International Arms Race - Flying Dog Brewery

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

2.65/5  rDev -18%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

This beer poured out as a decent looking copper color. The head fades very quickly, no retention or lacing on this beer. The smell of the beer gives off some light Gruit aromas. Some very subtle malt and citrus aromas also. The taste of the beer was malty with a bit of spice but not enough in my opinion. The mouthfeel of this beer is decent, moderate carbonation with medium body. Overall it's not as good as the BrewDog version. It needs more flavor from the Gruit. The lack of the hops need to be balanced with the spices and I'm just not getting enough from this beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 23:54:34 | More by Knapp85

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.33/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

- Collabration with Brewdog.

A: Dense cadmium orange shows a heavy dose of protein haze. A khaki 1 inch head is short on the hold, offering no visual lace appeal. A layer of sediment collects on the bottom of the vessel, a turn off to some, but i like the extra junk in the glass.

S: Aroma was orange-yeasty. short and sweet but light.

T: Blood orange-yeasty flavor, spices of citronella, grains of paradise, with some honey. Some light cardamon, and ginger, fresh spruce and cinnamon. Sweet, honey ginger laced malting with a peppery leave. Strange, yet a bit intriquing, yeasty and bready.

M: Oily mouthful, malty, sweet and spicy.

O: Overall a strange yet intriquing flavor, spicy, sweet, definitly worthy a single try to figure out the layers of spiciness for oneself. hard to describe.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 22:56:39 | More by beerthulhu

bark

Sweden

3.45/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 2.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The colour is gold with a tint of orange (15 EBC), the liquid is clear. The white foam disappears quickly leaving no traces on glas or liquid.

The smell is a bit spicy, but fresh cut wood dominates: Pine, oak and eucalyptus. Semi-sweet flowery flavours. Hints of orange peels and bay leaves.

Spices, some of them bitter, in the taste. Bay leaves reminds me of cooked meat dishes. Some orange peels and a pleasant bitterness. It is quite odd, but it is pretty close to a IPA experience. Light body. The aftertaste is somewhat perfumed with bay leaves, nutmeg and a touch of coriander. The finish is spicy and a bit dry with just a slight hint of mint.

The carbonation is medium strong with lots of small bubbles; the liquid is semi-smooth and a bit harsh.

I’m a bit surprised, in fact I kind of liked this beer. It is way better (and closer to an IPA) than the BrewDog version.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 19:06:13 | More by bark

smakawhat

Maryland

3.46/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Poured from the bottle into a Dogfish Head Ale glass.

A dull orange amber, a bit murky and a little brown also for the body. Makes a faint fleeting one finger tan head, but settles to a thin collar. Collar seems to have some staying power, but the top looks a bit filmy. Can't see much carbonation rising from this.

Nose is floral and full of honeysuckle sensations. Extremely spicy, sort of like cinnamon in a way, with lots hot dry powder burn. Quite a nice smelling brew actually.

Palate though just doesn't bring much depth. Brown spice rush of cinnamon, and nutmeg, but extremely fleeting, and stuck with a very dry and bitter feeling in the mid palate. Finishes wet but with no flavor on the aftertaste. Honey richness hinted on the nose is really missing.

Overall it's drinkable, and certainly doesn't feel boozy for 7.5, but this isn't one of the better Gruits I think I've had.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 02:10:11 | More by smakawhat

dgilks

Australia

2.88/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Let's start with the obvious - this is not an IPA. It pours a clear amber-orange colour with no real head. Obviously there is no head retention either.

The aroma is massive on juniper with an almost cinnamon note coming through. The bay leaves add depth. Lightly minty.

More of the same on the palate. There is some lightly sweet malt followed by a massive dose of juniper, spruce and orange pith. Interesting to be sure but more Gruit than IPA.

Medium body with moderately-low carbonation. Okay.

This is an interesting beer and a neat idea that I certainly appreciate. The way it comes together is a fail in my book but it is certainly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 07:44:47 | More by dgilks

oline73

Maryland

3.23/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured from the bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: The beer pours a cloudy amber color with just a hint of orange to it. There is a small layer of off white head that fades to a thin ring around the pour.

