A BrewDog BBQ

Just a quick report back from the BrewDog BBQ at The Bull at Horton Kirby. I started with a pint of Punk for a number of reasons. One, I find the alliteration and the way that ‘Pint of Punk’ rolls of the tongue completely irresistible. Two, I was in the mood for a big hop smack around the face. Three, I just bloody love the stuff. The pint was spot on; big hops, all that fruitiness – lycees, strawberries, a tropical fruit basket - and a bold gold body of malt.

Next I went for 5am Saint. It’s a new BrewDog beer for me (tick…). The premise is high hop flavour and low hop bitterness all wrapped up in a red ale. This really was something remarkable: all the hop aroma and flavour is right there in the first mouthful but then you don’t get the bitter bite you expect, which is a little unnerving for the first few sips (kind of like getting kicked in the balls without the stomach-churning pain) but it seriously grows on you into this bottomless bucket of flavours. It’s one of those beers that tastes different with each gulp – strawberries, tropical fruits, caramel, bitter oranges, tobacco – and the hop bitterness is there in a tickle-your-tongue kind of way. This was a fascinating, brilliant beer.
Then I went for a pint of Zeitgeist which, speeding past Punk and 5am Saint, was the best beer of the night for me. Full-bodied and smooth, roasty, chocolatey and then this swathe of fresh hops through at the end. It’s not a lager as you or I know it but that doesn’t matter one bit when it tastes this good. I chugged it back super-fast and then went back to the bar, faced with Punk, 5am Saint and 77 Lager (Trashy Blonde had been drunk dry by this point) and I went for another Zeitgeist. Knowing how much of a hop-freak I am, me choosing to have another pint of Zeitgeist says it all, I think.

There was also some great food out too; sausages, burgers, jerk chicken, mackerel… perfect food to soak up the beer. And with 77 and Zeitgeist on the bar, a BBQ was the perfect food to put out, as this glorious piece here explains.

BrewDog BBQ done but don’t forget the West Kent Pub of the Year party this Thursday, August 20th. Garrett is promising awesome and he is certain to deliver. He hasn’t given away any clues so I’m like a kid waiting to unwrap a present on Christmas Day. If you fancy some excellent beers on Thirsty Thursday then get on out there, it’s one not to miss (the details are here, on their facebook page).

The picture is crap as it is from my phone. I did take some shots from my camera but I left it in Lauren’s bag. I’ll try and get something better up soon. In the meantime enjoy the 5am Saint in the top picture with the reflection of Brad/Dubbel in my sunglasses.

And tune in every day this week as I attempt a Fantasy Pub Week following on from Friday’s If you had to… to try and create our dream drinking place.