney2591 from Illinois

3.55/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Served in a Dogfish Head snifter.

Bottle #2145/3600, bottled on 6/16/10. A triple dry-hopped imperial red ale...okay...right on. It pours a slightly murky ruby-garnet topped by a finger of wan tan foam. The nose comprises toasted caramel, dank greens, deep pine resin, dank wood, light biscuit, and dark honey (...the hell does that mean...?). There's a vague mustiness involved in all of it. The taste holds notes of pine resin, dark greens, light cocoa, toasted rye bread, toasted caramel, light toffee, light menthol, and a palpable feeling of booze. The body is a straight medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a generally smooth feel. Overall, an interesting brew, but one that seems too strong for its own good (in a number of ways). Not bad, but nothing I'm gonna seek out again. An experience, I suppose.
Jan 17, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by ygtbsm94 from Utah

Dec 29, 2011
Photo of Thehuntmaster
Reviewed by Thehuntmaster from South Africa

4.26/5  rDev +21%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
375ml corked and caged bottle 18% Abv.
Served lightly chilled in an over sized wine glass.
Bottle 3043/3600
Bottled on 16/06/2010

I am really looking forward to this beer - as I love huge beers like this and I love Brewdog!

Appearance: Deep, opaque mahogany brown body with red/oranges edges when backlit. Surprisingly a rough pour yields a small white head that lasts most of the way down and leaves quite a few spots of lacing (impressive for an aged 18% beer!). Some alcohol legs are also visible after swirling.

Smell: Wow, massive nose. I could smell this from the second I got the cork out. Rich caramel, toffee, brown sugar, lots of candied citrus peel, booze soaked dark fruits (raisins and plums) and some pine resin are all well noted. As the beer warms more resiny notes are present as well as a light smoky burned character.

Taste: Initially sweet dark caramel, treacle and dark fruits (distinct plum notes), followed by more candied citrus peel and some pine resin. The finish is fairly bitter and well lasting.

Mouthfeel: Wow, the body is surprisingly light for such a big beer. I was expecting it to be heavy and syrupy, but in fact the body is medium with some light stickiness. The very low level of smooth carbonation is just about perfect.

Overall: I really enjoyed this beer and would happily buy it again were it available.
Dec 28, 2011
Photo of MasterSki
Reviewed by MasterSki from Canada (ON)

1.93/5  rDev -45.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5
Thanks(?) to Jason for sharing this. #1175 of 3600. Bottled June 16th, 2010. An 18% "triple-hopped" Imperial Red Ale - what could possibly go wrong?

A - Some quick-dissipating bubbles settle to...nada. Dark, opaque, red-brown body. Wasn't expecting much considering the alcohol, and I didn't get much either.

S - Cotton candy, booze. Smells like an out-of control Irish red ale, with treacle, burnt sugars, and a retarded amount of alcohol. Smells like Jolly Rancher Liquor. Maybe there were hops here, but they're probably long gone.

T - The taste is horrendous - far worse than I expected from the aroma. Bitter walnut, fusel alcohol, burnt tires, and more alcohol. Maybe even a bit of astringent hop bitterness. It didn't make me gag, so I guess it's a bit better than some White Birch beers I've had.

M - Surprisingly thin medium body for the high ABV, minimal carbonation, intense alcohol burn, sticky texture.

D - Pretty much undrinkable. I poured this out after maybe 2-3 sips, and I think Jason managed to choke down even less. Perhaps this was a bit better when it was fresh, although I can't imagine how it would be.
Oct 28, 2011
Photo of shambeano
Reviewed by shambeano from Australia

3.58/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Shared this one with a friend. been holding on to it since it came out. poured into a unibroue tulip.

A- pours a very dark brown with about 1 cm of relatively fluffy head that slowly subsides to a very thin film. very thick and dark in the glass. interesting.

S- Initially sweet malt, but followed by a strong alcohol kick. touch of dark fruit and raisin. but mainly sweetness and alcohol.

T- straight up again, a whole bunch of sweet malt. still very boozy. underneath the booze there is some hop presence, bitter and a touch citric, but it comes only after getting used to the booze. very resiny.

M- although there is a touch of carbonation, its pretty thick. Bitterness is lingering, finishing pretty dry. a fair amount happening in the mouth.

O- There is a lot of alcohol in here, but not as much as i was expecting for the ABV. Straight up its sweet malt and alcohol, but underneath the hops and other flavours come through, but the alcohol does take some getting used to, and is still pretty dominant.
May 03, 2011
Photo of breweryaprntc13
Reviewed by breweryaprntc13 from Virginia

4.3/5  rDev +22.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Thin foamy off white head, dark amber with golden brown hues. Head recedes slowly and leaves decent lacing.

Strong citrus (cascade?) hops lead, decent sweet malt undertones, some alcohol notes

Orange/Lemon and Grassy flavors, citrusy with hints of caramel malts and some slight roast, sweet on top with bitter undertones that build to the finish with a growing earthy presence. Alcohol definitely makes its presence known, but balances well with the complex hop bitterness and partial malt profile.

Light body and medium carbonation, smooth.

A very delicious and interesting beer, definitely too strong for a regular drinking beer, but an excellent beer to have on rare occasion or when in the mood for something complex and impressive.
Jan 31, 2011
Photo of ADZA
Reviewed by ADZA from Australia

3.97/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This brew pours a murky cherry hue with decent carbonation that leaves a quick dissapearing head and little lacing,the aroma is floral and sweet with notes of fruity,piney hops and some boiled candy and brown sugar,it has medium bodied mouthfeel which is very sticky and has a very sweet upfront taste with flavours of boiled candy,brown sugar,caramel,passionfruit and is rounded out by a pine needle hoppy bitterness,overall its a nice drop thats 18%ABV hides very well but due to that,its stickyish mouthfeel and its exspensive price i dont think it would have a regular spot in my fridge,interesting though.
Nov 14, 2010
Photo of Evil_Pidde
Reviewed by Evil_Pidde from Sweden

4.33/5  rDev +23%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A: Pours amber with a nice tan head that slowly dissipates, leaving nice lacings.

S: Lots of dark dried frutis and molasses, as it should be considering the high ABV. The caramell malt is sweet, and roasted. The floral as well as the bitter American hops are really heavy. Citric and piney.

T: Lots and lots of hops, piney and citric, but also bitter. Sweetness from the malt and dark dried fruits. But this beer is all about the trippel dry hopping.

M: Medium to full body and very low carbonation. Aftertaste lingers for quite some time and is at first sweet and bitter but soon it's only bitter.

D: If you can make a 18% ABV beer that doesn't smell or taste like alcohol you must know what you're doing. The hops are overpowering but a very nice and interesting beer, nevertheless.
Jul 29, 2010
Abstrakt AB:02 from BrewDog
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 23 ratings