Smell: Lots of herbs and spices. I'm getting some coriander and ginger. Reminds me a bit of herbal tea. There might be some pepper as well.

Taste: They're marketing this as a zero ibu IPA, it's full of herbs and spices, but not bitter at all. I'm picking up some pepper and coriander. I'm sure there are more herbs and spices that I'm missing. There is a malt sweetness behind the spices. A bit weird.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with lots of tingly carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: Not a terrible beer. I give them props for trying something weird like this. I enjoyed the spices, but everything fell a bit flat for me. I don't need any more.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 00:19:21 | More by oline73

beer2day

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Very hazy orange gold pour with 1/2 finger medium cream head. Not retention and no lace. Significant particulate matter suspended in the glass.

Initial nose is orange peel, and quite strong. Later in the glass I'm getting a lot of white pepper. Strong herb mix, so much so that it is difficult to tell what exactly is there. Smells a bit like some kitchen experiments I did as a kid, mixing herbs together to see what aroma combinations could be formed. Very earthy.

Flavor is very much the white pepper and orange zest. There is a light grapefruit presence and even a touch of mango - but both of these are achieved through an herbal balance. Interesting and not the least off-putting to my palate.

Feel is slightly chewy, a bit thicker than expected. Not syrupy at all. I think all those floaters add to the feel.

Overall, glad I tried it. Not an everyday drinker, but quite a nice experiment.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 02:32:12 | More by beer2day

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

3.08/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A 355ml bottle with a BB of June 2013. Purchased recently from Trembling Madness in York. Described on the label as a 'zero-IBU IPA', a spiced ale brewed without hops. This is the result of a collaboration with Brewdog - both breweries vied to create a hopless IPA. I've already tried the Brewdog version, which was OK, so I'm looking forward to seeing how this one stands up.

Poured into a Delirium chalice. A hazy reddish-amber hue with strong carbonation. Lots of large floating chunks in the body of the beer; doesn't look like typical yeast to me. Perhaps coagulated protein? At any rate, not very nice. Forms a decent head of white foam which subsides and disappears almost immediately. An intensely herbal, spicy aroma with notes of bay leaves, juniper, orange peel and a hint of rosemary or thyme. Faint caramel malt lurks in the background, along with a stewed leaf character. Slightly sweet, with a quality almost like marmalade. Interesting though a bit harsh.

Tastes of bitter aromatic herbs with a dry, acrid finish. Notes of stewed herbs: bay leaves, juniper, rosemary, orange peel and maybe coriander. Hints of oily citrus peel and faint caramel in the background, along with a whisper of earthy yeast. A bone-dry bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is dry and highly astringent, with tingly carbonation and a spicy quality on the palate. Body is rather thin and insubstantial. Scours the inside of your mouth. Aftertaste of bitter aromatic herbs and orange peel.

Not a success - herbal overkill. Harsh and very bitter, with excessive dryness. The malt simply doesn't stand up to the amount of herbs that have been added, resulting in a highly unbalanced flavour and a thin, watery body. Not sure what's up with the floaties in this bottle, but they don't add any appeal either (bad handling/storage?). The aroma is the best feature - taken on its own it's quite nice. This beer certainly has character, but it would be improved immensely by boosting the malt and/or toning down the herbal additions. In my opinion this is worse than Brewdog's attempt, which was a bit insipid but more balanced and drinkable (ironically the bar competition they ran saw FD's version win out - perhaps it was better on tap). I'm not loving this; bring back the hops! Not recommended.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 23:02:53 | More by jazzyjeff13

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A-amber wih a thin white head.

S-sweet caramel, cinnamon, maybe some peppercorn. Smells like a hippy candle. I happen to like hippy candles. Strong scent.

T-comes in tasting like a hippy candle as well, much like insence. Cinnamon and herbs. It has a good amount of bitterness to it, for being a zero ibu ipa. It's a unique beer. The after-taste is matching but weak.

M-medium dry carbonation with a dry finish

O-this is an odd beer. It's really not sitting that well with me either. The flavors are decent and unique but it doesn't make a good drinker.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 23:35:44 | More by AdamBear

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a deep opaque amber pour with a finger of head which quickly diminished.
smells of rust, battery acid, banana, pepper, orange peel....this should be an interesting one.
the taste is very odd.. lots of strange vegetable and fruit notes come to play.. mango, tree bark, medicinal cherry flavoring, coriander, nutmeg.. i mean.. the smell and flavors probably sound gross, but it's actually not bad. at all. i mean, i probably wouldn't have more than one of these in a sitting.. but as far as trying it, i'm not mad i did.

the body is medium, on the lighter side, with a decent amount of carbonation. nothing too special aside from a strange burning sensation left on the lips.. not sure if it's from the alcohol (not really THAT high) or whatever spices were used on this.

well, needless to say, this is not an IPA. obviously. an IPA needs hops, and a certain ibu level to be an IPA. also, the color is a bit off, and again, an IPA needs a certain SRM level to be an IPA. if anything it's a spiced up amber, crossing over to a winter warmer type of ale. which, to me, is fine.. but please, do not print in bold large font "zero ibu ipa" on your label.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 01:52:45 | More by facundoCNB

jtierney89

New Jersey

1.65/5  rDev -48.9%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Hazy bronze color. Sweet scent, caramel, with a bit of popuri. Fairly light body with a sweet malt profile, honey and caramel with a spicy finish. Cinnamon is definitely there.
Light sweet with funky belgian-like flavors. Sweetness lingers and kinda covers up the spicy finish that hits the back end of the tongue. Piney earthy and flowery but only for a moment.

In no way did the beer remind me of an IPA at all and even as a scottish gruit it didnt have the balance that a good one should have in the form of the herb and malt mixture. Not a fan. Drinkable but thats about it.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 01:26:17 | More by jtierney89

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.29/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

An orange amber colour with a thin, half centimetre tall and slightly off white head that disappears after about thirty seconds.

Herbal and quite spicy with a strong, sweet aroma mixed with some caramel and honey. There is some orange zest in the aroma too along with some mild pine and citrus notes, rounded off with some grapefruit as well.

Herbs upfront and a good caramel base and plenty of spice. There is a floral flavour coming through and some bitterness despite the zero IBU's and strange, sort of elderflower and perfume aftertaste.

Medium bodied, fairly smooth and with mild carbonation and plenty of spice and a touch of sweetness plus the aforementioned bitterness.

I preferred this one slightly more than the Brewdog version, with both being rather disappointing. This one had a very good aroma but the taste was lacking some and the rest was pretty average so it's not one I would recommend.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 12:09:17 | More by flyingpig

Arithmeticus

Maryland

2.63/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Poured chilled in ale glass

A: slightly cloudy copper orange; thin head; modest carb streams
S: very spiced--allspice, cinnamon, pumpkin, and mint; I dislike how intense the smell is--uninviting to me
T: weird, weird, weird; seltzer water meets a spiced ale; much like a stunted pumpkin ale
M: very thin-bodied, much like a soda

Meh. They shouldn't have started this cold war.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 00:53:36 | More by Arithmeticus

zaphodchak

Virginia

4.2/5  rDev +30%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A finger of whitish head that recedes into some decent surface retention. Color is a hazy amber (I agitated the sediment deliberately, so sue me). Only a bit of lace, and I've been trying to make sure my glasses are extra-clean lately.

Nose brings the German prefix "kräuter-" to mind; closest translation is "herbal". Kinda like a Ricola but less sweet, if that helps. Definitely a positive.

Dang, this is pretty darn good. Not overwhelming, but a great balanced herbal palate that again, is kinda reminiscent of Ricola in the best possible way. Not particularly bitter, but the aftertaste is slightly leafy and mentholic. I wouldn't guess it was 7.5%, and I could definitely drink several of these; I'm regretting having bought only one (seemed like a gimmick and I don't usually care for IPAs anyway).

Good feel if a bit coarse, but no complaints.

Well this is neat, and I like it a lot, but the BA style categorization is correct (gruit) rather than any kind of IPA. And if you're still reading this, I recommend agitating the sediment before pouring.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 02:25:38 | More by zaphodchak

larryi86

Delaware

3.98/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a snifter

A- A very hazy orange/copper with a very small white head.

S- Grapefruit, grapefruit rinds, earthy spices, herbal, nice malt backbone.

T- Very herbal, floral, earthy spices, grapefruit rind, some caramel malts, really nice bitterness, and slight tea like taste.

M- Smooth, medium body.

O- A tasty beer and has some surprising hop like flavors for having on hops. I will pick this up again!

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 23:31:08 | More by larryi86

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +26.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Cloudy copper with lots of particles and a one-finger, off-white, fizzy head that lasted a minute. Not much lacing.

S: The most herbal smelling beer I've ever smelled. Very interesting.

T: Moderate sweetness and light bitterness. Very herbal and earthy like the nose. Tastes like tea.

M: Medium bodied with soft carbonation. Smooth.

O: I don't think this is a great beer, but it definitely gets points for originality.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 02:21:21 | More by SolipsismalCat

stephenjmoore

Maryland

3.33/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A- Almost a neon orange/peach colored body witha thin off-white head that slowly disappears. Beer is somewhat transparent with carbonation bubbles coming up from the bottom of the glass.

S- Smells like a spice rack in a kitchen. Some floral notes along with lots of spices. All-spice, nutmeg and some herbal aromas.

T- Not a malt-bomb at all, spices come through a lot and comprise most of the flavor. Not getting a whole lot in the way of hop flavor, but not a huge noticeable loss.

M- Medium-low carbonation, somewhat grainy, not really refreshing.

O- Huge props for the idea, but the result is not mind-blowing. Definitely a drinkable beer, but is nowhere near an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 22:35:33 | More by stephenjmoore

hdofu

Maryland

3.4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This is my 411 review on this site, fitting it would be such a weird brew.
Usually when I look at IPAs, I'm going for higher ibu numbers, still the idea of trying an ipa with a no ibu number was irresistible in a sort of taste sadistic manner. Smell is kind of like some kind of fruit punch. Taste is medicinal , almost earthy with alot of spices. Color is sort of red. The big mystery of this is how they can call it an ipa at all, as it isn't pale, it isn't very hoppy. its has a finish almost like breakfast grapefruit. An interesting attempt but not quite my cup of tea, er brew of beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 20:35:44 | More by hdofu

CraftBeerTastic

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ba Review #230
Served On: 10/19/2012
Glassware: Duvel Glass
Labeled ABV: 7.5%
Date/ Code: 016A13

This was from Evergreen Liquors in Frederick, MD for $12.99 a 6-pack.

Look: Poured a hazy orangish color with some golden tinges along the edges. The head was a mere coating of film with some tiny speckles of head lacing. Carbonation level seemed very low.

Smell: Mainly earthy spice with a bouquet of dried flowers and hay. This aroma also reminded me of a pumpkin ale with some occasional hints of bland pumpkin meat.

Taste: First off were strong notes of spice - coriander and some clove. The spice subsided towards the middle and then that pumpkin ale character hit. The finish was some residual spice that slowly faded into a faint bitterness.

I was satisfied with the brew – but it was rather pricey for what it was. I plan on seeking out its BrewDog counterpart for sure.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 16:16:17 | More by CraftBeerTastic

ianjsullivan

Maryland

3.93/5  rDev +21.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

ST: 12oz poured into a pint glass.

A: It looks like dark, hazy cider. An orange tint is visible in light, as are the bubbles of gently rising carbonation.

S: Spicy spruce, heather, woody, earthy, and herbaceous, Arms has a fantastic aroma.

T: Spruce, heather, biscuit, sour, spicy, earthy, woody finish. This beer is like drinking a forest. It has some things in common with some Christmas seasonals, but it is different enough that it cannot be shoved into that generic category.

M: Medium and sweet

O: This is a beer that everyone should at least try once. It has an interesting aroma and taste profile. If you are not into woody, earthy, herbaceous beers, you will not like Arms. If you would like an example of what older beers most likely tasted like, try this beer. The finish is sour and spicy in a very different way from hops. If you want a beer that produces IPA bitterness using other ingredients, you will not find that here.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 18:20:20 | More by ianjsullivan

AnalogReigns

North Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +34.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A light colored beer, about that of a Bass ale. Aroma of cinnamon and perhaps juniper. Very nice tasting, subtle spicing--like all the better Christmas beers lately. While this isn't technically a Christmas or Winter beer, it should be judged as one--as it certainly isn't an IPA.

The Gruit leaves a lingering yet clean finish--and one can tell--if you think about it-- that there are no hops--even though it is decently bitter. If it were a hopped beer, it would probably rate 30 IBUs or lower...which to me, is quite pleasant for a Scots Ale, and appropriate for that style. This could be labeled a Scots-Christmas Ale, and no one would notice that it isn't very hoppy (but to me, that's a good thing!).

The brewers showed their skill by making a malty tasting beer--only the color of a pale ale, too--CLASSY!

I think this is an excellent beer--highly experimental, and very much a success...as it truly is delicious, especially on a cold winter night.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 00:56:53 | More by AnalogReigns

Redteketed

Netherlands

2.55/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Amber colored, cloudy, with a small head that quickly diminish.
The smell has lots of herbs and some orange. The herbs are familiar, but I can’t specify them.
The taste bring some grapefruit tones en again lots of herbs.
The mouth feel is a bit dry, quiet sparkling, the body is light, especially for a 7,5 % abv, not much of and aftertaste.
Overall: Not my cup of tea, but a daring experiment. By the way, didn’t like the Brewdog version either.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 22:58:57 | More by Redteketed

diddly

New York

3.78/5  rDev +17%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass. Picked this one up because "0-IBU IPA" really catches the eye.

Deep amber/gold in color with a thin, white head, which doesn't stay long. No lacing to mention. Significant amount of flotsam and jetsam suspended in the beer at first, then settling to the bottom.

Smells of sweet fruits. Maybe a little bit of orange, but seems to be leaned towards more exotic stuff.

The flavor really surprised me; I didn't see how a 0-IBU IPA could be a thing, but it's surprisingly close. Obviously there's no hop-wallop, but there is a similar hit from the spices involved. After the initial flavor, though, it becomes clear that the culprit is spices, and the aftertaste is clearly a bit different. Still good, and certainly not a common flavor.

Mouthfeel is light on carbonation, which I attribute to the style, and a bit slick; definitely on the lighter side.

Overall, I probably wouldn't buy this again, although if it were brewed again I would try that version. A very interesting experiment, and glad I was able to try it.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 04:28:57 | More by diddly

orangedive

Maryland

3.08/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - burgundy, 80% opaque, very little head. Looks like i want to drink it, which I'm about to.

S - lots of spice...hard to distinguish between spices. Smells a lot like an octoberfest or pumpkin beer. Actually smells like the spice will be overwhelming rather than complementary. Faint hints of hazelnut I believe, which seems strange but not in a bad way.

T - reminds me of a barely wine with spices added. It's good but not spectacular. It feels like the spices were added to be different but not necessarily to make a better beer. For a beer with 7.5% abv, they did a nice job masking the alcohol. It is not overly present which is good.

M - the mouthfeel is good. Smooth and little chewy. Not thin. Very nice.

O - this isn't one of my favorites (especially from Flying Dog). It almost feels a little too gimmicky. But overall, it is a decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 01:18:04 | More by orangedive

JoshatTownHall

3.41/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

From the bottle from a $13.99 6 pack from Oakdale Wine & Spirits in Catonsville, Md. Overall the beer is interesting and worth the price to try once. I never had a genuine Medieval ale brewed in this style prior to this. The take on this style from both Flying Dog and Brewdog from Edinburgh is very cool. I don't know if I would try this specific beer again from Flying Dog but I think this is why Flying Dog has staying power in the craft beer market because they experiment with a variety of styles.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 06:50:48 | More by JoshatTownHall